Post SRS Recovery Time

[cindianna_jones]

My therapist knew I was going to transition before I did (my feeling, she never said that).[/color][/font][/size]

I got that message from you loud and clear some time ago.  I wish you the very best Julie.

Cindi

[Sheila]

I wonder what therapist says you started RLT at noon on Oct 31 2006 and will end at 11:59 AM on Oct. 31 2007. They will surely be watching you the whole entire time. I think we need to get real, they don't really care, but you should. If you happen to be very comfortable being who you are the what difference does it make how long you are in "real time". The year could be two years, it is when you feel comfortable to go out as who you are. What clothes do you wear that make you female, jeans and a t-shirt or do you wear skirts 24/7. When the surgeon asks you if you have done the year and you feel comfortable in who you are, then yes you have done the year. Can you put on a skirt and go down to the mall on Saturday and not feel like everyone is looking at you? If you can then you are pretty comfortable being who you are. Now with FtoM, they have been wearing whatever they want for a long time. I don't know what RLT would be like for them, I guess just being comfortable in being a man.
Sheila

[umop ap!sdn]

Some therapists consider 24/7 less 40 to be the RLT.  Mine is one of them.

Okay, makes sense. Good to know that she is; the situation you describe would seem to be a really tough bind otherwise. Hope everything goes smoothly!

The year could be two years, it is when you feel comfortable to go out as who you are.

Wow, then I'm already there! Who knew.

Can you put on a skirt and go down to the mall on Saturday and not feel like everyone is looking at you?

I still sometimes feel like people are looking at me, although not for that reason. That may never change; I can look forward to always being unusually tall, and I hope to still look nice as I get older.

[Julie Marie]

Shelia, some people just know.  I'm one of them.  All I needed was to escape from the denial.  Once I did that, there was no turning back.

[Sheila]

You do have to have your letters and that take therapy. I knew too, but they want you in therapy so they will know before they will sign off on anything. It is good that you do therapy and know what will happen. I don't agree on how long it takes. I feel they do it for the money. RLT is very important as this is how you will be after surgery and there is no turning back. Like I said, I don't feel there is a time limit. I think that SOC put one year in just cause that might be an average of people going through the therapy. You should be on hormones though.
Sheila

[Julie Marie]

You do have to have your letters and that take therapy. I knew too, but they want you in therapy so they will know before they will sign off on anything. It is good that you do therapy and know what will happen. I don't agree on how long it takes. I feel they do it for the money. RLT is very important as this is how you will be after surgery and there is no turning back. Like I said, I don't feel there is a time limit. I think that SOC put one year in just cause that might be an average of people going through the therapy. You should be on hormones though.
Sheila

My therapist is the one who said "No one would know" when I spoke of SRS while still working as a male.  I've been 24/7 less work for over a year and if it wasn't for work there wouldn't be a 'less'.  I've been on HRT for even longer.  Someone else may need that info to be convinced I'm trans but I don't.  And that's all that matters.

Julie 

[Steph]

And you will be retiring soon as well.  So it's not like you need to prove you can work in a job as a TS.

Cindi

Aha, but Julie are you simply retiring from your present job or retiring from the work force completely and going to live a life of leisure   ?

Steph

[Julie Marie]

Aha, but Julie are you simply retiring from your present job or retiring from the work force completely and going to live a life of leisure   ?

Steph

If you call living on a sailboat and cruising the tropics living a life of leisure, then yes, I'll be living a life of leisure. 

The only missing piece is a companion to join me.  But I have two years to find her.