Welcome to Susan's, Syles. There are lots of people here who are where you are or have been there. I'm going the other direction (MTF), but I can identify with the problems of trying to accept yourself and afraid to do anything or tell anyone.
HRT is short-hand for hormone treatment. (Actually, it is hormone replacement therapy, developed for post-menopausal women, but we often use the term to mean any hormone treatment.)
For me, one of the most important things in the beginning was the realization that being transgendered is a normally-occurring condition. It is unusual, but it happens naturally in somewhere between 1 in 500 and 1 in 10,000 births. (Most people who study this think that the 1 in 10,000 estimate is
way too low.) Being transsexual is just part of the diversity of natural life.
The problem is that many societies and many religions say we are bad people because of the way we were born. And that is a hard thing for many of us to overcome.
But you are among friends here, Syles. Look around, ask questions, give us your thoughts.
Welcome.

- Kate