You took the plunge, April Marie! I am so happy for you.

Awesome news, Lori! Glad you're home.

Oh, Pema, your post brought tears to my eyes. Your mother is amazing! As is your wife. And you, my friend. Hugs.

Sometimes, during flights of fancy when all the woes of 'why me, Lord' and the need to shout 'I am' fade into silence, I think to myself: why wouldn't any normal elderly male want to experience, if only for a time, being a woman? I mean, Tiresias loved it. I have never contemplated suicide due to my gender variance, but I feel as though I have endured a thousand deaths every time someone I love turned their back to me because of my asserted femineity. Now, when that happens, I no longer fall into despair; I put on a pretty dress and go about the business of being me. Athena, Big Kim, Maid Marion, Kathy Lauren, and Sarah B--thank you for sharing your responses to CosmicJoke's question. I've been seeking an answer since I was four years old and wore one of my sister's dresses for the first time. She doesn't remember that moment, but I will never forget it. None of us will.     

Congratulations, NancyDrew! Technicalities aside, this feels like a WOOO--HOOO! moment to me.

I'm not saying it's a foregone conclusion, but, if you decide to do so, share as much as possible about your move to Ireland. I suspect the impressions of a 'tourist' are far different than those of an emigrant. I also suspect you'll keep your rucksack tucked behind your couch (sofa, davenport, however it's labeled on the other side of the pond). You lead an amazing life, Tills.

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on Yesterday at 06:22:15 AMIt will be nice to live in a 'free' state once again.

Welcome to Colorful Colorado! Sadly, Montana doesn't qualify as a 'free' state so I live mostly in the shadows I cast across 20 acres of prickly pear. I sometimes imagine living with the exuberance of being myself unfettered but it's unlikely to ever happen. Fireflies are magical beings! And though I have seen bobcats, I have never heard their midnight cry. Perusing your posts regarding your father's estate, I feel as though I have glimpsed the man himself. Thanks, Jessica, from my side of your posts, I like what I glimpsed.

Quote from: KathyLauren on Yesterday at 05:03:20 PMCongratulations, Nancy!  It is so nice to be "official", isn't it?

If Ontario's health records work anything like Nova Scotia's, in addition to noting that you are female, there will probably also be a note that you are transgender.  For medical purposes, that is important information for them to have. 

They don't always look at that note, however.  When I went for my first mammogram, the technician was asking some questions for their records.  One of the questions was, "Do you still have your uterus?"  I replied that I had never had one of those.    She started to note my response on her form, then did a priceless double-take.  "Huh??"  I enjoyed the reaction for a second, then explained.

Speaking of mammograms, the standard for trans women is that you should start getting mammograms if you are in the normal age range and you have been on HRT for five years.  So, depending on when you started HRT, you might not get booked for one right away.

Hi Kathy,
I don't know if they put transgender on my records, or just female since the agent just told me that they had to change my sex in their records (in Ontario, we have a provincial agency that is similar to Service Canada where all the provincial services are done whether that's registering a vehicle or getting a driver's license or health cards, so they are not dedicated medical people).  She didn't mention if there was any mention added about me being transgender. 

But I do know that my health records do reflect that I am female since I had to contact the clinic I deal with for my HRT to give them the change in my health card number and request a new bloodwork form for the bloodwork that I have to get done for September (because of my prolactin levels they just want to see if my Cyproterone being lowered has drop my levels), and besides my new number, the old form still had Male checked off, but the new one they sent me this afternoon has Female checked off.  So when I get my bloodwork done, it shouldn't come back with a note saying that for a male my testosterone had to be triple checked while my estrogen is too high!

As for mammograms, I saw that in the last few years Ontario lowered their age range from 50 to 40 and I'm just over 40 and have been on hormones for over 3 years.

As for gaining weight you could try to just eat fast food all the time and limit your exercise, this is prob the least healthy option for you.

You could try to workout lower body more with specific emphasis on exercises that would build muscle in the hip, glute, thigh area. This is probably the healthiest option but keep in mind that it will only be able to get you so far, also you'd have to eat in surplus calories to build the muscle as well, not to mention prob takes the longest to achieve.

Other than that I have heard of rib cage remodeling where they partially crack your lower ribs and have you wear a corset while they heal, and they heal in a new place creating more of the hour glass figure. Not sure how well this works, it's relatively new procedure. Haven't heard too many people talk about it other than plastic surgeons on YouTube. Supposedly it's a pretty easy procedure, relatively pain free and an easy recovery compared to other gender affirming surgeries there are.

Fat transfer would prob be the best option if you were able to figure out how to gain weight in a healthy manner while continuing the eat healthy and exercise.

There are trainers out there that help trans individuals with their goals to either help them achieve a more feminine figure or masc figure through diet and exercise. Maybe look into them. If you want to message me privately I can give you a few people I know of that specialize in this kind of personal training.

I found I could sleep on my back wearing pigtails.