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DanielMacBride
05-02-2011, 04:09 AM
So tomorrow I have the big appointment at KEMH with the head of gynaecology and the head surgeon to discuss my hysto and try to convince them to do it. I have a new, very emphatic and detailed letter from my pshrink outlining my medical and gender history and stating that in his opinion I am well-adjusted in my gender role and that the surgery is medically necessary, so I'm quietly optimistic :)

I have also had contact from the Chief Medical Officer for Western Australia, who has taken a personal interest in my case and based on what I have had to go through so far trying to get my surgery, will be looking at whether he needs to rewrite WA Health Department policy for surgery for transmen (he's the guy who determines the state's health policy and writes it, so because my case has been so difficult, now that he has the figures from my pshrink of how many transguys the current policy affects and renders unable to access surgery, he's looking at changing it to make it fairer and less discriminatory).

So while this may not directly assist ME to get my surgery, it WILL help to make it easier for all the guys who come after me who are on low incomes and cannot currently access surgery privately because of the cost and the fact that it is not currently covered by Medicare because it's deemed "elective" and "cosmetic". (This despite the fact that it is a legal requirement to obtain a GRC that you have been on T for a minimum of 2 years, shown that you are functioning in your gender role and have had 2 irreversible surgical procedures relating to your gender - so currently it excludes all but the wealthiest of transmen in Western Australia from being able to complete their transitions and be legally recognised as male - you can't even change your gender marker on any of your documentation without a GRC, not even the driver's licence or Medicare card or any other paperwork). There is also an inherent bias in the West Australian medical system whereby if the surgery you are seeking involves organs or body parts which are not actually diseased, they will refuse to remove them or alter them because they don't want to interfere with healthy body parts.

Hopefully I will find out tomorrow if the hospital are going to do the surgery (unless they have to take the info from the meeting back to the board and discuss it further, in which case I will probably have to have another appointment to find out how it all went, or be informed by letter). But I'm optimistic that with the strong backing of my gender pshrink (who also happens to be a senior member of the Gender Reassignment Board here so knows what is required for me to obtain surgery and has been extremely helpful in providing it) and the interest of the CMO, I won't be refused a third time.

The hospital requested a ton of information from the pshrink in order to determine whether I am an appropriate candidate for surgery - aside from the usual standard medical, gender and psych history (which my pshrink provided in detail to illustrate that in his opinion I have identified and presented consistently as male since August 2007, and that I have undergone sufficient therapy around both my gender issues and all the other non-gender related stuff that he is satisfied that I am both stable and still an entirely appropriate candidate for surgery), he has stated what my plans for transition are (hysto, chest surgery and I am considering genital surgery as well pending financial situation, and that I intend to apply for my GRC), and that in his opinion I am not at risk of ever reverting to a female gender role. He also stated that in his opinion the surgery I am seeking is absolutely medically necessary (since the hospital told him that they require a "medical indication" of the surgery being something that is required and not just elective).

So altogether the pshrink's letter was pretty good, I was quite happy with it - we will see how well it flies with the hospital tomorrow though LOL :heehee:

AnonyMouse
05-02-2011, 10:33 AM
SWEET.

Of course it's always harder to be the trailblazer than to take advantage of the system after it's been established, but that's freakin' cool. Mad props to the Chief Medical Officer for getting on the ball.

And good luck! I will think happy thoughts about your future.

AllieSF
05-02-2011, 02:58 PM
Congratulations and good luck. Congratulations is for being there to help change the system one small step at a time. Though this one appears to be a great major improvement to outdated and inadequate guidelines. Good luck on the final determination for your surgery.

az_azeel
05-02-2011, 03:08 PM
Daniel... i certainly will wish you luck.. hope all goes well for you.. ;)

Lorileah
05-02-2011, 03:14 PM
Daniel, all the luck in the world. We are all pulling for you

Rianna Humble
05-02-2011, 03:39 PM
Daniel, I'm sorry you have had to go through all of this, just to get what should be your natural right. It's great that they are considering changing the law because of what you have had to suffer, though (as you rightly say) that won't help you.

I'll be thinking of you, hope all goes well and remember the family motto:

Nils Illegitemis Carborundum - Don't let the b******s grind you down!

DanielMacBride
05-02-2011, 08:10 PM
Thanks everyone, I'm about to head out the door now - will update as much as I can when I get back :)

Anonymouse: the CMO used to be the head of our state gender program until he retired (which is why we no longer have one) so he does have some idea of what we have to go through under current laws and policy ;) But yeah, it is awesome that he's actually willing to look into whether the policy needs changing :D

Allie: Yes, our system is pretty lousy, it's commonly said here that Western Australia is the most backward state in Australia when it comes to gender issues - we are 20 years behind the eastern states, who are in turn 20 years behind the rest of the world. I made a conscious decision when I first came out as trans to be an activist, because FTM visibility here is virtually zero. The only trans groups are geared solely to women (and there are only 2 of those that I know of in the entire state) and all the literature and support is aimed at MTFs - there is NOTHING for us boys available here, and the majority of the guys who are finished with transition tend to walk away from anything to do with the GLBTI "community" (and yes I do use that word loosely, they are a bunch of backstabbing b*tches who only look out for #1) and keep their heads down and off the radar. I seem to have been given a role in life generally of being a catalyst for change lol, I regularly come into situations where I find EVERY. SINGLE. HOLE in the policy or argument or whatever, fall in it and then have to rattle cages to change it (sometimes for good, sometimes not).

az_azeel: thank you, I'm pretty certain it will, I have had a lot of things go well lately and seem to be on a bit of a roll ;)

Lori: thanks hun, we do have a very supportive family here don't we? :)

Rianna: LOL I love that family motto! :D It could currently apply to a few things that I have happening ;) But I'm a tough lil cookie lol, nobody has managed to break me yet ;)

Eryn
05-02-2011, 09:35 PM
Daniel, sorry I missed you before you left, but I'll send a "good luck" after you! Hope to hear from you soon!

DanielMacBride
05-03-2011, 12:35 AM
I just got back from my appointment this morning with the 2 heads of department at the hospital.

I HAVE A SURGERY DATE!!!! :D :D :D

The appointment went very well, no stuffing me around whatsoever this time - the gyno just read the letter, asked me a couple of relevant questions and then said "ok, I'll just go check the books for the next available date" :D

So now my official hysto surgery date is August 17th :D

Drinks all round, on me!!! This has been a long time coming, but it's FINALLY happening :D OMG I'm so excited, I can barely type :heehee:

:drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink:

AllieSF
05-03-2011, 12:38 AM
Congratulations Daniel, now you can't wait for your Winter to be finishing up.

Eryn
05-03-2011, 12:39 AM
OMG I'm so excited, I can barely type

I can imagine! It's been a long time coming and you deserve to celebrate!

Cheers!

DanielMacBride
05-03-2011, 01:09 AM
Thanks ladies, I am absolutely ECSTATIC to be given a concrete surgery date, particularly after all the handballing and fobbing off I had to deal with last year trying to get my surgery. Allie, it isn't really winter here yet lol, it's still autumn - August will be the tail end of winter, we don't really have spring here (well if you ask the local indigenous people, Perth has 6 distinct seasons, but really they can be kind of lumped into 2 - the dry and hot half of the year and the cold and occasionally wet half lol). It usually doesn't warm up again till September-ish. But the timing will be good because I will pretty much be recovered in time for my birthday :D

There's going to be some serious partying at my house tonight LOL :D

mistunderstood
05-03-2011, 05:06 AM
I am glade this works out. About damn time. That is to cool.

Felix
05-03-2011, 02:28 PM
Congratulations Dan you deserve ya surgery and not before time either :) Good luck with everything ....Felix :)

7sisters
05-13-2011, 09:39 PM
Daniel i'm so very very very happy for you. Big congrats.

metalguy639
05-15-2011, 11:50 PM
I just got back from my appointment this morning with the 2 heads of department at the hospital.

I HAVE A SURGERY DATE!!!! :D :D :D

The appointment went very well, no stuffing me around whatsoever this time - the gyno just read the letter, asked me a couple of relevant questions and then said "ok, I'll just go check the books for the next available date" :D

So now my official hysto surgery date is August 17th :D

Drinks all round, on me!!! This has been a long time coming, but it's FINALLY happening :D OMG I'm so excited, I can barely type :heehee:

:drink: :drink: :drink: :drink: :drink:

AWESOME! That is great!

Areyan
05-16-2011, 08:21 AM
so happy to hear it's happening for you, Dan... you deserve all the happiness you can get. :D

i'll have fingers crossed for you that everything goes well and recovery is swift. and thanks for the tipple. ;) hehe

DanielMacBride
05-16-2011, 10:46 AM
Thanks guys, it has definitely taken a long time and a lot of pushing to make this happen, but I'm glad it's finally happening for real :D

Philipa Jane
05-16-2011, 01:57 PM
Good for you Daniel.
I saw the first line on the board and recognised the KEMH for what it is and read on.
We have a lady friend in common who will also be pleased for you.
PJ

DanielMacBride
05-17-2011, 01:00 AM
Thanks Philipa :) It has taken me 2 1/2 years of fighting to get this hysto, so it's about time! I am just so relieved that the system is FINALLY playing ball.