Time to YEET the UTE!
Donation protected
*record scratch*
*freeze frame*
Yep, it's me again. And I bet you're wondering: now how did we end up in this situation?
Previously, I had a GoFundMe in April 2019 for my top surgery, which was a roaring success. I had enough money to pay for my surgery's insurance copay, an entirely unexpected hospital bill delivered to me two days before my arrival, and a stay in a mid-tier hotel in the Chicago area for the week following my surgery so we could monitor my drains.
This time around, we're yeeting another unwanted part of my body: my uterus! While not as outwardly noticeable as my (former) chest, my uterus has been causing me quite a bit of trouble, not just in the gender dysphoria department, but also in the "getting out of bed and being a person" department as well. It's STORYTIME!
When I was 12 I started having periods. You know, like 12 year old AFABs will do. But my periods were different. They were extremely painful; I would often get dizzy or faint while I was at school, get sent home for throwing up, or just stay home altogether in high school when my Dad was convinced of the severity of my pain. As I got older, I started experiencing other issues with my period--vast irregularity between months to the point that tracker apps couldn't determine when I could expect to have my period, months without periods altogether followed by a sudden burst of up to 14 days of immense pain and heavy bleeding that would cut off suddenly and leave me reeling.
Because of a litany of other medical issues (one of which being, ironically, getting a gender dysphoria diagnosis) I suffered these irregularities in relative silence. It wasn't until 2019 that my doctor suggested just as I was leaving Indiana that it could be Endometriosis. Getting that diagnosis, unfortunately, would prove very difficult. After I aged out of my mother's insurance, left Indiana, and ended up being without stable housing during a global pandemic, I would not have insurance again until August of 2020. It took me until October to meet with a doctor.
My doctor in October said that endometriosis was certainly a potential diagnosis, and she referred me to an OB/GYN. That first meeting wouldn't be until December of 2020.
At that appointment, the OB/GYN confirmed it was a possibility. At that time, I was also considering a hysterectomy for gender related reasons, and he offered me two pathways: the first was to go the endo route, which would require a second OB/GYN opinion and a potential laparoscopy before anything could be done. Or, if we went the gender confirmation route, I would just need to get 2 letters from my doctor and my therapist certifying I was trans. So, the choice was easy.
I am very fortunate that Badgercare will help to cover the cost of this surgery, though I am still in the process of figuring out how much the potential hospital stay post-surgery will cost me personally. I have my pre-surgery appointment on June 1st and this will help me learn more. Otherwise, my surgery date is June 23rd; after that I will be out of work for 3 weeks, and will be working in a limited capacity for 3 weeks after that. During that time, I have rent and bills to pay, which is why I need some help.
This will be the last gender reaffirming surgery I will need to live my authentic self. I have wanted to rip this organ out of my body for 16 years, and now I finally get to put my hands over my torso and whisper "this does not spark joy" as another part of myself is cast away from my body. Every donation helps me to be my authentic self without worrying over the potential of ruining my finances to do so. Thank you so much for helping me on this journey, no matter how long you've been a part of it.
*freeze frame*
Yep, it's me again. And I bet you're wondering: now how did we end up in this situation?
Previously, I had a GoFundMe in April 2019 for my top surgery, which was a roaring success. I had enough money to pay for my surgery's insurance copay, an entirely unexpected hospital bill delivered to me two days before my arrival, and a stay in a mid-tier hotel in the Chicago area for the week following my surgery so we could monitor my drains.
This time around, we're yeeting another unwanted part of my body: my uterus! While not as outwardly noticeable as my (former) chest, my uterus has been causing me quite a bit of trouble, not just in the gender dysphoria department, but also in the "getting out of bed and being a person" department as well. It's STORYTIME!
When I was 12 I started having periods. You know, like 12 year old AFABs will do. But my periods were different. They were extremely painful; I would often get dizzy or faint while I was at school, get sent home for throwing up, or just stay home altogether in high school when my Dad was convinced of the severity of my pain. As I got older, I started experiencing other issues with my period--vast irregularity between months to the point that tracker apps couldn't determine when I could expect to have my period, months without periods altogether followed by a sudden burst of up to 14 days of immense pain and heavy bleeding that would cut off suddenly and leave me reeling.
Because of a litany of other medical issues (one of which being, ironically, getting a gender dysphoria diagnosis) I suffered these irregularities in relative silence. It wasn't until 2019 that my doctor suggested just as I was leaving Indiana that it could be Endometriosis. Getting that diagnosis, unfortunately, would prove very difficult. After I aged out of my mother's insurance, left Indiana, and ended up being without stable housing during a global pandemic, I would not have insurance again until August of 2020. It took me until October to meet with a doctor.
My doctor in October said that endometriosis was certainly a potential diagnosis, and she referred me to an OB/GYN. That first meeting wouldn't be until December of 2020.
At that appointment, the OB/GYN confirmed it was a possibility. At that time, I was also considering a hysterectomy for gender related reasons, and he offered me two pathways: the first was to go the endo route, which would require a second OB/GYN opinion and a potential laparoscopy before anything could be done. Or, if we went the gender confirmation route, I would just need to get 2 letters from my doctor and my therapist certifying I was trans. So, the choice was easy.
I am very fortunate that Badgercare will help to cover the cost of this surgery, though I am still in the process of figuring out how much the potential hospital stay post-surgery will cost me personally. I have my pre-surgery appointment on June 1st and this will help me learn more. Otherwise, my surgery date is June 23rd; after that I will be out of work for 3 weeks, and will be working in a limited capacity for 3 weeks after that. During that time, I have rent and bills to pay, which is why I need some help.
This will be the last gender reaffirming surgery I will need to live my authentic self. I have wanted to rip this organ out of my body for 16 years, and now I finally get to put my hands over my torso and whisper "this does not spark joy" as another part of myself is cast away from my body. Every donation helps me to be my authentic self without worrying over the potential of ruining my finances to do so. Thank you so much for helping me on this journey, no matter how long you've been a part of it.
Organizer
Hollis M
Organizer
Madison, WI