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I am raising money for gender affirming medical care. At a time where we are facing setbacks on every level, there is a sense of urgency to say the least. In a lot of ways, this feels like the last opportunity I will have to access this care any time soon.
I am happy and relieved to have found a surgeon with a great reputation to work with here in Chicago. I feel that I am in good hands with her team, and am ready to move forward.
The first hurdle is hair removal.
I will officially get a surgery date when my donor site is 80% cleared of hair. While there is a chance that I can get these services covered by insurance, that often looks more like a battle for reimbursement. Given the fact that I need to start now, I am asking for the funds ahead of time. Any reimbursements will be rolled back towards the cost of care.
Electrolysis can cost anywhere up to $200/hr, and some patients require up to/more than 30 hours. While I feel confident that I can find a better price, I am inclined to prepare myself for the worst possible scenario. There is earnestly no way I could possibly cover that cost out of pocket.
What comes next?
There are plenty of other costs to raise funds for. Below are some of the things I have on my radar at some point.
- temporary housing immediately after surgery
- medical supplies
- transportation to and from post-op check in appointments
- three months off of work for recovery
- compensation for caregivers that are taking time off of work to care for me post-op
- acupuncture for surgery prep and recovery (e-stim for nerve regeneration and scar tissue support)
- supplements that aid recovery
As the process moves forward, the goalpost will likely move. I will do my best to be transparent about my needs as they change.
I am not only preparing for surgery, I am also diving deep into new fairly intense and demanding care for my mental health. I am hopeful that being diagnosed with OCD this year and working with my new therapists will help me prepare for this process in ways I couldn't have previously imagined. Because of this, working harder to stash cash away for this is honestly not something I can do.
I feel optimistic about this opportunity, even while it feels that so many would be happy to see us fail. I have spent 6 years imagining who I might be when this last missing piece comes home. As a spiritualist on the spiral path, it is an inconvenient truth to realize that I won't be the person I am meant to be until this happens. My spiritual growth demands physical transformation.
Thank you for reading, and thank you for your support.