I watched the graphic depiction of our flight path on the screen. The plane crept slowly toward the northeast. I assumed the pilot knew the way, but it looked like we were headed for New York. We had been in the air less than a couple of hours, but it seemed longer. The total trip was almost 20 hours. The hormones I was taking provided some extra padding and made prolonged sitting less uncomfortable. I wished I could sleep, but I was never one who could fall asleep just anywhere. I certainly couldn’t sleep in a pressurized cabin miles in the air with dozens of strangers.

My mom had pulled out some of her legal papers to work on. I watched her, but carefully avoided distracting her. She read a little, frowned, highlighted some text, then continued to read. She was a smart attorney, no doubt. I once told her I must have inherited my brains from her. She said my dad was brilliant and worked as a chemical engineer, but he let drugs and alcohol take it away.

I realized that the longer I had to think, the more my thinking would drift into unpleasant memories. I asked Amie to ask her dad if he had something to help me sleep. She went and whispered something to her dad and came back with a tiny white tablet. My body was usually resistant to such medications, but I took the pill and laid my head back to see if I could at least relax if not sleep. I tried to visualize the medicine coursing through my bloodstream, relaxing my mind and body. Suddenly, the whistling sound in the cabin changed to a lower pitch. Were we losing altitude in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean? I looked up at my mom to ask what was happening. Then the flight attendant clicked the microphone, “We are beginning our descent toward Phuket International Airport. Please return to your seats and fasten your safety belts. The temperature on the ground is 73 degrees Fahrenheit with light rain.” I had been asleep for hours! The trip was over! Wonderful! I made a mental note to thank Amie’s dad for the pill, but he was busy right now handling ticket, passports, etc. Mom was looking at me and smiling, “I was watching you sleep and talking to God, thanking Him for giving me such a brilliant, beautiful child. Jamie, I love you more than life. I never want to take you for granted. I know that life can never be perfect, but I want your life to be as happy and fulfilling as possible.”

I held her arm and rested my head on her shoulder. “Mom, God has blessed me with people who love me and understand me. To wish for more would just be selfish of me.”

I looked out the window and still could on only see dark. The flight attendant was saying it was almost 8 pm local time. I thought about Thailand. I had seen “Brokedown Palace”, about two girls framed and arrested for drug possession in Thailand, and I had no desire to go sightseeing or any other tourist activity. I was here to get some unnecessary parts of my body removed and leave them here for the Thai doctor to do with as he saw fit. He could dissect them, discard them, or maybe donate them to some poor boy who was born in the body of a girl. I thought that was unlikely and wasn’t sure if it was even possible. I just knew that once I was rid of that tissue, I would feel 10 lbs. lighter…even if it was only 10 oz. or tissue. I would be able to wear pants so tight that they looked like they were painted on. I doubted that I would, but there would be no worry about a bulge that didn’t belong.

Since Amie’s dad’s reputation as a physician preceded him, the local surgeon had invited us to be guests at his home. I wondered how large his home was; since I was pretty sure the homes in Thailand were not as large as American homes, and certainly not as large as Dr. Adam’s home, or even my mom’s. But this doctor specialized in this surgery, had a lot of American patients, and probably made a very good living.

As we got off the plane we walked into the airport and there stood the doctor himself. He held up a sign that said “Amie and Jamie”. Amie and I smile and looked at each other. I’m sure our parents told him to write that. Dr. Adams did not offer to shake hands, but placed his open palms in front of his chest and bowed deeply. Dr. “Chet” did the same but bowed even deeper. He welcomed us in perfect English. That made me feel better. Maybe it’s silly of me, but when someone speaks with a foreign accent, I’m just not sure the precise meaning of what I’m saying is getting through to that person. He pronounced his name for us but insisted that we call him “Dr. Chet” since very few American could pronounce his full name. After everyone was properly greeted, we walked out the airport door where a driver waited in a van. We all climbed into the van, with the doctors in the very back where they could discuss their common interests undisturbed. Dr. Chet probably didn’t often get to meet a distinguished American doctor and wanted to glean any and all information he possibly could in a short amount of time. Dr. Adams looked pleased to have a colleague to talk to after such a long, tedious trip. The two of them talked like they were buddies meeting after a long separation. The van driver waited and soon, several of the doctor’s employees brought our bags and placed them into the back of the van. Mrs. Adams counted the bags and nodded to indicate that everything was there. The driver put the van in gear and started toward our destination.

The van ride was short. The doctor’s home and office were in the same building, and it was quite large by Thai standards. He had two large rooms set aside for us. He apologized…unnecessarily…for the accommodations. It was really nice and comfortable. Both doctors took off their shoes and left them outside the door and the rest of us followed suit.

Even though it was late, Dr. Chet and Dr. Adams decided to give me an examination. They brought me and my mom into an exam room. I quickly stripped, put on a gown and got into the stirrups. This was definitely not the U. S. because I was allowed to change into my own pale pink baby doll outfit…sans panties. My mom looked out the door and motioned for the doctors to come back. I think they were somewhat taken aback by my lack of shyness about the situation.

The doctors examined me extensively. Dr. Adams explained various aspects of the work he had previously done. Some of this I understood…some not.

After the exam, our host said dinner was ready. Everyone left me in the exam room, and Amie returned with her dinner…a hamburger! My dinner was chicken broth. We ate and chatted until a nurse came in with an injection for me…something to make me sleep. Amie kissed me goodnight and left. I lay in the dark and tossed and turned for about a second.