Boy, when things get going they get going fast. I've been in communication with FH, the local hospital that does hormone treatment. They've been awesome and amazing, and everyone has been so informative and polite, and are super LGBTQ friendly. So don't let my below exchange sway you from thinking anything else. Terry has been wonderful, supportive and helpful. But gosh, this is a funny story.
Last Friday, 7/1, I called FH to set up an appointment. They redirected me to the head of transgender treatment and I left a voicemail for him, as I mentioned here. But, me being me, and being so incredibly excited, I emailed them on Tuesday. You know, just to make sure they had gotten my letter and everything. I got an automatic response from the head of the transgender department, saying that he was on vacation but he had an assistant in who would be answering his emails and calls.
Tuesday afternoon, I get a voicemail from a young gentleman with FH. Let's call him Terry. Terry was very nice, but I'm 85% sure he has never left a voicemail for anyone in his entire life. He didn't leave
a) his name, until about 30 seconds into the message
b) my name, until about 15 seconds into the message
c) any number at which I could reach him
And he ended the voicemail saying "Oh, wait, I see you emailed me. I'll just answer that. Thanks!"
Terry proceeded to write me an extremely informative email -- detailing the process, the steps I would need to take, and the bloodwork necessary to continue. He gave me a total lay of the land, and told me the fax number to send all my information to.
Wednesday, I call my PCP and tell them I need the results from my recent physical and my bloodwork faxed to the number Terry gave me. Also, they said I would need a note from FH ordering the additional bloodwork I would need, the bloodwork not covered by my recent physical. Mostly stuff like free testosterone, which they probably wouldn't test for unless specifically asked. This is all a little bit complicated, because I don't technically have a doctor at FH yet / at all, because I need my case to be evaluated by them. So I tell them, "Sure, it's going to Dr. Terry." BUT WHATEVER.
So I write Terry and let him know that my medical records are coming, and ask him how to go about obtaining an order from FH to get the bloodwork done. He's only in the office Tuesday and Thursday, so I wait til Thursday to hear from him.
And that brings us to today. I get an email from Terry, telling me he is SO SORRY but he gave me the wrong fax number! He had given me his direct line, rather than the fax line. He also doesn't answer any of my bloodwork questions.
Oh Terry, dear, sweet Terry. I know you're an intern, I know you're over your head, I know your email signature says "MA Candidate" in case I was worried about your postgrad plans, it's okay you're doing an awesome job!
I call my doctor again, we play lunchbreak phone tag because now they're concerned I've requested to have my records sent to two different numbers but the same person in 24 hours. I explain the situation and all is clear. I let Terry know I've sent the information his way.
And then I get another email from Terry. He says, he's gotten the medical records, all he needs know is the letter from my therapist. He will put in a request for the additional bloodwork and get back to me. The committee will meet again next Thursday, and if all goes well, my case will be evaluated then.
So that's pretty awesome. I'm pretty excited. I suppose I should mention the other story, in which I called my therapist on Tuesday and then forwarded her my email from Terry about what needed to be done today (I really need to stop doing that). She wrote me back an email saying "I got both your messages. We'll talk about it tomorrow [when we usually meet] but you sound kind of anxious. Just wanted to reassure you."
I responded, "Not anxious! Just excited! Overenthusiastic, if anything."
To which she replied, "Good, excited is MUCH better than anxious!"
So that's kind of cute, that I'm emailing with my therapist, I guess. Or whatever.
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