2006 Year in Review

[Steph]

2006 is drawing to a close and the year brought many events.   Some events were happy and memorable and of course there were those events that marked us for life, or whose impact will stay with us for all time.

What were the events that affected you?

For me there were a few.  Firstly Gillian and I reached a point in our lives where we needed to re-evaluate our commitment to each other and that resulted in our moving to a new home and a new life together.  Secondly there was the sudden passing of a dear friend.  Leigh will always be cherished, she was a wonderful no nonsense woman, who who always spoke her mind.  And lastly their was my own SRS.  For me 2006 was a year to remember.

Steph

[Sheila]

The year 2006, wasn't how I wanted it to be. I had a few friends who have passed to the other side and it was very emotional for me. I have been an advocate for Gender Rights up until this year, when some of the other wanted to open up showers for coed. I was shot down and they pulled the legislation right out from under me. I had worked hard on this issue for about 4 years. I think that the most rewarding was that I'm very comfortable in my new body and that I really don't think about it much, only when I come to boards like this one. I am going stealth as much as I can and I think that the coming year will be something of an average year for me now. No more meetings, only the children on my route. They are what count for me now. I have been asked this year how many children do I have and did I go through a regular pregnancy and did I have them natural vs caesarian. How many grandkids do I have and what is my husbands name and what does he do. So, I think this is going to be a wonderful year.
Sheila

[Stormy Weather]

I have been asked this year how many children do I have and did I go through a regular pregnancy and did I have them natural vs caesarian. How many grandkids do I have and what is my husbands name and what does he do.

Those kind of events are the kind of things that truly hit home the distance travelled sometimes. After years of upheaval and prioritising, it can be slightly disconcerting to be somewhat 'normal' again.

The events that affected me were having to go back for two follow-up operations following GRS in late summer 2005. This resulted in a considerable time off from work which impacted on other things as well... still, meeting my sister (not seen for over 10 years) and my nephew was a very special highlight. A close friend of mine and her mother also died in a car accident... but I've also been fortunate to have worked under two interim team leaders who I've learnt an incredible amount from.

2007 is looking better though, fingers crossed.

[Buffy]

In January 2006 I received my new Birth Certificate with the sex = Girl inserted into the place where Boy had previously been.

This took what seemed like an eternity to go through the UK legal system, having submitted my application in mid 2005.

This single piece of paper is the most important and means more to me than any other document I have.

In July 2006, I started my own business and this now employs 4 people and I thoroughly enjoy being my own boss.

Buffy

[Hazumu]

Year in review, 2006?

January - Started disassembling the beard

March - Started HRT

July - Came out to my boss, and his boss.  Management was alerted that I'm transitioning.

October - Susans Fest at Portland, where I met several members of Susans face to face, and had a great time!

November - Came out to the members of my section

December - Came out to almost my whole family.  Found out that my mothers' father's second wife passed on in November.

Throughout the year, I slowly disassembled the artificial persona I'd developed to fit in, and let the true me underneath peek out.  There are still some bits of the old me still stuck on, but I'll keep picking at them.  They usually drop away without me noticing.

Karen

[LynnER]

2006 has been in ....... uuuuuuh..... Interesting year for me....

Started off great, or so it seamed.... Twas the year where I lost my fience, Where I seem to be looseing my family, where I am looseing my band. The year where I detransitioned.  The chorus to Disconected comes to mind."No- you dont know what you will give up. No-o-o you dont know what you will give up.  you dont know, what you want. It may take you years to find out, you dont know, what you need. Its something that may never come to you."  It was also the year where detransitioning and other stressors allmost put me out of the game... A year when I had a nervous breakdown and a sudo heartatack....

OK, Thats it, Enough of the negitive!!

2006 has been the year where I learned to stand on my own two feet independently for the first time of my life.... the year where I restarted transition, the year my band recorded its greatest album ever both in quality of recording and the music itsself...  Where we all finaly found our musical nitche...  Its the year where the downs of life couldnt hold me down *for long atleast*  Ive gone fulltime,  Ive come back to susans, this time as a contributing member. The year where I met the sister I never knew I had but allways wanted. (Figuritivly speaking, but anything is possable)  Its the year thats given me more strenght than every year of my life previous combined.

2006 signifies the end of an era in my life, and the beginning anew.  This was my year where the pheonix did rise from the ashes to fly again.

*Hugs*  Happy holidays to all

******* Ambrosine

[Hazumu]

Capricorn?  But your natal birthday isn't listed in your profile.

I agree, though, that you're about to become an honorary Capricorn! 

Karen

[Brianna]

2006 has hands down been the most significant year of my life. It has been the worst year by far and also the best year.

February 16th was my rebirthday, the day I started HRT. April 19th was the day I started full time. These two events have been the most major events of my life to date. I never thought I'd pass, let alone be marginally pretty. Becoming myself has been the most thrilling thing I've ever done.

The pain of this year is worse than I ever imagined. I thought I'd never pass, but I never expected that I would lose my family for transitioning. It hurts every day - I often find myself bursting into random racking sobs about it. It's not a worse pain than a lifetime of being a transsexual, but it's close.

I think the cherry on the cake this year has becoming a full staff member at Susan's, and deciding to go to grad school to become a therapist specializing in gender issues. It's the work here that's helped me realize what my life's purpose needs to be.

Bri

[Kate]

2006? Eh... dull. Boring. Same old... EXCEPT:

Started therapy at end of last year (2005).

Last "boy" haircut in january. I cried, lol, and swore "never again."

Had thousands of dollars and dental work done in the spring, both cosmetic and necessary, so I can actually smile for the first time in four decades. My wife says I did it because I knew I'd be transitioning. I'm not necessarily arguing the point.

Joined Susan's back in march and seriously started to consider transitioning (gulp) for real. Yea, I know, most of you are all too familiar with my hundreds and hundreds of "should I? can I?" posts, lol (thanks, by the way).

Began lasering off my beard in the spring. Ouch. Really, it's not that I'm necessarily transitioning, I've always hated my beard.

Somewhere during summer/fall, I made a mental/emotional switch from being a "guy who needed to be a woman" to finally accepting that I AM a woman, and always have been (thanks - you know who you are). I cannot emphasize the importance of this enough.

Frustrated with my therapist, in late summer, I told my wife I needed to open up some options for myself regarding transitioning, but that I wouldn't pursue them forever, and would stop after a few months and we would talk it over again. She didn't believe me. I don't think I really did either.

A month or two later, I told my wife I had to keep going, and I was going to transition, confirming in her eyes that I had been lying all along, and knew back in january that I would transition - but couldn't/wouldn't admit it to either of us.

Finally received my HRT recommendation letter in late fall.

12/26/2006 (tomorrow): Appointment with new doctor to see if he'll treat me (he says he CAN, but must meet me before deciding if he WILL).

All in all, 2006 is THE year of my life: the most turbulent, emotionally catastrophic, suicidal, euphoric, sad, joyous twelve months I've EVER experienced. I've made a HUGE mess with the immature way I handled many things this year (and last decade), but I've matured a LOT as well during the process, and I'm trying to fix what damage I can and get on with living... for the first time really.

[Chaunte]

It was the best of times.

I came to accept who I really am.  It's been a long, hard journey to this acceptance.  I look towards going full time in perhaps as little as 18 months.  I have found two new worshiping communities.  One that accepts me as who I really am.  One where I can transition and be accepted.  And both communities are part of the same parish.  I am out to my seperintendant, principals and a handfull of friends and co-workers.  The support of friends and co-workers has been overwhelming.  I quarter-finaled in L ROn Hubbard's Writers of the Future competition for the second time.  I am free to live my life as it should be.

It was the worst of times.

Accepting who I am has cost me my marriage.  My financies, which used to be stable, are now on shaky ground.  I have three co-workers who are raising a fuss about my appearance being too feminine.  While I talk with my kids every night, I only see them on the weekend.  I live much like a hermit, more out of necessity than anything else.  My brother is unsupportive.  The price of freedom has ben extraordinarily high.

Freedom comes with a price, and I am only now starting to talley the cost.  While there are times I feel battered and bloodied, I am not defeated.  I guess that makes this year a good one.

"We proceeded on..."

Chaunte

[Melissa]

Wow, this has probably been the most eventful year of my life.

In January, I started seeing a gender-specialized therapist (had seen a general one before).
On February 1st, I started HRT.
In March my Grandma passed away and my sister got married.
In April I got into a car accident and lost my job.  I was offered a much better job 2 days later.  It was also the last time I have seen my parents.
In May, I started laser hair removal, had 4 sessions of voice therapy and it was finally clear my marriage was over.  I also got the closest I ever have to comitting suicide.
In June an anti-discrimination law for LGB and T was passed in Washington.  I also came out to my employer.
In July I legally changed my name, went fulltime and became the title holder for the Vancouver Pride Transgender Category (Mizz Gay Pride), which made me the first in the city and the third in the entire nation to get this.  I started exploring guys this month and kissed my first FTM.  I also had my first stealth attempt and passed successfully.
In August I adopted a dog from the humane society.
In September, I moved out of the house and started living on my own.  This was completely in stealth.  Leigh passed away.  I went swimming as a woman for the first time in my life (something I always wanted to do).  I got my first haircut as a woman where they didn't know I was TS.  I helped a dear friend on Susan's here through a sucidal time.
In October, I attended the Susan's fest.  I had to get rid of my dog because I was away from the house too much.  I passed in a lesbian bar.  I also had my first kiss from a genetic male.
In November, I found my first girlfriend as a girl.  I had my first Thanksgiving where I didn't spend at my parents house.  I spent it at a really food friend's house.
In December I became a moderator here at Susans.  Also, for the first time in my life, I didn't celebrate Christmas whatsoever.

So it has been a year filled with a lot of good and bad.  I hope to never have such an eventful year for the rest of my life.

Melissa

[Casey]

This has been the biggest year of my life. The funny thing is I never imagined most of this would happen.

March - I decided it was time to accept the fact that I crossdress. Since I was used to forums I looked for a crossdressers forum, thinking I was one. I very quickly (first week or so) learned I wasn't a CD so I went with the only identity I knew that fit: TG. I also accepted that there's only one person in here.

May - My sister announced she was engaged. I helped my mother take care of my grandfather for a week.

June - I came out to my parents with disasterous results. Two months later I learned that my mother was actually supportive.

July - After much debate and soul searching I began identifying as genderqueer.

August - I began seeing a therapist. I learned that I had a misconception of what an androgyne was and realized that I might very well be one. I also became a member here.

September - Shortly after the Genderqueer child forum was renamed and moved, I felt comfortable calling myself an androgyne.

November - Another sister announced she was engaged.

December - I came out to that sister. I also started attending a RL transgender support group.

[TheBattler]

Well I have allready written a big post about 2006. Depression has been the thing that has most marked this year for me - making my year thw worst year I have ever had and by a long way.

The quick I forget this year the better. Today I was reflexing on just wanting to move on to a better year next year.

Alice

[Kimberly]

2006: I have cried more this year than any before it. So very few of those tears were anything nice.
2006: Events seem to have finally come to the point where I open my eyes, if only a little, like a very old newborn.
2006: I have found people that I remember and people to remember.
2006: Enough good has found me that I look forward to 2007.
2006: Rest in peace and may I never see you again.

[HelenW]

I've waited until today to respond in this thread.  It's my 1 year anniversary as a member of Susan's forums!

2006 has been horrible and wonderful.  I got so depressed I almost took my own life.  I also was "diagnosed" (confirmed) as a MtF transsexual by my therapist and I started HRT in September, which has cheered me immensely.

I came out to my mom and two son's and found acceptance.  I came out to two women at my job and found the same.  My spouse and I had, and continue to have, tough times and we're still together.  I've found a wonderful group of trans people that I see at least once a month and who have honored me by nominating me to a board membership.  I am a member of a fledgling group of transgendered couples in western New York.

I'm very glad the year is over and while I have fears for 2007 I am confident that I'll be just as optimistic on Dec 29th, 2007 as I am now for the coming year's accomplishments.

hugs & smiles
helen