Support Travel Cost of Journey: Texas to Oregon

Story

I don’t like doing this but I have no choice, now that this new administration took office last month.  I live in the “red state” of Texas. I’m a USAF Veteran on Social Security and Medicare as I’m now retired. I had it all planned out and moved from Austin to Houston to finish my transition, and move on with my life. It took everything financially to make my move, but I really thought I’d be finished by the end of this year. My only income is my retirement on Social Security. It was working great until this month. My surgeon has decided he needs to move from Texas back home to Iowa! I’m now facing having to move out of state to finish what was started. The only doctors left in Texas don’t accept Medicare as payment here in Texas! The dysphoria I had experienced went away after my first surgery, now it’s back full force. I had my first stage of my lower surgery done at the end of October. I’m left with nothing useful. The neo-phallus isn’t connected to anything. I’m feeling very incomplete, again. Unfortunately I can’t stay in this “red state” of Texas, and I can’t finish my next surgery here, either. My second stage surgery will finish what was started, connecting nerves and closing up everything, including being able to stand and urinate. I find this humiliating and humbly ask for assistance reaching my goal. I’m forced to move from Texas to Portland, Oregon to finish my transition. They are the ones my doctor here advised would be able to finish what he started. I’ve been in touch with the Oregon doctors and they think they can help finish what was started. It’s my only alternative, besides living half done the next 4+/- years as I’ve been left. Moving to Oregon will cost more than I can afford. I’m unable to work as I’m still healing up, and it’s not feasible to work for someone for less than a year then quit on them to make a move like this. I’ve tried to figure out another possible scenario, but I’m left asking anyone that can to donate whatever they can to help in this situation. Even $1-5 would be very appreciated now. I’m receiving housing assistance through the VA, as I’m a Vietnam Era veteran. I have to go to food pantry’s here to make ends meet, too! I go to the VA for everything else medical, but due to this administration and this guys last administration, they stopped the VA from covering the cost of transgender surgeries in 2016 and now again, it’s on hold! I’m doing worse mentally once again. I’m so stressed since finding out my doctor would be gone from Texas in March, and I’m not able to get this done before then. My second stage would’ve been done around May, but not now! If you can donate anything, please help me finish this, this year. I know it’s a lot, but I have to rent a truck; tow my car; drive up to Oregon , some 2,500+/- miles; find a place once I get there and move into it. I’m gonna need assistance loading and unloading the rental truck; setup utilities; and completely pay for everything myself. Not to mention having to change Medicare providers once I get up there. And will have to pay any deductible and copays for this new location. That’s why the amount is so high. I spent everything I had when I moved here to Houston. And I was just getting ready to start saving for when my surgeries were complete, as I wasn’t planning on staying in Houston once everything was completed. I preferred the Austin area or El Paso area over Houston. But this accelerated my plans to leave Houston, and the state of Texas! Since the inauguration last month, everything has accelerated for transgender people. This nation is trying to eliminate transgender rights and anyone who identifies as other than cisgender. This “RED state” has also decided we shouldn’t exist anymore, so they’ve put in a bill in the state legislature to arrest, jail and fine anyone identifying as transgender, or anything other than make/female at birth. It’s up to a 2 yr jail sentence, plus up to $10,000 fine for being fraudulent in appearance or identity!  They are meddling in the right to medical privacy over our own bodies. These decisions should be left to the patient and their respective doctors and families. HIPPA should be covering this, but alas it’s not even mentioned! Thank you to all who may be able to help.