Sarah's Race to SRS Part II preambleThis is the shortest version that I can do for you. After two years
This is the real short version, for those who's attention span is lacking. The following is a brief summary of what I did in two years to get my surgery:
- Arrived in Sydney Feb 1989.
- Immediately I changed my name legally In Feb 1989
- I then changed my names on my legal documents as soon as possible.
- In Mar 1989 I was on hormones.
- In Mar 1989 I saw my first psychiatrist .
- Before end of April 1989 I was working full time.
- In May 1990 I saw my second psychiatrist and my first surgery letter.
- In May 1990 my second surgery letter came from my endocrinologist.
- After May 1990 my third surgery letter came from my first psychiatrist.
- Finally, in Feb 1991 I had my surgery, so that I could function as a female.
The whole journey really, only took me two years.
This is a longer version of my race to get Sex Reassignment Surgery (SRS). However, if you want to read the epic version, then you will need to read Sarah's Race to SRS part II.
If you have been reading Sarah's story you know that I was definitely passing in 1988, even I did not know this at the time and that was with no hormones. So I arrived in Sydney in Feb 1989 as Sarah. So almost immediately, Sarah started to live her life the way she wanted and she was able to do this, because she passed. If I was not able to pass when I arrived in Sydney you could at least say goodbye to Sarah as you know her today.
So almost immediately I changed my legal name at the time to my new legal name, I did not plan this step in anyway whatsoever. Seriously and honestly I did not plan this and to put it into context, nothing I ever did to achieve SRS was deliberately planned ahead of time. Sarah did not know that when she arrived in Sydney, that within two years she would have her SRS. I'm sitting here writing this and I'm perplexed as much as you are on what Sarah did. The absolute minimalist of outlines of what had to be done was mentioned and that was it.
So after changing my legal name, I set about changing all my legal documents to my new legal name, such as medicare card, drivers license and most important high school and civil engineering certificate transcripts. This has to be stated categorically that by doing this, at the time, I have avoided any consequences that would have eventuated, by not doing so. In other words, changing your legal name and documents straight away, you avoid any problems in the future.
In early March 1989, I saw a General Practitioner (GP) who was to be my doctor for the next 17 years and I was given my hormones which consisted of Depo Provera an intramuscular injection given every two weeks and Premarin 2x2mg twice a day. I started to see my first psychiatrist (or therapist) during March 1989. The second time I saw him about a fortnight after the first visit I was working full time as a female, after that I only had to see him every month, which suited me fine.
I mention it here and also in the long version of Sarah's Race to SRS, II, I was very wary of psychiatrists, from what I heard, or read more likely, that they were not friendly toward you and I was extremely cautious of what I said and in a sense there was a wall between us, in addition I was a naive young lady. It must be said, I picked him because others mentioned in conversation that he was hard, but not according to a social worker who was to become a long time friend said, "he was fair".
So typical me choose the difficult path to ensure, I got what I wanted, the determination or the fast paced actions, of what I was doing within the first couple of months, even astounds me to this day. There was no dithering, back and forth shall I, or shall I not do something, hence no dysphoria per se.
In the end it did not matter because, I was working full time as a female within 3 months of arriving in Sydney and this is what set me up to succeed. I had my head screwed on properly and I believe that is what my first psychiatrist saw in me, just another female living her day to day life. If I ever regret anything in regards to what I have done and that was not seeing him later on after having my surgery and the success I achieved. He wrote my third and final surgery letter after May 1990.
I did see an endocrinologist in the beginning, I do not have a specific time when I first saw him. All he did was just monitor my hormone levels and in the future he wrote my second surgery letter, this particular letter was written in May 1990.
My second psychiatrist I saw maybe early in April 1990, because he wrote my first surgery letter in May 1990. The only thing that stands out in these sessions was, I said maybe two poignant statements. One was that I would always be a genetic male and two that the I knew that surgery was irreversible.
I saw my surgeon a couple of times and a couple of things, stand out, one you had to have blood tests and the main worry about them was you had to be HIV negative, if you were, then at the time it was considered a death sentence and two you did not have to have electrolysis in the genital area. Yes no electrolysis in that area. Awhile ago there was a discussion on this particular issue in a thread on Susan's and I wrote extensively about this subject. Long story short you do not need electrolysis down there, as several surgeons at the time said you do not really need it.
So in summary, its been 33 years since surgery and 35 years since, I changed my life around. I was never indecisive, meaning I never even thought about what I was going to do, in regards to what I wanted. I never ever thought about wanting or longing to be a female ever again, I wonder why? That's right I was living as a female. It was like I needed HRT and to change my name legally, I did those two things within 1 month of arriving, I was working within 3 months. I needed two psychiatrists letters done in 15 months and I needed surgery arranged, so an appointment was made for it to be done.
So I had my surgery within two years. I did not know at the time what the final outcome of my surgery was going to be. I have mentioned this elsewhere, that when I woke up from my surgery the second time. I felt the fog had finally lifted from my mind and a calmness, serenity and clarity decended over me like I had never known before and shall never experience again, before dropping back of to sleep.
After surgery and within two weeks I was back at work. Yes two weeks, I was walking around very gingerly. I did not know until I came across Susan's Place 20 years after being in the woodwork. I found out that by having surgery, I was able to function as any other female in society and to top it of, I was always a female. Well I did not know that at the time because within one year after surgery I was functioning as female anyway. I had waited 35 years for that one moment in time, talk about abstinence. All right if you want me to spell it out I was a virgin. This is something that most females in their younger years had dealt with. Talk about being patient and I will never ever forget that moment.
Stay tuned for the full version of Sarah's Race to SRS Part II. Which will come soon after a brief intermission.
Best Wishes, Love and Hugs to EveryoneSarah BPS Minor edits have been made for clarity only and do not affect the story in anyway