Appointment at Charing cross gender clinic...
Very easy to find straight off the underground at Hammersmith and a 5 minute walk.
The clinic was discreetly located above Sainsbury's.
We were a little early but that gave us a chance to chill after the long journey.
There were more FTM's at this clinic, I have only met MTF's on previous visits to Richard Curtis's clinic.
W was called in for his appointment more or less bang on time which is very good for the NHS!
I went in with him, the psychiatrist Sharmini Rajenthran, double checked with W and said it would become personal at times, W agreed that he wanted me in with him.
One hour 15 minutes later, we had totally repeated his life story. We have done this for the third time now...Dr Makala, Richard Curtis and now Sharmini Rajenthran ... don't these professionals share W's notes?
So surprise, surprise W has to go back at the end of March to once again tell his life story too another gender professional. This appointment is with James Barrett.
A blood test has to be done too, this is to check hormone levels and liver, kidney function.
Afterwards a decision will be made to see if W fits the criteria for surgery and then we have the battle of applying for the funding.
I am so glad that W was able to fund his hormones and top surgery, to think that you have years on the NHS before anything is done and having to live in a body you despise.
I don't know where W would have been mentally if he was still binding and his voice hadn't deepened.
So here we are on the next part of this wonderful journey!!
And of course if someone you hadn't met before got something wrong, you'd be blaming them for relying on the notes and not talking to you...
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing to get wrong...My child has been diagnosed with gender dysphoria, if he had the funds to pay for the next lot of surgery it would have been done by now and not been passed from pillar to post.
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