Ending up at the Emergency Room

[Shantel]

The Pathology service where I am is in the process of getting a new computer system for all of the Path labs. One of the essential requirement was that the system has to have a quick, safe, and totally confidential means of changing the identity of TG patients so that they are correctly identified as themselves.

I checked my details to see and I'm identified as female, correct name and all of my past records have been updated to my correct name and gender.

That's as it should be but unfortunately a lot of them still haven't entered the 21st century mentally or materially with updated IT equipment.

[KaylaW]

Well thanks for the advice of the A shirt, didn't know that.  I don't really have bra's that actually "fit" me, not correctly except for maybe one and it's a sea-foam green color I guess.  What I really need is to be fitted correctly for a bra.  My problem then will be when I use forms, the bra won't be the right size, I don't guess. 

This is a issue for sure.  I'm so confused.  I guess once things get to where I can do more of what I want at home, the ex gets out, then I guess I'll learn a lot more.  What I really need is someone close to me that I could become friends with and hang out with and teach me what I don't know, someone to help me learn the ropes I guess, haha.

Thanks for the A shirt info though... I'll try that.

[Shantel]

Find out when and where your local TG support groups meets and attend a few of those, eventually you'll meet someone close by that will give you some helpful advice!

[Kupcake]

I know several doctors pretty closely.  I've hung around with tons of medical students in social settings and been part of pretty frank conversations.  And I know a few very closely who are emergency medicine doctors.  So just by observation, I've picked up a little bit about their culture.

Did they ever talk about it?  Slight chance but probably not.  Honestly, doctors see a million things per day.  When they get off work, they want to talk about stuff other than the details of their job.  Unless it's something _really_ different, like having a superstar celebrity patient coming to your hospital (I've heard a few of those stories, since some of my family and several of my friends work in UCLA).

Would they ever _say_ anything about it to you or mistreat you for it?  I'd say that would almost never happen in a hospital.  It has nothing to do with respecting you.  It would just look so enormously unprofessional to their peers.  Purely amongst themselves, that kind of thing would be a huge faux pas.  While they typically don't talk a lot about the details of their patients, they do talk a LOT about the people they work with.  Start being a dick to patients and everyone in the hospital knows five minutes later.

Then again, I'm in the LA area.  Your mileage may vary if you're going to a hospital in Texas or Mississippi.

[DietFresca]

Well, it looks like I may have to go back to the ER, the infection symptoms are back, this time including chills...

I feel only slightly apprehensive about leaving my bra and panties on when I go in, but what do you all think?  Should I not tempt fate and just go in with gender appropriate clothes?  I would be more comfortable in my usual bra and panties... but why tempt fate on the possibility of running into someone that has a problem with it?  But then at the same time, why do I need the permission of others before I can wear clothes that I find comfortable?

Not sure, I'm split on which way to go, any tiebreakers?

[Brooke777]

I think you should dress however you feel comfortable. I don't think you will have any trouble either way. The most important thing is you get healthy! I hope everything works out.

[DietFresca]

I think you should dress however you feel comfortable. I don't think you will have any trouble either way. The most important thing is you get healthy! I hope everything works out.

Well, I decided to wear what I find comfortable... so I went in with my usual bra under my tshirt.  I don't know if I was being paranoid or what but I was getting a lot of stares in the waiting room... and I was feeling increasingly uncomfortable with my decision.  By the time they took me back to the exam room I decided I would stop tempting fate and took off the bra before the doctor came in.

But aside from that it went well, they gave me IV antibiotics, a couple of scripts for pain and antibiotics and sent me home.

[Brooke777]

I'm sorry you felt uncomfortable with your choice. I hope the antibiotics work and you get over this thing. Best of luck to you.

[mm]

I think it is common that everyone who goes to the emergency room, to think that they are being looked at as it is an uncomfortable and strange situation for everyone.  Noone really wants to be there in the first place and I do think many do watch who else is coming in and what might be there problem.  Just my take on it.