Support Lime to Access Life-Affirming Top Surgery

I am experiencing great swells of love and grief for the world each day. I am scared. I know I am not alone. We are all in grief and in love. This world is full of magic, and that is something that cannot be taken away… I must believe. I must believe this because I feel it everyday in the bird song, the routine sunset and sunrise, in the soup I slurp, and how we care for each other. I believe this because, even in the hardest moments, it is all around me, and it is the only thing that makes sense. Dreaming up new worlds when faced with what we are facing is the only way through, I believe.

For most of my teenage and adult life, I didn’t let myself dream of feeling at home in my body. It was inaccessible. Even now, organizing this fundraiser, it is not without moments of wondering if this is even something I can have. If it is something I can let myself pursue. The signals were much clearer as I became a teenager and these boobs appeared on my chest and I simply knew I wanted a reduction, a change, for lack of any other known option yet. The colonial forces of disembodiment, heteropatriarchy and all of the ism’s clouded this simple and deep knowing, and made it difficult to trust my body, cooking up a deeply uncomfortable experience in my body for… ever? It has been a long winding road, but this year, faced with a grim world that we will be responsible for bringing light to, I am able to let myself dream with the support of my community who are helping me nurture and water this dream :’)

Currently, I have received referral letters and I am in the consultation phase of the top surgery procedure, which has all felt deeply empowering. Unfortunately, gender affirming care in NC under medicaid is a gray bureaucratic maze that can take many years and lots of energy navigating. Even then, it is not guaranteed to be covered. As a disabled human with limited energy and resources, I fear that if I don’t act now, the window to access this care may close. I certainly am feeling a sense of urgency, as I’m sure many are. Luckily, there are a few surgeons in my region that offer surgery appointments a few months out. Unluckily… they are almost $10,000. To secure a surgery date, I need to make a down payment of at least half of that amount.

I’ll provide a more precise breakdown of costs as soon as I have more information. For now, I’m asking for your support to help me raise $8,750 so I can move forward with this life-affirming procedure.

Edit: I have a consultation December 18th.

Edit: My consultation went swell, and now I am waiting to have enough to make the appointment with the required deposit amount.

Procedure: $8,550

Medication, post-op care, off-work recovery time: $200

Total goal: $8,750

So so so much is happening in the world. Grief beyond the scope of what we can hold alone. But there are fertile dreams and love to be held in community too, and this is a tiny little pocket of that. There is power in this, and I am deeply grateful to have you here with me, holding space for this part of my journey.

Thank you from the depths of my heart.

Lime