How did I celebrate my 29th?

     For my birthday this year, my present to myself was a step towards dealing with my hormone issues in regard to transition. So, for years I have struggled with using testosterone blockers on my journey to womanhood (I started hormone therapy in February of 2001). I guess I just have such stubborn testosterone (like the rest of me :-)  ) that I have been unable to properly minimize my testosterone levels into the normative range of most females. Also, the often prescribed spironolactone that is the most often used for this treatment was not a prescription that I tolerated well at high levels ( like 100 mg ). Often such high levels of spiro dehydrated me and left me coping with chronic constipation (again, not something an active woman needs in her life). About 2 years ago my endocrinologist switched me to finasteride to block testosterone. It worked, but we had to use a suitably high dosage of this drug as well.
    As such, insurance has battled with me every year about the renewal prescription for finasteride. It would go something like this.

1. Dr. would prescribe a new round of finasteride for a new year
2. Insurance would deny the insurance copay for reasons of not being a drug used for cases other than female hirustism (excessive hairiness ).
3. Dr. would write an appeal for override of the insurance denial
4. Insurance would still deny
5. I would have to get my company's HR and legal department involved to override the insurance decision.

Big mess, every year.

I have been advised again and again, "Why don't you just go get an orchiectomy?"

My reservations have been centered on two factors:

1. It was my understanding that my surgeon of choice for eventual SRS surgery - Dr Supporn in Thailand did not approve of patients who had prior orchiectomy. That the scar tissue such a procedure typically leaves on the scrotal sac is innapropriate to using such material for future labial donor material. I want healthy labia, so....I don't want scrotal scarring
2. Shrinkage. Having an orchie could cause significant enough shrinkage of donor material in the groin area that SRS results might be impaired.

This past year, as I spoke to my dear mentor Phyllis Frye during a conversation related to other business, the issue of orchie came up again - specifically as I was complaining about my finasteride trials above. She recommended a great plastic surgeon in Plano - Dr. Peter Raphael. She also commented that Dr. Raphael's procedure was purposefully respectful of patient desire to undergo later SRS and would not cause scarring of the scrotal tissue. As for the shrinkage issue, she commented that any competent surgeon could come up with solutions for that.

I took her advice to heart and asked others. My friend Kylie had also seen Dr. Raphael, and recommended him heartily. My mentor Lisa also shared with me confidences in regard to shrinkage and that competent surgeons could indeed get donor material from elsewhere on my body. She also has understood my issues and was very helpful and uplifting in me weighing the pros and cons for myself. What helped the most was the following post

http://sherrylanina.tripod.com/orchiectomytrans.htm

The other day I saw this message by Dr. Marci Bowers which helped drive home that the main concern against orchiectomy is the fund drain from SRS
http://www.marcibowers.com/grs/grs-faq.html

For a woman who cannot afford SRS for some time yet into the future, needs better hormone control (consider weight gain and multiple other health issues that may or may not be related to "competing hormones" in my body), and sees the wisdom of a stepwise approach, Dr. Bower's warning held little water.

My other main concern, no more chance to have children myself after this is done.

So, I want to be a mother - I want to be the one who gets pregnant rather than the one who impregnates. Nevertheless, the understanding of the finality of this decision in regard to offspring did weigh on me. This being said even though I am most likely already sterile from so many years of hormone blockers. It still weighed on my soul.

My good mentor and friend Lisa totally understood. She understood, and that is all I needed to go forward with a decision.

Would I like to pass my genes onto a child? Yes. Would I like to hold a baby girl in my arms who I have helped bring into this world? Yes, definitely

But, what is my most precious gift to a child?
My passion, my life work, my advocacy, and my heart.

This I can give to any child who needs to be adopted - especially one who may have lost their own family in the their journey to be themselves.

So, I am here 48 hours after orchiectomy.
The first day was hell...well, dark and painful from the effects of the anesthesia.
But, I did live, did heal well, and most of the negative effects of the anesthesia were gone by evening to the next morning.
Robin is now telling me it is time for my steroid, or was that "Get your feet in the stirrups young lady, you and I have some lovin to catch up on :-) "

I am getting better each day, will keep all of you updated.

Thanks for reading...

Increasing Access to Justice: Update

     For a first time event, "Increasing Access to Justice: Advocating for LGBT Victims of Domestic Violence" went pretty darn well.

• October 22 - 12 to 13 participants. Attendees were from Phoebe's Home, private practice, and Sexual Assault Resource Center. I met some new faces of social workers in our community and really appreciate their input. In addition, to those who came from afar, such as Austin, I am very very greatful.
• October 23 - 7 to 9 participants. Mainly student affairs and University personnel. We were joined by a law enforcement officer partway through and I really appreciated his input. Great learning was had

 

   After all is said and done, we came away with a net earning of $113, which I hope to share some with the project partners, and put the bulk into next year's program.

 

   I could not have done this without all of the following project planning partners:

• Brazos Valley Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers
• Texas Advocacy Project

 

Other partners on the project that I am indebted to:

• Aggie Allies
• Brazos Valley Area Agency on the Aging
• Texas A&M GLBT Resource Center

 

And special thanks to:

• GLBTA
• an Anonymous donor of baked refreshments for both days
• GLBT Professional Network

 

Most of all, I could have not done this at all without the sponsorship of

• Brazos Progressives
• Brazos County Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Chest Infection, Coughing, Sinus Infection - Attack of the bacterioids

     So, it has been a rough two weeks in which many things I hoped to accomplish have not been accomplished because my body has been so worn down because of natural baterialogical warfare by mother nature against me. It started as a bad case of chest congestion and miserableness that I nursed through and eventually got a little better. Funny thing is that I think I developed the voice of an aging rock star during this time...in between the hacking and breathing through what felt like fluid.
     The doctor prescribed septra-D, which apparently is also used for staph infections, according to the pharmacist. That and a combination of mucinex-dm and alka-seltzer cold medicines have seemed to help.
     That is, until this weekend. Apparently, taking the family to Weiner-Fest was just too much for my sinuses. I was miserable and heat exhausted after only a few hours, so we went home. While leaving, we met my friend Dr. Dianne Kraft who wisely offered what she uses during these times - a Nettie Pot . I forgot honestly about these wonderous inventions.
     So we got home, ate lunch, and decided to take a small nap before planning to go to the Big Gay BBQ being held this Saturday. We planned, but our bodies told us otherwise, as neither of us woke up till after 6pm, still feeling miserable. We ate dinner, watched some tv, and back to bed.
     Sunday found Robin having to do a shift at work, while I stayed home. I did use the Neti pot Sunday morning and slept, which seemed to help quite a bit...I hope that it lasts.
     So, at the end of this month is the set of workshops on same-sex domestic violence entitled "Increasing Access to Justice: Advocating for LGBT Victims of Domestic Violence". This has been a very very rewarding project to partner with JJ Lara of Texas Advocacy Project and Ed Lane of the Brazos Valley Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Although the project is really the creation of JJ and TAP, bringing it to the venue of Bryan/College Station has been a project in learning how to set up coalition based community education projects. I hope to continue this kind of work in the future with Ed Lane and others to offer more programs in the Brazos Valley. Already I tentatively have thoughts for the following programs:

1. Bringing Allison Vogt of Montrose Counseling Center to speak either during GLBTA Awareness week in the Spring or next Fall for followup on Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October)
2. A program on LGBT elderly or LGBT and aging, the issues involved, the topics to discuss. I am hoping that this would be a good project to get Lowell Kane to present on with his research in the area as well as partner with the Brazos Valley Area Agency on the Aging and national groups such as SAGE. I wonder if there is a month dedicated to celebrating our elders - or if the month during which grandparents day resides would be suitable.
3. I would like to consider a program bearing my research on Issues in Transgender Health Care and working with local and national partners to present such a program as well.

So, that is a number of projects to consider.
Right now though, I have to get through this first one and am nervous that it will work "perfectly"

I will keep you updated....