First of all, thank you everyone, for your kind reception. Catherine, I don't know that there's much more to tell, other than by not having any TG friends, I isolated myself and wasted many good years being numb. When I transitioned there wasn't a lot of support and certainly no internet. I think most of us older TSs just assumed our trans identity, and that was supposed to be that. My *close* friends (5 in total) to whom I did reveal my history can't really relate and all the others were never told. Now that I've cleaned the opioids from my body, honesty has become an issue for me. I was both lucky and unlucky in that I never used intravenously, and because I had free access to meds, I was never caught or arrested; I was quietly addicted for over 15 years. With the help of Wellbutrin, I was able to taper down, a few mg at a time and over a couple of months I was free. Funny thing is, I have absolutely no desire to go back to that existence, while in previous attempts, the craving was intractable. Yay Wellbutrin, I guess.
I am trying to find a balance of honesty and self protection so I am cautiously reaching out to others in the TG community and people that I know and haven't told, since with secrecy there is always a wall in which friendship cannot pass.
I have been in a lesbian relationship for 22 years and we are both out as lesbians. Although I am bisexual, I bond emotionally with women and not men it seems. I'm a musician and played at the Yosemite music festival and many pride events as well as many dives. I quit playing music while I was addicted; my biggest regret.
I have recently begun playing and writing again, and hope to do these events again.
Well for now, that's all there is from Lake Wobegon.
Laura
