vetobob9
11-18-2013, 07:41 PM
It has been a couple of months since I've moved back to California. But I have not been able to go to the VA until today. We had to take my dad there because his legs were swollen from all the soda's and junk food he consumed.
While there, I went ahead and started the process of filling out paperwork. I had to find my way around of course. I ended up finding the transition services rep when I went to ask him for directions. He told me to come back after 1:00 pm so they could assign me a primary care doctor and find out if there is anything else I needed help with like education, job searches, mental health and the like.
I went downstairs to check on my dad and they had him hooked up. His pulse was only 29 so they were discussing giving him a pacemaker. The problem was that because of the damage to his kidney from all the soda's beers, cigarrettes, junk food, and salt, his kidneys might not be able to take the stress from the installment of the pacemaker. They had to admit him.
That is the bad news. Now the good news.
I went back upstairs and talked to the case manager. I asked her if they got very many transgender patients at there, the Long Beach VA. She said they have a lot of them. It turns out the VA in Long Beach is trans friendly. I then said I was trans and she asked if I wanted to transition. I said yes, but I would like to hold on to certain parts that provide me the only means by which to become a biological parent.
She asked where I wanted to start. I said I thought I should start with counseling since, that is what everything I read on the internet says you are supposed to do.
So now I have an appointment with the primary care provider and they are going to call me about the mental health appointment. She usually makes referals for things like PTSD and TB but she is going to try someone at the VA to set me up with.
When I get my appointment, what should I tell them? Any advice from those of you have already been, are going through, this part of the process?
While there, I went ahead and started the process of filling out paperwork. I had to find my way around of course. I ended up finding the transition services rep when I went to ask him for directions. He told me to come back after 1:00 pm so they could assign me a primary care doctor and find out if there is anything else I needed help with like education, job searches, mental health and the like.
I went downstairs to check on my dad and they had him hooked up. His pulse was only 29 so they were discussing giving him a pacemaker. The problem was that because of the damage to his kidney from all the soda's beers, cigarrettes, junk food, and salt, his kidneys might not be able to take the stress from the installment of the pacemaker. They had to admit him.
That is the bad news. Now the good news.
I went back upstairs and talked to the case manager. I asked her if they got very many transgender patients at there, the Long Beach VA. She said they have a lot of them. It turns out the VA in Long Beach is trans friendly. I then said I was trans and she asked if I wanted to transition. I said yes, but I would like to hold on to certain parts that provide me the only means by which to become a biological parent.
She asked where I wanted to start. I said I thought I should start with counseling since, that is what everything I read on the internet says you are supposed to do.
So now I have an appointment with the primary care provider and they are going to call me about the mental health appointment. She usually makes referals for things like PTSD and TB but she is going to try someone at the VA to set me up with.
When I get my appointment, what should I tell them? Any advice from those of you have already been, are going through, this part of the process?