2nd Appointment Blog...

Consider this picture of Marilyn to be a celebration of all things female on this auspicious day...


Well anyway as most of you know I had my second appointment at Charing Cross Gender Identity Clinic today and I'm going to tell you about it, seeing as so many of you have been kind enough to ask...


After 8 MONTHS of waiting for the 20th May 2010 it has finally been and almost gone.  The first bit of good news is that my next appointment is on 23rd August - so it does seem as if the horrific waits are only for the first and second appointments and things should speed up a bit now I'm 'in' a bit more. Basically once you've seen two clinicians (that's what they call them - rather than 'psychiatrists') you can start treatment, providing they're both happy.


Last time I went to the GIC there wasn't really anyone else in there - this time the place was full of other women of my ilk.  It was a pretty weird feeling sitting there with a load of other tall skinny trannies!   Between you guys and me it did make me feel pretty good about my age - which at 35 is pretty young for transition - and the fact that I have my own hair!!  


Bless the ladies who have to resort to wigs - it must suck.


The 'clinician' I saw was a very charming and slightly eccentric bloke who spent half the time talking about the Rolling Stones and Winston Churchill.   Quite possibly he was checking me out using some shrinky trick of seeing how I related in a conversation - they are trying to ascertain how you function socially, I think.


He went through my family history briefly and asked a load of questions - ones you won't be hearing about guys (sorry!) and ones like 'Do you have any friends you could borrow 20 quid from?'  and 'Do you have any loans?' - weird stuff maybe, but it's all about ensuring you are living successfully in your chosen role / target gender / whatever you want to call it. 


After this chit chat he asked me what I wanted from them and I straightforwardly said 'everything' !  Then he asked me to be a bit more specific so I said help to get my gender recognition cert, throat surgery (for adams apple), hormone treatment and, ultimately, gender surgery (reconstruction, reassignment, whatever).


Taking these things in order :  I have found before that the clinicians at the GIC aren't that impressed by all the legal flim-flam that goes with getting your gender recognition cert.  He didn't seem to be of the opinion it would make much difference to be honest.  Hmm - I'd still like it though.


He thought it would be unlikely the panel would grant it unless I was 'settled' into hormone treatment and referred for surgery.  This isn't how the system is supposed to work as I understand it but this guy is the top consultant geezer so he must know his onions.  So, a bit of bad news there in a way.


However - good news - he was prepared to refer me to the surgeon at Charing Cross who carries out the adams apple surgery - tracheal shave or whatever it's called - so woop!  bring it on!   I am desperate to get that sorted - I don't know what the wait for it will be like.


And best of all he is going to write to my GP and ask that I be prescribed hormones!  yay!!!   I will be given a low dose of oestrogen initially as it helps breast development if it's given slow and gradually.  To even have someone sitting there talking about such an entity as my boobs was pretty amazing!


I will also have injections every three months which will stop the little bleeders producing testosterone (you know who the culprits are - I won't elaborate).  So yay yay yay - no testosterone!!  woop!


And once my hormonal state is the same pre-surgery as it will be post-surgery (ie the culprits will have stopped working to such an extent it'll be like they're not there) then the situation can be made permanent ... ie I can be referred.


So... we'll see.  I have had enough experience of the slowness of the dear old NHS to not be jumping up and down with excitement quite yet - but there's cause for optimism.  I am pretty cautious with my joy, as you may gather.  


Let's just say I walked out of there into the sunshine feeling pretty happy.


I listened to the song 'By The Sea' today by Suede and the lyrics seem pretty appropriate right now : 


'Gonna start my new life, I won't touch the ground...'


Thanks everyone


x