Kathy's Journey

[KathyLauren]

It's a beautiful, bright fall day. The leaves are at their best colour, a little late this year, and a little worse for wear after a couple of wind storms, but pretty nevertheless. My wife is going on a hike to a scenic cape today with friends. I can't go, since I can't walk more than two kilometres without pain. Damn, this is annoying.

In lighter news, I got a friend request from a stranger on Facebook. I took a look at the "mutual friends" listing to help decide whether or not to accept the request. Of nine mutual friends, four were people I knew from another trans forum, two were people from my local trans group, two were people I'd met on the Montreal clinic's Facebook page, and one was someone I'd been introduced to online by a local friend. It brought home to me how interconnected our trans communities are. We have connections everywhere.

 

[Linde]

Kathy, my current trip showes exactly this. Once I am back home, I will have driven about 4000 miles and met many trans people I know from the forum. People, I would nevef even thought of without this trans connection.
This trip is vry rewarding, knowing that we have good friends all over the place.
If health will continue to allow me to do more travels like this, I will follow up with a east and a west coast version of it.
Living in a van and being fully independent, while having friends all over, is kind of fun.

Hugs
Linde

 

[OzGirl]

Kathy, it has been some time now, and you are still having difficulties. What is your surgeon saying about your ongoing issues?

Facebook and other social media are amazing at connecting people, and you are wise to carefully vet new friends. I won’t friend anyone unless I know them pretty well.

Hugs,

Allie

 

[KathyLauren]

Kathy, it has been some time now, and you are still having difficulties. What is your surgeon saying about your ongoing issues?

Facebook and other social media are amazing at connecting people, and you are wise to carefully vet new friends. I won’t friend anyone unless I know them pretty well.

Hugs,

Allie

Basically, if it's an emergency - bleeding or infection, etc. - go to the local emergency ward. Otherwise, everything is considered normal for the first 12 months. I have 5 more months to go before they will consider it a problem.

 

[OzGirl]

Basically, if it's an emergency - bleeding or infection, etc. - go to the local emergency ward. Otherwise, everything is considered normal for the first 12 months. I have 5 more months to go before they will consider it a problem.

But it is a problem for you! I am sorry you need to put up with this, and truly hope it resoves quickly. There is little chance you could get a second opinion, as surgeons don’t like to look at others work. I have my labiaplasty in just under 12 weeks, and I need to get back to my job after a couple of months. My work is pretty physical and students rely on me, so I really don’t need complications!

Hugs,

Allie

 

[KathyLauren]

I have been doing Kegel exercises for the last few weeks. It seems to be helping. Today I was able to walk almost three kilometres with only a little bit of pressure. It's quite an improvement. Now to start walking off this @#$% pot belly...

With my updated birth certificate in my possession, my paperwork is pretty much up to date. So I have been thinking about new paperwork. I have been planning to get Irish citizenship, just because I am eligible. (And, if the SHTF in Canada some day, it is nice to have other residency options.) Today, I went looking for the actual application process and discovered ... I don't need to apply! It turns out that I am already an Irish citizen on account of my birth.

All I'd have to do if I felt like travelling or moving, and after the E.U. lifts the covid travel restrictions on Canadians, is apply for an Irish passport. That was easy!

 

[OzGirl]

To be sure, to be sure! Nice to get a lovely surprise, so if you travel to the Emerald Isle, as a citizen, you would be covered by their health system!

Hugs,

Allie

 

[TonyaJanelle]

I wanna be Irish

 

[Linde]

Kathy, welcome in the club of fellow EU citizens!

Hugs
Linde

 

[Donica]

Ah! I too have kissed the Blarney Stone me self Kathy. Nae, I may never seek me citizenship there, but it would be nice to visit me family origins. Ok, so I slipped in some Scottish there too. Or maybe it's more pirate than Scottish?

Hugs Lass!

 

[NicoleT]

@KathyLauren ........So sorry to hear about all your medical troubles over this past year. I hope all glimmers of turnaround that you’re seeing continues to the full recovery your waiting for.

My late wife is half Irish. Most hurt her family has gone back from the states to visit Ireland several times. We always had our traditional ham and cabbage dinners All of the Celtic charm, Blarney Stone‘s, clovers, claddaga rings, Aran sweaters and more. So many of these items are still around my house with fond memories of her. In fact the Christmas that I asked her to marry me over 25 years ago, I had found this traditional Irish store in our town and bought her a number of items that she held onto dearly for our entire marriage. I have never been, but Ireland seems to be a beautiful country. Congratulations for getting dual citizenship.

Hugs
Nicole

 

[KathyLauren]

Speaking of citizenship paperwork, I think we have a new record for the slowest piece of mail. About the same time that I mailed off my application for a gender recognition certificate and birth certificate (February), I also mailed my application to update my Canadian citizenship certificate. I knew that covid had slowed things down, but I was starting to worry that my application had been lost in the mail. That would not have been good, since it included my original certificate, which, by law, must be returned.

Today, I got email confirmation that they have received my application. It gives a whole new appreciation for the term "snail mail"!

 

[OzGirl]

Kathy, I have to admit, even our slowest public servants aren't that slow!

Hugs,

Allie

 

[KathyLauren]

I just had a totally novel experience: I contacted Dr. Brassard's clinic and got a reply back the same day. It is so disorienting!

I talked to my doctor this morning and we agreed it's time to start talking to Dr. Brassard about a revision. She is writing to him, and I sent a detailed email. My doctor was worried about privacy: she'd have to sent personal information about me in an insecure email. I told her that was the least of my concerns. When I contact them, I have to send them a photo of my bits in my email.

Anyway, my email is being forwarded to Dr. B. I guess I'll be going to Montreal for a consultation soon. Lovely, travelling during covid...

 

[Donica]

Stay safe Kathy. Traveling during a pandemic is not something I would look forward to for sure.

 

[KathyLauren]

I've talked to people who have gone to Montreal since the pandemic started. The protocol is that they have you self-isolate at home for two weeks. Then you go directly to Montreal, can't take your mask off at all for the entire journey. You do what needs doing there, then directly back home, masked all the way, and self-isolate again for another two weeks.

Four weeks of self-isolation is not a whole lot different from what we have been doing anyway. The difference is, and the local authorities have made it very clear, that everyone in the household must isolate as well. So no grocery trips, no pharmacy trips, no pet food trips. Anything you need has to be delivered.

 

[Kenna]

I just had a totally novel experience: I contacted Dr. Brassard's clinic and got a reply back the same day. It is so disorienting!

The quickest response I've had is changing my name and gender with the Australian Electoral Commission, which covers national, state and local enrolments. I completed the online form, including my drivers licence details (which I had previously changed) and received a text message back 5 minutes later saying that my record has been updated and that paperwork confirmation would follow in due course.

 

[Donica]

I've talked to people who have gone to Montreal since the pandemic started. The protocol is that they have you self-isolate at home for two weeks. Then you go directly to Montreal, can't take your mask off at all for the entire journey. You do what needs doing there, then directly back home, masked all the way, and self-isolate again for another two weeks.

Four weeks of self-isolation is not a whole lot different from what we have been doing anyway. The difference is, and the local authorities have made it very clear, that everyone in the household must isolate as well. So no grocery trips, no pharmacy trips, no pet food trips. Anything you need has to be delivered.

About the only thing that isn't delivered to me is my E vials and needles. I have to pick them up in person. I've given up on trying to make sence of Kaiser.

 

[KathyLauren]

My doctor also contacted Dr. Brassard's office, and today she phoned me to update me on their reply to her. Dr. B. wants me to do pelvic floor physiotherapy. It's not a totally off-the-wall suggestion, but I can't help feeling that it's a stalling tactic. He just doesn't want to do a revision.

Still, what choice do I have? He's not going to see me unless I do the physio. I hope it works, because I am going to be some pissed off if I have to go through another year of this.

 

[OzGirl]

Kathy, Rachel described success with pelvic floor exercises in another thread, but for completely different reasons! I feel you are right that Brassard is stalling, I wonder if there are obligations he is trying to avoid in doing revisions within a year. I feel bad you have had to suffer, as this is typically not what happens with this procedure, and you are being screwed.

Hugs,

Allie