Surgeries Were Not Easy for Jazz Jennings

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LGBTQ activist Jazz Jennings is loved around the country by those inspired by her journey and authenticity. She is popular for being one of the youngest and most outspoken transgender role models of our time. However, her transition hasn't been as easy as it may have appeared to be. In a recent episode of her reality television show, "I Am Jazz," we are given details about the difficulties Jennings faced in her first two surgeries as she prepares for a third.

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In the episode, Jennings and her parents meet with Dr. Marci Bowers and Dr. Jess Ting to discuss some of the complications that took place in her previous surgeries. "She had a very incredible first surgery — it went seemingly very well, but there were problems," she continued. "And that prompted a second surgery, which I was not a part of, unfortunately," Bowers explained. She suggested that many things didn't go as planned which resulted in the necessity to be careful going into future procedures.

Despite complications, the doctors are confident that everything will turn out just fine. "I feel like we're near the end of the journey at this point," Greg said to People Magazine. "And I do feel like this is going to be one where they say, 'This is what we’ve got to do to finish everything up, complete the process, and let Jazz go on her merry way.'" These procedures are groundbreaking and relatively new which may be why they come with a bit of difficulty, according to Bowers.

Jennings appears to be taking all of this in stride. Not too long ago, she posted a picture on Instagram proudly exposing her scars. "I'm proud of my scars and love my body just the way it is," she continued. "I call them my battle wounds because they signify the strength and perseverance it took to finally complete my transition," she wrote in the Instagram caption.

She received several comments praising her strength and vulnerability with the public as she continues to document her experiences.

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The most important thing is that the doctors handling her next procedures are aware of what they're dealing with now. "Taking Jazz on as a patient for surgery, we knew it was going to be a one-of-a-kind surgery,” Ting said. "We don't have the experience of having said we've done 50 of these. I was just not expecting her to have a complication as severe as what she did have." There are issues that need to be worked out, but both Jennings and doctors are hopeful for future success and with the knowledge they have now, it's easy to see them accomplishing it.