An Aussie Girls GCS Story

[LizK]

Sunday Morning Update?

I was holding off on this update hoping to have received the information about Knox Private Hospital. Its been over a week since they said they would send the new paperwork however I have received nothing...I will clarify this with them tomorrow after the post has been.

Had a pretty nice week and got to have a get together with Cindy and Nicole both separately and together which was fun...you do need to have some mountain goat qualities to navigate Nicole's place LOL 

After obtaining my surgery weight last week I have maintained it this week and was a little disappointed I didn't lose more. This annoying Urinary Tract Infection seems like its all but gone now as I have been pushing fluids including Cranberry juice to the point of spending most of Friday just running to the loo. I have kept up the intake of water along with antibiotics and cranberry juice (Thanks Cindy and Nicole)....I would like to be clear of this by Friday...I will finish the antibiotics on Tuesday night and then need to wait 48 hrs before giving another sample. I cannot have surgery with a UTI...it really shouldn't be an issue to fix.


This next week I have my "1500km Service" due on my new pump LOL .... actually it is the first refill so hopefully it has not flipped (inside of me)over as it had the last time they replaced it and we spent 30 minutes stabbing through my skin into the solid metal plate(rather than the actual needle port on the front) on the back of the pump before someone realised it had flipped itself over.....it feels fine so I am sure it will be straight forward they know their stuff in that unit.


I also have to make another substantial financial commitment and pay the surgeons bill. It was amazing how this change in date actually works out better with the way the apartment and airfares have been booked and the big plus is I now will have a support person with me...the only extra cost is likely to be the later airfare for me but then I don't have to stay anywhere the night before. I can't book that flight until I get the information about the admission time...hopefully tomorrow.


I have to say I am really concerned of the impact my Pain managements Dr's letter has had on the proposed treatment for me post surgery. I am going to ICU post surgery this is not negotiable and if they follow his recommendations further they will initially heavily medicate me for at least the first 12 -24 hrs....I hate being heavily medicated and I managed my pump replacement, rhinoplasty and hair implants with nothing more than Panadol after each...they wanted to give me Endone...no thanks YUK. I was speaking with one of Mr Ives girls who was one month post op yesterday...she managed easily on Panadol and said to me that she had been given a pre med and when she woke up a "short" time later, she didn't even realise the surgery had been done until she had a feel around. Another dear friend told me she had also managed quite comfortably on Panadol and didn't even need much of that. Sigh I guess I will be a good girl and do as I am told...."for once in your life"...as Meryl is inclined to say to me...that amazing woman knows me too well LOL

So the main focus for the week...sluice out the UTI, complete my 1500km servicve and lose a little more weight to create a buffer, pay for surgery, complete new hospital paperwork...oh and of course...

36D20H46M BWCA? 

Take care

Liz

[Northern Star Girl]

@LizK
Dear Liz:
It is nice to see your "just posted" update....   you have had a busy, hectic, stressful ... and happy week, all rolled into one.
I sincerely hope that you get the information soon that you requested from Knox Hospital... I hate waiting for stuff that for no good excuse should have come sooner.
It is nice that you got together with @Cindy and @Nicole...   I take it that you were able to see Cindy's new vehicle... she seemed so happy to be able to more easily transport her wife in it.

The good news is at least that you maintained your surgery weight.  Sometimes as hard as we try the weight can be stubborn and just stays on.   Oh, and hoping that your UTI will go away soon and the antibiotics will do their thing.

Your "pump service" was quite an event from the sounds of it.  I love how you described them stabbing through your skin for 30 minutes....  not very pleasant for sure.

Regarding you financial commitment for your future surgery date.... I am so glad that they came through with a date that not only works for you but also is kinder to your finances.   

.... and all of your other concerns about your surgery and post surgery recovery....  it is stressful to worry about things that you can not control...  what will be, will be.

Again, thanks for keeping your curious followers updated.
Hugs and Hugs  [emoji173]
Danielle

[LizK]

@LizK
Dear Liz:
It is nice to see your "just posted" update....   you have had a busy, hectic, stressful ... and happy week, all rolled into one.
I sincerely hope that you get the information soon that you requested from Knox Hospital... I hate waiting for stuff that for no good excuse should have come sooner.
It is nice that you got together with @Cindy and @Nicole...   I take it that you were able to see Cindy's new vehicle... she seemed so happy to be able to more easily transport her wife in it.

The good news is at least that you maintained your surgery weight.  Sometimes as hard as we try the weight can be stubborn and just stays on.   Oh, and hoping that your UTI will go away soon and the antibiotics will do their thing.

Your "pump service" was quite an event from the sounds of it.  I love how you described them stabbing through your skin for 30 minutes....  not very pleasant for sure.

Regarding you financial commitment for your future surgery date.... I am so glad that they came through with a date that not only works for you but also is kinder to your finances.   

.... and all of your other concerns about your surgery and post surgery recovery....  it is stressful to worry about things that you can not control...  what will be, will be.

Again, thanks for keeping your curious followers updated.
Hugs and Hugs  [emoji173]
Danielle

Hi Danielle

Thanks for dropping by and yes it was great to catch up with both Cindy and Nicole. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement...you always manage to say something nice which I really appreciate. Hope you are having a great day. I read your post about your suitors and even replied I hope you got my humour and I didn't offend, sorry of if I did we aussie girls can have a strange sense of humour 

Take care

Liz

[LizK]

Awhile back I had my medication pump replaced and during this time I found out that my old name remained clearly visible on the front jacket of my hospital file and this in turn caused me to be treated poorly.

In fact when I managed today to get up close and snap a picture(I was so incensed I shared it with Cindy who was less than impressed) it was set out something like this. The name were hand written in thick black Texta in about 22point size and the male first name remained clearly visible but with a slash of text through it....

Surname         Male first name            male second name     UR Number

                             Elizabeth                "Liz"
The file jacket does not even have the correct name on it. I was so upset and angry and told my nurse, also asking to speak to the Nursing Unit Manager but she was away. So I promptly complained to the treating nurse telling her I was off to see the Adfvisory Board as so as she was done. I was in communication with Cindy at the time but unfortunately i couldn't follow through with her suggestion as we were in the middle of the proceedure when her TXT arrived back. Both the nurse were in agreement that this was really bad and I had every right ot be upset. I told them i was so angry I was off to find out how I could litigate the case.

I left the Unit and went to the advisoiry council to drop off my prepprapared complaint only to find that the only way to get to them was to call via an internal phone...of course no one answered and I was asked to leave a message...i asked for a call back asI had a complaint and took a complaint form went home thouroghly disgusted. I have since submitted the complaint form along with a photoigraph of the file which is so daming telling them I am looking to take legal action of the breach of my confidentiality. I felt quite sick by the time I got home...to think that my file has been seen by every person that has gone through that unit plus the other hospital and once you see the way the name is written on the file it is immediately obvious I am trans.


I sent the complaiunt tonight adding in todays encounter descibing how awful it made me feel

Will keep you updated

Liz

[Jayne01]

I'm so sorry Liz. There is no excuse for treating you this way. It's bad enough you had to go through it before and bring it to their attention back then. Seriously, how hard would it be to make a new cover for your file with only your correct name on it!!!

I hope your complaint will now be taken seriously and they fix the problem once and for all, and then do some major grovelling begging for your forgiveness.

Keep us updated on how things go.

Big hug,
Jayne

[Kendra]

I usually cut people a break if they're busy or distracted but I believe this was deliberate and malicious. 
By pursuing this you are helping others in the future. 

[LizK]

Hi Jayne

It was pretty disappointing but I never actually got to complain about the first incident before the second one occurred. I was actually heading t9 make the original complaint after my appointment...anyway the complaint is lodged

I don't want this happening to anyone else and having them made to feel as I did

Thanks Jayne hows things with you?

Take care
Liz



Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[LizK]

I usually cut people a break if they're busy or distracted but I believe this was deliberate and malicious. 
By pursuing this you are helping others in the future.

Hi Kendra

That is exactly why I am creating merry hell about it threatening litigation. This WILL NOT happen again to anyone if I have anything to say about it.

Thanks for the support
Liz


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Devlyn]

Liz, I'm sorry you received poor treatment. I'm curious, are your medical records in your preferred name, or have you done a legal name change? I did a name change before the current set of records were created, so they say Devlyn on them but list me as a male. Which is fine by me, I understand that I still need the checks and procedures of a male bodied person, as well as some checks that a female requires, e.g. prostate health and breast cancer screenings.

Hugs, Devlyn

[LizK]

Liz, I'm sorry you received poor treatment. I'm curious, are your medical records in your preferred name, or have you done a legal name change? I did a name change before the current set of records were created, so they say Devlyn on them but list me as a male. Which is fine by me, I understand that I still need the checks and procedures of a male bodied person, as well as some checks that a female requires, e.g. prostate health and breast cancer screenings.

Hugs, Devlyn

Hi Devlyn thanks for stopping by...My legal name and gender changes were done nearly 18months ago via our Government Medicare system where I am officially female and Liz. The Hospital  have a policy to follow but it would seem  it may have been ignored or maybe its down to some poor education.

Take care

Liz


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[Devlyn]

Hi Devlyn thanks for stopping by...My legal name and gender changes were done nearly 18months ago via our Government Medicare system where I am officially female and Liz. The Hospital  have a policy to follow but it would seem  it may have been ignored or maybe its down to some poor education.

Take care

Liz

Thanks for explaining. Here they will use a preferred name even if you haven't legally changed your birthname. I'm not sure how well it is adhered to in practice, but it is an available option for us.

Hugs, Devlyn

[LizK]

Thanks for explaining. Here they will use a preferred name even if you haven't legally changed your birthname. I'm not sure how well it is adhered to in practice, but it is an available option for us.

Hugs, Devlyn

Because we have govt funded health care when you go to hospital or the Dr in order to receive treatment then you are required to produce your Medicare card that shows you are entitled to Medicare benefits. What ever name and sex is registered with Medicare is what the Drs Offices , hospitals, pathology, xray etc etc companies have to use. Most places will give you the option of a "preferred Name" but it can be difficult to have people adhere to it.

Once officially done then it flows to all providers, sometimes with complications sometimes not.

Take care


Liz

[LizK]

The Good

Payday today...but not for me ....for my Surgery....My hand didn't shake too much and I only hesitated for a second. But each time I do something like this and another step is completed the reality of the surgery looms greater in my mind taking up many of my waking thoughts. Another milestone completed, Tomorrow I have my final Genital electrolysis session. With each step I find myself growing more excited...I also get to see if I have beaten this UTI yet...it really feels like I have...I have been drinking so much water I feel like a fountain 

The Bad??

As part of the prep for surgery I have a list of things I need to buy and one is foam rubber to be used in a mould. So I spent some time with my friend Mr Google and now know far more about foam rubber than anyone really should. Severely traumatised by my google experience, I checked the instruction and saw that they were supposed to be available from your local hardware store...So off I went, found the "Trans Women's mould inserts" section but wouldn't you know it!! they didn't have my size...In the end I emailed Mr Ives rooms who then advised a new post op regime was being instituted and to not bother with the foam rubber...phew!! Disaster averted...so what does this mean for our intrepid gendernaught....

The downright affirming

I was leaving the shopping centre today wearing a simple knee length tunic style top, leggings, summer sandals my hair down and no makeup. Coming towards me was and Trans women's ancient natural foe...

a small child

He spotted me as he came through the front door as I was using my blue walking stick....I noticed him just as he eyeballed me and I realised he was about to say something ....every story I have ever heard of kids outing people flashed though my mind and I began to tense waiting for it...the little boy began to sing song a question to his mother...I am thinking hear it comes I am about to be outed...he continued to stare and me and then at the top of his voice "That lady's got a walking stick , that lady's got a walking stick..." the child's mother apologising as she swept him up in her arms and tore off to do her chores saying to the little boy "she probably has a sore leg"...as I walked out I could still hear him singing about the lady with the blue walking stick....

Perfect!!!

Take care

Wholly GCS Batgirl!!(Liz)

PS:33D12H05M BWCA? 

or

308H05M BWCA? 

[Cindy]

Well the kid didn't shout out -

That lady has a broom


It is Halloween after all.

[LizK]

If he did, I would sure as heck want to know how he found about my broom...its not like I ride it every day. LOL

[Northern Star Girl]

@LizK
Dear Liz:
Overall, obviously except for the not-so-good report about your search (in a hardware store of all places) for foam rubber for your surgery, I found this report of yours very affirming for you..... 
     "That lady's got a walking stick , that lady's got a walking stick..."

Oh and I cringe every time I hear about hair removal down-below...  OUCH !!!   But that is a necessary step that must be taken...  hang on tight to the sides of the table, or bite a bullet or something while the electrolysis is in progress.

Thank you for keeping all of us up to date... we are your followers and we want to follow.
Hugs,
Danielle

[Kendra]

We should travel somewhere together.  A broompool!

[Faith]

"That lady's got a walking stick , that lady's got a walking stick..."

Am I grinning for you or because you are? I guess it doesn't matter

PhantomFaith

[LizK]

Am I grinning for you or because you are? I guess it doesn't matter

PhantomFaith

You are dead right but I thought I would share simply because many of us go through these tiny irrelevant interactions  with a certain amount of dread that we will be outed...Little kids are the worst...they say it as they see it. I thought it was funny so you are welcome to keep grinning I know I am 

[LizK]

We should travel somewhere together.  A broompool!

Sounds like a great idea....cruizing on my new Broom....I just updated mine to this years model as a blew the oreggabanix which was crazy as I only replaced it last century so it was time for a new one...what do you think??