My Report on my first GID therapy appointment

[mtfbuckeye]

Here's my last 24 hours:

-Flight from Seattle to Chicago.. Can't really sleep, get to O'Hare completely zombified at 6 am.

-Get rental car with GPS nav system... use it to find my therapist's office and a Panera Bread (where I go because I love their breakfast sandwiches and i know they'll have free wi-fi). At about 8 am, I pack up and use the GPS to find a Buffalo Wild Wings (because I knew they'd have NFL Sunday Ticket and hoped they'd have wi-fi... they did). I take a 3-hour nap in my rental car like someone on the lam from the feds, then go in to catch the first half of the early games.

-I go to my therapist, Susan O'Dell, who is great (and I'm not just saying that because I know she might be reading this.. ha ha). I found her easy to talk to, and very understanding. She tells me to get a copy of True Selves and read it with my wife. I also need to spend 15 minutes a day writing a journal that I submit to her via e-mail, and work on a "narrative" about my life. Some of this I'll share with y'all, but not everything, obviously.

Since I'm about three hours away from her, we're going to meet face-to-face only once a month, and three times a month over the phone. I'm very eager for our phone session on Thursday... (jeez.. phone session.. That sounded nasty)

-Susan also put me in touch with Dr. Miller, who she reccomended I do my HRT with. I called him, and was shocked that I got him instead of a machine on a Sunday afternoon. We talked for something like 15 minutes, and while he didn't think I needed to hold off on hormones until I lost weight, he did think I should get on a program (his program of course).. Short version? Pilates, cardio, meat, veggies and fruit. He also seemed very personable... so far it seems like I've lucked out.

I couldn't be happier with how this has started.

[almost,angie]

 I was wondering how it went. I`m so glad you liked Susan. DR, Miller is my dr. and he has got to be the coolest person I have ever met. You`ll really like him. Cassandra (my electrolysis) works out of his offices as well.
Well congrats, Glad i could help,  Angie

[Ellieka]

Way to go sis!

My only advise would be like Emme said, give your wife time to talk to about how and what she's feeling at any given moment. She's going to have sad days and even some angry days... let her vent and try to be there for her, even if all you can do is listen while she talks or just giver her a hug. Let her know you love her and that she is just as important to you as anything else.

I sincerely believe that love trumps gender.

[Kara Lee]

and the honest answer is that beyond hormones, I don't know where my path leads. I told her within a couple of years I'd want to start living as a woman full-time, but had no idea yet whether I wanted SRS.

That is pretty close to what I was saying to myself and girlfriend when I first started earlier this year, I wasn't sure how far or where this would take me but it was a path I had to take for myself to be a happier person.

[Janet_Girl]

Whenever I hear that a new sister is talking with her SO, I always pray that the Goddess lets them stay together.

There are many here that have that person in their life.  It is very important to keep the lines of communications open.  And never get so far ahead of them that they stop trying to understand.

It isn't near as much fun doing this alone as it is with someone you love.  I know, I am one of those that has to do it alone.

Best of luck and love, mtfbuckeye.

Janet

[Dana_W]

Congrats! A good therapist should make a bigger difference than a good physician at this point. And after reading about your non GID therapist, you can certainly benefit from the change.

A big challenge is to stay honest with your therapist and yourself. There is a lot of temptation to hedge in order to keep other things in order. Honesty is the best way to make sense of it in the long run, I think.

Good luck!

[Wendy C]

I add my congratulations and wish you well. It sound like you are doing a very good job of pacing yourself, one of the hardest things Ive found to do. Too many are like a race horse out of the gates and dont allow themselves time to adequately digest all the information and changes that are taking place.

I have been actively in transition now for a little over a year and  my wife and  I are at least still living under the same roof. The relationship has changed from that of husband and wife to close friends. Its strange but we actually talk more now than we used to and laugh together a lot more. We no longer share the same bed or bedrooms but I am getting used to it.

As the others have said, give her time, keep communications open, listen to what she has to say and care for her and be considerate of her. I usually consult her before I make any moves forward and encourage her participation in all aspects. To date she hasnt bolted for the door but she knows that I will not hold her back if that is her wish. That allows for her to feel like she is a part of this also.

And these are things that have been passed on to me from my Sisters that have already been through this and held their realationships together. There is always hope that affection will grow again. You are on the right track Dear, just hang in there. Hugs

Wendy

[fusi]

too cool mtfbuckeye! wowowow! *hugs*