The Medical Conundrum

As you will see in future posts, the task of obtaining help from your medical community can be a daunting one. We thought we pretty much had everything figured out and today we were excited to finally meet with a new healthcare provider who was our hope for solutions.
We made progress, in a way, but it wasn't all that we'd hoped for.

Our new practitioner (not an MD) was to perform a thorough physical exam on my son. I had scheduled this appointment  months earlier and was very specific as to why he needed the exam. He was ready to start Testosterone treatments, and having turned 18, no longer needed to travel the 2 1/2 hours to the nearest Children's Hospital. He had completed the required psychological exams and counseling, and we figured it would be pretty straightforward- physical exam, referral to an Endocrinologist, blood work, etc., ultimately leading to a prescription in hand.

Well, unfortunately for us, the Physician's Assistant knew as much about Transgender people as I know about rocket science. I could see this was going to be an opportunity to lead her into a brave new world, and hoped that she would come along happily. When she was finished with my son's exam, she came to find me and give me a brief report. The first time the PA referred to my son as "she", I knew we were in trouble.
(I should mention that the medical records state that he is a Male, and that there's a note in his medical records which reflect the fact that he is transgender and no longer uses his previous name.) We decided that in order to continue routine exams which may be needed, we'll need to seek out another physician.

We previously had a great PA right nearby who was new to treating trans patients, but very eager to learn all she could, we only sought a new practitioner because our old one moved away.

On a positive note, we did get a referral to an endocrinologist, and have to wait only another 3 weeks to see him. We're hopeful that he will have a little more information and be able to order the necessary tests and get us that prized prescription.

Wish us Luck!

Lee

Welcome to My World!

Hello! If you have found this blog, it is likely because you are a parent to a Transgender child, or know someone who is. You may have questions or concerns, or you may want to know more about what it means to parent a trans child. Either way, I'm glad you found me! As this blog is in it's infancy, please bear with me while I work to catch up on all the progress so far.

I'm a mom to a FTM (female to male) transgender teen. I have been trying to help my son through the process for just over two years now, and I can tell you from experience that it's NOT easy! Even if you're 100% on board with your child's identity, it can be a long road for both you and your child, but you are definitely not alone.

So sit back, relax, grab a cup of herbal tea, and join us on our wonderful journey. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me and I will do my best to give you the best information I have.

Lee