I was wrong about how long it will take to get top surgery. I don't have a surgery date yet, but now I know what hoops need to be jumped through.
I need letters from my counselor and endocrinologist to be sent to WA HCA, then they will try to decide if they will authorize the surgery.
I'm tired of wearing binders.
3 Oct 2019
EDITED TO ADD: I had to wait nearly 10 months.
~ Drew
I saw this movie on the first Friday it was out. I loved it, I'm sad that Tom wasn't physically sitting next to me, though he was on my mind while I was in the movie theater.
My voice is getting deeper and it's noticeable to me. I am pitchy at times, but I know that's normal.
My follow-up appointment with the Endo is supposed to happen in January. I'm supposed to get a blood draw for fasting blood work a week before I go in.
I hope to hear about scheduling top surgery by early November. I'm just so ready to get it done.
I know, impatient me. I've only been wanting to get this done since I realized that being trans gender is a real thing in 2009, though I didn't have insurance to do anything until 2015.
I got a total hysterectomy in November of 2015. I also started to find information regarding other parts of transitioning, but didn't find anything until June of 2016.
Things got derailed when Tom was diagnosed with esophageal cancer in August 2016, then he was told it was terminal 2 weeks later. He passed away in March of 2017, 7 months after diagnosis.
I tried to continue looking for information, looking for a gender therapist, but no luck. I decided to devote most of my energy to spending time with Tom, who passed away on 11 March 2017.
After a year of mourning, I slipped and fell in my kitchen and hit my head on something, giving me a concussion.
Before the fall I had made an appointment with my PCP to get the ball rolling for my medical transition. I'd already been wearing men's casual clothes for many years, including a chest binder since 2015.
16.10.18
I took my first full dose of T this morning. I realized that I forgot to discard the amount that came out of the pump when I was priming the pump. So yesterday's dose was a little less than a full dose.
I'm still learning. <shrug>
~ Drew
College is on hold for now because I'm still recovering from the concussion and dealing with other stuff.
I had a consult appt with a plastic surgeon about top surgery on 20 Sept 2018. He told me that at that time he's booked out 4 weeks and it could take 2 weeks to get approved for surgery, so I wait until I hear back.
Edited to add I finally had top surgery on 2 October 2019
Jesus told John, come forth and receive eternal life. But he finished 5th and won a free toaster.
Today marks 18 months since the love of my life, Thomas Csengeto, lost his battle against cancer. My life has such a huge hole in it since his death.
Though without him I wouldn't have taken the steps toward my medical transition towards manhood. In 9 days I have a confirmation appointment with a plastic surgeon about getting a bi-lateral double mastectomy, aka top surgery. I will be seeing the endocrinologist again in October, hopefully I'll start testosterone shortly after that.
I don't know why this didn't post on 11.Sept.2018, but it did post on 15.Oct.2018, the day I started HRT.
I have no idea when I'll be getting top surgery, but at least I'm finally getting started on the hormones.
I have finally picked a name - Wendrew Devin Gach, and I'll either go by Drew or Jesse for nicknames.
~Wendrew
After talking with my dad 8/2018 I learned why Jesse is a not such a good name choice, so Drew it is.
I told my dad that as part of my transition, I wanted a bilateral mastectomy. He asked me why I wanted my breasts removed, only for him talk about how much he loved breasts on women.
If I identify on the masculine spectrum, I'm not a woman and I don't want my father talking about loving breasts as if he'd take it personally if I had mine removed.
My body, MY life. My transition is NOT about my parents, it's about making things right for me.
I saw the endocrinologist today. I need to get labs done, a sleep study and I don't remember if I need anything else done... oh yeah, need a dexa scan. I hope to start testosterone within the next 2 months... hopefully I'll start by 26 Sept.
I called the insurance person about a bilateral mastectomy, I hope I hear from her tomorrow. I'm so ready for the breasts to be gone.
I finally have an appointment with a psychiatrist on 1 August 2018. Next stop is getting an appointment with an endocrinologist so I can get started on HRT. I'm about to start the road to becoming the true me.
Edited on 31 July 2018...
My appointment with the psychiatrist is tomorrow, the appointment with the Endocrinologist is on 6 August 2018. I also have an appointment with my psychologist on 20 August 2018.
Yay, things are moving forward at a brisk pace for now.
Hopefully I'll be starting hormones soon. I'll also be wanting info about changing my gender marker and updating whatever needs to be updated... I also want to know about top surgery. I had the hysterectomy in 2015.
I'm nervous and giddy at the same time. I better write stuff down in my little note pad so I won't forget them while talking with the doctor.
I fell in the kitchen on Wednesday, resulting in a concussion w/amnesia.
Today is Saturday 26 May 2018. I don't have strong memories of things that happened this week or the previous week.
I know that Brandon had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix in April. 4/20 stands out strongly, but I'm not sure on the specifics. Was it the day the appendix ruptured or something else somewhat related.
I also started online classes in early May so I could work towards my Bachelor's in Accounting that got put on hold thanks to the MS dx and other things in 1998.
I'm currently having rather lucid memories about my MS dx flooding back to my mind while I wait for Mary to pick me up and take me home.
I'm just writing them down in my blog so I'll have them available so I can contact a Social Security lawyer about reasons I think I should qualify for SSDI.
I found out what my first 2 classes are: marketing and human relations. I start on May 7th.
I'm signed up to go back to school to earn my bachelor's in Accounting. Classes start on 7 May 2018.
I'll be attending online classes at Southern New Hampshire University.
1 oz lime juice
1 oz simple syrup
4 mint leaves
2 oz tequila
3 strawberries
Lime wheels for garnish
Clubsoda
18 Feb 2018
I have lost some weight...
I started out wearing mens size 36 jeans and now I'm wearing Tom's size 32 jeans. Currently the equivalent to a womens size 10.
The last time I weighed myself, my scale said 154. Maybe I should pick up a pair of mens size 30 jeans.
The last time I was in this weight range was when I was living in Colorado and still able to do a lot of walking.
In the fall of 2017 I decided to try the Ketogenic diet/lifestyle.
Since Thomas' death on 11 March 2017 my weight blossomed up to about 183 lbs at my heaviest and I didn't like how that made me feel. My friend Pixie had been doing the Ketogenic diet, plus exercise and had great results, dropping more than 100#. So I thought I'd see what would happen if I tried the diet, without the exercise. I lost 20# between Thanksgiving and Christmas. I've lost a bit more, but I don't have the numbers at the moment. I'll post them when I have them.
~Jendie aka Jesse
