Long And Fun Weekend

[Guest Maelee]

Hello everyone.

What a long weekend but it was a lot of fun.

I had an appointment with my HRT doc on Thursday (the 22nd) that went really well. He told me that I am a full A-cup/small B-Cup now! YAY!! Long ways from December when I was told by the sales person that had measured me that I was "almost" an AA. I talked to him about hair transplants, name and id change (he seemed to think he could help me get my drivers licence changed to female, which I thought I needed SRS for in MI), and about progesterone. He said he would give it to me if I really wanted but he also recommended against it. According to him it is antagonistic to estrogen (which I had read) and would thus be sort of counter productive. He even teased me some about my voice (but in a good way, trying to get me motivated on it) and wants me to really work on it (which I should be doing all the time). He also said that from my last blood tests that my testosterone levels are well below GG levels. Not sure on the units but from my last 2 tests I was at 19 and 0.2 and that normal female levels were 30 (or maybe 40, don't remember the exact number). My estrogen levels were a bit low so he increased my dosage by just a little.

That day after the doctor appointment I went to a support group meeting that is run by my therapist at Affirmations (the LGBT community center) in Ferndale MI. The group is for "gender non-conformist" and it is a lot of fun and so very helpful to have a chance to talk to others that are across the spectrum of gender. The meeting is not just for transsexuals but there are several that are part of it. It ran from 7 to 9 that night then after the meeting 6 of us walked down the street to a coffee shop. We were there till 11:30 that night when the shop was closing and they asked us to go, lol. It is so relaxing to be in a friendly atmosphere. Ferndale is the LGBT center of Detroit. Even so, as I was walking out to my car in a parking lot just off the main street, I had someone in a car start talking b s to me. Going on about why I was dressed like I was and how I should be more of a man. I wanted to say I was not a man but just got right in my car and drove off. Sort of scared me and I was pretty shaken up by it. Saturday when I had my appointment with my therapist and told her about it she was pretty shocked since you see a lot of different outfits walking in Ferndale, even people dressed up as blue fairies with wings and all.

Friday I did a sort of good thing but also bad thing. I had an appointment for a consultation at a laser center, American Laser Centers. Dang ingrown hairs from epilating have me so freaked out lately that I ended up signing up for as many laser treatments as I want for my legs and arms for 2 years. Since they recommend 10-12 weeks between treatments, it will be about 5 sessions a year and at a much lower price then the laser treatments I have had up home. They had a deal going on for buy 1 area get 1 area free, then an additional 35% off for same day signing up as the consultation. I had preapproved financing so I went for it. The good thing is it is 18 months intrest free. The bad thing is it is 24.99% intrest added retroactively if it is not paid off by that 18 months. So I am kind of happy about it since it will get rid of the ingrown hair problems on my arms and legs but kind of kicking myself since I could of used that money towards hair transplants for my head or orchi (still not sure which of the 2 I want first).

Saturday I had my appointment with my therapist at Affirmations which went really well. We talked about so many different things it is hard for me to remember them all, lol. I need to start writing in my journal after my appointments so I can keep track of what we talked about. Amazing how many things Rachel and I have in common (she is a transwoman as well). One thing that really stuck with me was she was talking to me about courage and how at the meeting on Thursday I said I did not have any and she made me realize I really do. I guess it does take a lot to go out dressed like I do in northern Michigan. Hopefully I am not projecting a negative opinion on people up here towards LGBT (something tells me that most people up here just think I am gay, lol).

After my therapy session I stayed to see a 2 hour show being put on by a transman as part of fundraising for his top surgery. It was like a 1-2 person play/poetry reading being performed by Cole (his last name, for the life of me I can not remember his first, so horrible with names) and one other performer. Definitely was worth the $10 dollars to see and the chance to help him towards his goal (especially after seeing that post about the effects of binding in the FtM forums).

The whole time I was down in Detroit I was staying at a friends place. He had been from my home area and had moved down to Detroit about 6-7 years ago. His mom had been sick for quite a while with liver problems. Ended up she had been in the hospital with a serotic (sp??) liver. Basically it had shut down and her body was filling with toxins. She had been sent home from the hospital when the toxins started to affect her brain. She died at home on Saturday and he came back up north Sunday to get things set up for her funeral. They had known that once her mind was being affected that it was not going to be long for her, but that still does not take away the fact that it was his mom that died. I feel so sorry for him. I only met her 2 times but it still makes me cry thinking about it. Wednesday is going to be the visitation. I will get to see all my friends there but it will not be under the best of circumstances. I will have to dress down so I do not cause a sceen at the service and it will be after a 2 hour electrology appointment so I will be looking pretty rough. At least I will still be there to show him support for what would be a crushing situation if it was me.

So it was a great weekend and tempered by a sad situation.

Sorry for the huge wall of text but I wanted to let everyone know what has been happening

Love and *hugs*

Mae