So, recently I registered with Whitman-Walker Health. Since I haven't made any real money this year, I don't have insurance, but I figured that since there was a sliding scale, it was worth a shot to try and have proper care thru them.
So, I meant to goto the public benefits office the day before my appointment, but due to a massive amount of snow, I didn't actually get to go. So, I went and told the front desk on the day of my initial appointment, and they let the office know and they managed to move me up the queue so that I could get it checked before my appointment. It was very simple, I explained my financial situation and gave them the relevant documents and I was put on the sliding scale at 0% (I am very poor).
So then I get my basics taken, height, weight, etc and filled out a questionnaire that explained some of my medical history. Then I got to talk to my doctor while she asked me all sorts of basic medical questions, then she did a quick physical. She was not mean or judgmental about the fact that I was doing hormones on my own for a long time, and hadn't had a blood test in sometime. She was incredibly nice, and I was very impressed.
After this I reported to a therapist, for a mental health evaluation (required before hormones). The therapist was amazing, and very friendly, she put me at ease despite the fact that medical care is a bit nerve-racking to me. After asking plenty of questions, and getting a sense of who I was and why I wanted to transition, she recommended HRT (or rather the continuance of it) right then and there.
I then went back down for bloodwork, since that is required before anything HRT wise can be given. Since it had been a while since my last HRT screening and no protection had been used on my last partner, all the STD tests were also ordered, which was...well good, but a bit invasive I suppose. There was soooooooo much blood taken lol, I felt like I didn't have any left. After that I checked out and was scheduled for two weeks later, and I also talked to someone who told me I was cool to come in for the name and gender change clinic a few days before my followup appointment.
All in all, I was very impressed, and felt very well cared for. Right at the start I was asked my preferred name and pronouns, and no one messed up with them at all. Everyone was very respectful and treated me like the woman I am. I am very glad I am going to Witman-Walker :)
Always good to hear about positive experiences with the medical community.
I go there and I've had an excellent experience as well! Highly recommend them to everyone in the greater DC area.
For the name/gender change clinic, is that something they do on a one-on-one basis or is it a regularly scheduled clinic they offer to whoever shows up? I was going to print off whatever paperwork I need my doctor to sign off on for my gender marker in VA, but it would be nice to have someone look over the paperwork before my next appointment on the 13th.
Quote from: ftmax on February 27, 2015, 10:33:30 AM
I go there and I've had an excellent experience as well! Highly recommend them to everyone in the greater DC area.
For the name/gender change clinic, is that something they do on a one-on-one basis or is it a regularly scheduled clinic they offer to whoever shows up? I was going to print off whatever paperwork I need my doctor to sign off on for my gender marker in VA, but it would be nice to have someone look over the paperwork before my next appointment on the 13th.
Everymonth there is a session held iirc at the Elizabeth Taylor center (the one in NW) that you can just walk in and recieve help with your documents but they prefer if you rsvp. The next one is on the 10th this has more info: http://www.translawdc.org/clinic
Quote from: Hikari on February 27, 2015, 12:06:45 PM
Everymonth there is a session held iirc at the Elizabeth Taylor center (the one in NW) that you can just walk in and recieve help with your documents but they prefer if you rsvp. The next one is on the 10th this has more info: http://www.translawdc.org/clinic
Thank you ma'am!