11 July.
Another week starts.
The weekend was OK, very tired but coped. Visited my wife who of course is very worried and tries to keep positive as do her carers. They all reach out to me, people have been lovely.
I am developing Thrush in my mouth and now using anti-fungals to try and keep it clear, I will develop ulcers etc that will make eating more difficult again. Just something to get over.
My voice is down to a very deep croak.
I had an interesting session with my cancer support nurse and the radiation oncology nurse. Both are there to help me in any way but we seem to have established a special relationship. They know I am a medical colleague and they know that I am a transgender woman.
They asked if they could talk about being transgender and what it is, what it means, just 'what'?
As we have seen on the Forum there is a deep ignorance about transgender people and an absolute incomprehension of how someone's gender identity cannot match their body.
I told them about my life, my identity as female at 5 years old, my rejections, my fight to be me, forced into an all boy school, bullied, raped, molested. And never giving in.
I told them how I left home because I had to live and be me, how I fell in love with another woman who accepted me. How she is now paralysed and in care. How we support each other every day. And never give in.
It was funny, an hour went and a box of kleenex was well used! I ended up taking them both for a coffee so they could recover.
One thing is for for sure, the next transgender patient will be received like royalty!
