as the years drag on, i get more and more desperate to start treatment and finally see some change.  the problem is, my life situation hasn't really allowed for it.  i'm currently living with a family member (who does not support or acknowledge anything related to my "gender issue") and working nights at a store that is within walking distance from our house.  i have a car, but only a permit and not a proper license.  because i have no one around who can/will help me get in the driving practice, it's hard enough trying to get the license so i can get myself to and from work or the grocery store.  i'd be very uncomfortable trying to drive long distances over unfamiliar territory by myself.  and as far as money goes, i have insurance through my ex/spouse (we've been broken up and living in separate states for the past several years, but are not yet divorced) and my actual income is very low, working only part-time. 
i've tried researching doctors and clinics nearby, but honestly it's all really confusing to me.  the only thing i know for sure is that a few of the planned parenthoods in my state provide hrt on an informed consent basis.  but the locations that provide this service are all about 3 hours' drive away from where i currently live.  for one of them, i also have the option of taking the bus/train, which would take twice as long and likely require me to stay overnight.
i am hoping to move to another town once i'm able to do so, a.k.a. when i get my license and figure out what to do about work (i'm praying for a transfer, but that depends on a lot of factors and isn't really reliable).  i'd also have to figure out where to live and how to move while starting a new job.  the place i want to move to is also about 3 hours away from where i'm currently at, which puts it very very close to one of the planned parenthoods that provides hrt. 
so i guess what i'm trying to decide now is, should i just put any hopes of treatment on indefinite hold until i've managed to move out?  or should i attempt to visit one of the clinics while i'm still here, since i have no idea how long it will actually be before i'm ready/able to move?  and if so, how would i go about it?  i don't have friends who can give me a ride (especially not more than once), and while i hope to have my driver's license soon, i'm really afraid to drive that far alone.  or there's always the bus/train/hotel option.  i'm not sure what to do.  the inability to transition has really been ruining my life and i'm tired of waiting... but i don't know if i really have any other options at this point.
i can keep hunting for other doctors who are closer, but so far i haven't had much luck and i'm not really sure how to approach the issue if i did find one. 
any advice would be appreciated.

Sounds like a tough situation, have you tried to gauge the family member's reaction by putting on a trans documentary or something? Sometimes the people we least suspect surprise us, unfortunately that goes both ways though...

Quote from: Daniellekai on March 16, 2017, 10:40:27 AM
Sounds like a tough situation, have you tried to gauge the family member's reaction by putting on a trans documentary or something? Sometimes the people we least suspect surprise us, unfortunately that goes both ways though...

nah, i "came out" to them years ago.  first there was a huge fight that ended with them suddenly changing the subject and dropping the issue, then they spent months making the occasional rude comments and religious speeches.  now they just act like the whole thing never happened at all, and choose to ignore it.  but at least i don't have to worry about asking them for anything like this; they've already made the answer pretty clear. 

Well, sounds like you need to get that license and such in order, at least around here grocery stores and the like are always looking for help at least around where I am, I wouldn't worry too much about a job like that although if you have to change jobs instead of transfer you might have to take an initial pay hit, and losing benefits always sucks for a while. If you think you could do it quickly you could start HRT now, changes are gradual so they wouldn't notice anything right away as long as there are no obvious signs like pill bottles laying around (weekly injection at the doctor would prevent that risk, but there's still the problem of how to get there).

I agree. Make getting a driver's licence and driving your #1 priority right now.  It's also something that is pretty easy to do once you set your mind to it.  Once you get your licence then you can start practicing driving. Take short trips then longer ones as you become more comfortable and more skilled at driving.  Soon you'll be able to tackle that 3 hour drive easily.

So much of transition is identifying that one big obstacle that is in our path RIGHT NOW and putting all our energy and focus on removing it.  Then moving on the to then next one.  Do you have a transition priority list of the things you want to accomplish?  Start with short term goals.  Maybe for example finding out where a driving school is or watch some Youtube videos on how to drive. Find out where you local DMV is to take your test.  Then also list longer term goals. It might help to write down your transition goals and then cross them off as you achieve them.  And as always.  Keep fighting.

You can check out the route on Google maps street views so you can be almost as familiar with it as if you were there, in advance.