gwydion: (Disrupter)
[personal profile] gwydion
* "Neanderthal genes found in East Asian population:" http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2014-01/03/content_17214513.htm

* "Mummies and the Tale of the Clogged Arteries, an Update:" http://www.medpagetoday.com/Cardiology/Atherosclerosis/43647

* "Researchers Find Ancient Fabrics in Colors Noted in Jewish Sources:" http://www.jewishpress.com/news/breaking-news/researchers-find-ancient-fabrics-in-colors-noted-in-jewish-sources/2013/12/31/

* Greenwick and I spent a few hours working on the old apartment. We brought another load across for me to deal with. We were supposed to start cleaning so potential renters can start looking it over, but my body vetoed this, so I took him home. Tonight is clearly a night to bring out the serious meds. We are down to the tail ends of packing, the big items that need a professional, and the cleaning in my parts of the apartment. Squirrel says, he'll be clearing his room to let Greenwick clean it the rest of this week. I am terribly disappointed in the lack of return calls from movers. I want my desk, dammit.

Tomorrow I must go deal with the gatekeepers again. I thought I was done with them, and had started dismantling my defenses, but it turns out I need yet another letter for my minor procedure, even though the original letter was fine for my major surgery. Psychiatry is a major trigger due to the nature of my abuse. Dealing with shrinks is inherently exhausting for me. I am already tired and my body is in full physical melt down and now I must protect myself from a new, potentially dangerous shrink so I can get yet another letter certifying my sanity for an extremely minor operation that will likely take less than half an hour including prep, anesthesia, etc.. It infuriates me. A nose job is more complicated and dangerous, but they do not force people getting them to pay for psychiatry. No one made me get a gatekeeper letter for the removal of the cyst from my hand a couple of years ago, an operation analogous in terms of complexity and time. Yet trans folk are considered inherently incompetent to make basic medical desitions for themselves, so back I go to waste more time and money doing something unpleasant and triggery to prove I'm competent.

Apparently, in the last five years, they have hired local shrinks that do LGBT stuff at the poverty clinic, a massive improvement over them acting as if I was a space alien when I asked about services back then. I have hopes of it being less hassle, but my trust level is low, given the crap I've had to deal with from the psychiatric community over the course of my life.

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-23 06:58 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] captain-havoc.livejournal.com
The clinic I go to in Tacoma (women's clinic - NOT psychiatry/mental health) writes surgery letters based on informed consent. As in, you go there, meet with the nurse practitioner (who's in OB/GYN care, and also trans himself), tell him you want such and such a surgery, and he writes you a letter.
I don't know what they would charge for that kind of visit or anything, but they're really helpful on the phone.
There might be a clinic closer to you that does this kind of model if you wanted to avoid actual therapists... Or if it was financially/physically a good option for you (out of all your options), to take the train down to see the folks in Tacoma, you'd be welcome to crash here and whatnot. :)

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-23 07:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] captain-havoc.livejournal.com
Unless, of course, your surgery people wouldn't accept a letter from a medical provider and require it from an actual psychologist or something. In that case, well, never mind...!

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-24 03:04 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gwyd.livejournal.com
They won't take the transition letter from the Seattle Clinic I already have. They want a surgery specific letter. It must be an actual psychiatrist with an MD to satisfy both insurance and San Fransisco. Dr. Bowers doesn't care, but the hospital is a stickler apparently.

I am running out of money.

PM me the details on the Tacoma Clinic just in case it gets to be April and I am desperate. My only experience of Tacoma is being lost. Driving down is expensive and I will likely drive around lost for hours looking for the cliic then not be able to get on the highway.

I think this should should be informed consent and I honestly don't see why this isn't a rubber stamp situation since I've been on hormones since 2008 and already had major surgery. Instead they plan to torture me for months and still might not give me the damned letter.

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-24 09:00 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] captain-havoc.livejournal.com
Here's the webpage for the LGBTQ services offered by Cedar River. They have clinics in both Renton and Tacoma. The LGBT provider, Simon Ellis, works at both clinics and is trans himself: http://www.cedarriverclinics.org/lgbtqwellness/ . Looking at it now, it doesn't say "letters" specifically, only "clerical services" and "surgery referrals," Not sure what all's involved with those, but if you call and ask, they'd probably be happy to tell you what they can and can't do - I called three times before my appointment there and they were super helpful every time.

Since Seattle is closer to you, you might also think about calling Seattle Counseling again and see if they'd write you a second letter on an informed consent model with just a single visit. Given that you've already done so many things in terms of transition, it seems like they might be able to do that.

While this might not sound like a viable option, another option might be to call or get in touch with Barb at the Alliance. She may have heard of other places that do informed consent or other shortcuts.

Dr. Medalie (my first top surgery choice) asked me for a second letter (surgery related, rather than gender related)and my old therapist refused to write one without me going back to him for several more counseling appointments since so much time had passed since I'd seen him. Because of this, I ended up going to a different surgeon because I simply did not have the money for another round of therapy plus surgery costs. I hear you on this -- wish someone had explained to me from the start that I might need two -- or even three (if I was to have any more surgeries) -- separate letters.
Edited Date: 2014-01-24 09:01 am (UTC)

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-25 01:52 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gwyd.livejournal.com
Seattle Counseling wants me to commute back and forth for months. It's the same as Interfaith, only completely out of pocket plus expensive travel back and forth.

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-24 09:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] brightlion.livejournal.com
Stupid gatekeepers. I'm sorry you have to deal with all of that.

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-25 01:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gwyd.livejournal.com
I honestly don't understand why this is necessary. why can't it be informed consent?

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-25 03:55 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] brightlion.livejournal.com
Yeah I don't understand why there's so many hoops that need to be jumped through too. Why you need to have multiple letters.

(no subject)

Date: 2014-01-25 06:23 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] gwyd.livejournal.com
No clue. It was a surprise to me given how far I got on the other one.

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