Okay, so got back to the doctor's office, situated in a house, go inside, well this is different, comfy, not sterile. Little bit of Asian flare to décor, vitamins, herbs and stuff in cases, parakeet in a cage. Hmm. Young lady with bright green color in her short cut hair comes out from back, greats me and mom, I tell her that I have an appointment for 10am, she remembered my name. Gave me a few papers to fill out, mom sits down and looks at magazines. I give the filled out paperwork back, she takes it, enters the info into the computer. She was both friendly and professional, constantly working on something, printing or faxing stuff, answer the phone.
About a half hour after we had arrived a guy in a white polo shirt and shorts comes in from outside, I recognized him, seen him in a video on his website, this was the guy I was going to be seeing. He mentions something about the parking being a full house outside, all cars from the place next door. A short while later a lady and her children come in, he greats her and then and brings them to the back, seems very friendly I think. Sometime during my wait the lady at the desk tells me that the doctor has a medical student there today, asked me if it'd be okay with me that he sits in for my visit. I tell her that wouldn't be a problem. Had to sit for a while longer, some little bit after 10 he leads the mother and children out, then asks who's next, I guess I am I reply cheerfully. Okay, come on back! She can come too if you want, referring to my mom, so my mom and I both went back there with him to his office.
His office was very cozy, kind of like a study, but I noticed toys on the floor in one corner, something fun for the kiddies to play with. He asks us to take a seat. The other fellow introduces himself to me and I do the same, then my mom. We sit and the doc asks what I was there for. I tell him why, summing up a quick history. We talked for a good hour, him being very informative about everything, and completely open and knowledgeable about transgender folks (says he sees hundreds a year). His relaxed, nonjudgmental demeanor enabled me to be completely calm, relaxed, no nerves at all, so I was able to tell him everything that I needed to and asking questions without feeling he'd think it was stupid like most doctors I'd ever seen. And my mom was able to put in her replies or questions as well. He'd talk or listen and once in a while type something up, printed out something for me, prescriptions. He was very personable, I like that. The other guy sat there listening, taking notes on his laptop, not interfering, just there to learn, but even he was respectable, didn't make me feel uneasy with him being there. I really like this guy, never had I had a doctor make me feel this comfortable, and I did thank him at the end for treating me well, he gave both myself and mom a hug. Then brought the next patient back.
Anyway, got prescriptions for more estradiol valerate pills, but finasteride as well. I could've gone with injectable, but since I'm doing okay so far on the pills I stick them out for a bit. And being that I don't smoke or drink nor take any other drugs he didn't think there should be any concern for much stress on my liver. He did mention taking them sublingually, that's when I had told him about the reaction that I had when I initially tried it. He told me that it was probably too much, that if I felt comfortable with trying again that I could cut the pills in half so it won't be so strong for me. Told me also for the numbing I get that I should try taking 3 capsules of fish oil a day for circulation, and if I felt I needed to add Circuplex to that as well. He didn't try pushing any drugs on me, here take this, this and this too, nope.
Got the paperwork for the lab work that still needs to be done, its all paid for, I just have to find the time to go to the place to do it. That'll be for GHP (general health panel) as well as Prolactin, this later one my other docs never did, he didn't understand why this was ignored by them. He noticed right away when I gave him the last bloodwork results I had back in December 2012, knowing just by that that my last doctor, endocrinologist wasn't very knowledgeable with transgenders. By the way, this doctor, my doctor now "Dr. M. Rayner Dickey" is not an endo, I mistakenly thought he was probably because he specializes in transgender care and came up when I was looking up endocrinologists, but he's a general family doctor, so he does a bit of everything, which means, I got me a doctor for all my aches 'n pains and illnesses too. He gave me a symptom survey form to fill out at my leisure, 224 multiple choice fill in the circles type deals, every symptom you could think of, this so he'll have a good clear idea of my health, what we could address and how best to handle it.
Also, my next appointment with him, he told me that I could come back in 6 months or so, unless for some reason I felt I needed to come in sooner. And here I was worried that I'd have to see him every few months like what was told to me over the phone when I was first looking around for a reasonable doctor for my HRT. That's because I've already been on the hormones so long, my own experience and knowing full well what to expect, he felt I didn't need to see him that much. That's wonderful. In the meantime I still have over half a year supply of pills, a prescription for more on top of that, so I'm set for a long while. I thought I'd be scrounging for money, having to sell off my cross-stitches for chump change or take a second job. Yes, that very first appointment is a killer cost wise, but it was worth it, I am confident I'm in good caring hands, not greedy ones. The receptionist had to back her car out when we were about to leave because the parking had gotten so cramped, again, this was all from next door (whatever that business was) and she waved to us as we pulled out, I waved back, smile on my face, so happy I went here than somewhere else.
Oh, and I did show my before and after pics to the doc and the med student, I got positive approvals from both of them. My doctor told me that if he didn't already know I was trans, he would've thought I'd been a natural born girl all along. Even said after I made mention of it, adam's apple wasn't that noticeable. Said for the most part, only ones going to notice it are other transgender. And children I put in. Still, that thing is gone, err, shaved down first chance I get. But in the meantime holding my head high, as in my current profile pic, adam's apple and all. Another day, yet again feeling good.
Next stop since we have plenty of time, have to run down to the food stamps place, fill out a form, already had a phone interview last week but had to wait until I could get my mom to drive me out there. Told the people there what I was there for, filled out a form, just my case number and signature really, turned it into one of the windows, was out in 10 minutes. Thank goodness, hopefully it all goes through okay so I can start receiving benefits, so we could start eating better. I don't like having to go on them, but held off as long as I could, did the same back in North Carolina, afterall, I'm paying for it everytime the government takes money out of my paycheck for taxes. Maybe I'll actually be able to save up some money now for the next visit and prescriptions.
Home now, mom left for work, Snickers is below my feet whining (a lot, she did the same yesterday, the girl is starved for attention I tell you), she wants to play so bad, I thinks I'm going to come up with another game, have a wild idea but have to see if I can find what I can use for a ramp.
