Post-Psychiatrist Report
I would have done a pre-psychiatrist report but I was busy prancing round my room listening to music instead and didn't.
I got to Pathways five minutes before 11 and was asked to take a seat. There were three people already sat waiting and a few minutes later, they got sent off to see Dr Williams. The receptionist came over and said that he was running 20 minutes late so it was about half past before I was called. I had a sudden bout of nerves before I knocked on his door but it soon went away.
He was a very nice man and started off by saying that although the letter from Dr King and Lynne Webster were self-explanatory, he wanted me to tell him how I saw it. I just said that basically, for as long as I could remember, I've been male in my head and that my body just doesn't match up. He asked me if I'd ever worn make-up or earrings or painted my nails so I said that I had worn make-up sometimes, but it was because it was something I was supposed to do. I could never really see the point of it though, I always felt like there was something about it I didn't get.
He went on to say that obviously I would need to be referred to someone who was more specialised and he would need to see about funding. He didn't think that would be a problem as we weren't talking a great deal of money (?!) He mentioned having a collegue at Charing Cross where he'd sent his previous trans patients and also a surgeon somewhere else which just made me blink. He then explained that before all of that could happen, we'd need two things: 1)my life history and 2) a blood test. He spent quite a bit of time making a list of various headings to cover in my life history and explained each one. Each time he mentioned anything regarding periods or breasts I just kind of winced inside but I tried not to physically flinch if I could help it! He asked if I thought four weeks would give me enough time to work on it which I did - thankfully, I've just read through all the diaries I've ever kept and made notes from them so they'll come in handy for this.
He filled out the front of the plastic bag for the blood test, telling me exactly what he was going to have me tested for and why. When he handed it to me, I couldn't help but notice where it says 'Clinical Details' he'd written Gender Dysphoria in big black letters. That kind of made me grin. We made another appointment for July 9th - it would have been June 30th but I'll be in London that week! It gives me an extra week to do my life history anyway.
He asked if I'd had any thought about my new name and I said that I had one in mind but he said to keep it to myself. I told him that I had a couple of friends who used it already and he seemed impressed by that. He finished off by asking if there was anything I wanted to ask or tell him but I couldn't think of anything so he shook my hand and that was it.
Because of him running late, he didn't have a great deal of time, so we didn't really talk about much. He spent most of the time writing down the headings for the life history and explaining them. He's nice and friendly anyway, he's certainly informative and I liked how he explains everything so you know exactly what's going on and why.
I went off to the surgery afterwards to see about the blood test. I had to make an appointment for it, so that's on June 11th. I'm not looking forward to that, I hate needles.
I got to Pathways five minutes before 11 and was asked to take a seat. There were three people already sat waiting and a few minutes later, they got sent off to see Dr Williams. The receptionist came over and said that he was running 20 minutes late so it was about half past before I was called. I had a sudden bout of nerves before I knocked on his door but it soon went away.
He was a very nice man and started off by saying that although the letter from Dr King and Lynne Webster were self-explanatory, he wanted me to tell him how I saw it. I just said that basically, for as long as I could remember, I've been male in my head and that my body just doesn't match up. He asked me if I'd ever worn make-up or earrings or painted my nails so I said that I had worn make-up sometimes, but it was because it was something I was supposed to do. I could never really see the point of it though, I always felt like there was something about it I didn't get.
He went on to say that obviously I would need to be referred to someone who was more specialised and he would need to see about funding. He didn't think that would be a problem as we weren't talking a great deal of money (?!) He mentioned having a collegue at Charing Cross where he'd sent his previous trans patients and also a surgeon somewhere else which just made me blink. He then explained that before all of that could happen, we'd need two things: 1)my life history and 2) a blood test. He spent quite a bit of time making a list of various headings to cover in my life history and explained each one. Each time he mentioned anything regarding periods or breasts I just kind of winced inside but I tried not to physically flinch if I could help it! He asked if I thought four weeks would give me enough time to work on it which I did - thankfully, I've just read through all the diaries I've ever kept and made notes from them so they'll come in handy for this.
He filled out the front of the plastic bag for the blood test, telling me exactly what he was going to have me tested for and why. When he handed it to me, I couldn't help but notice where it says 'Clinical Details' he'd written Gender Dysphoria in big black letters. That kind of made me grin. We made another appointment for July 9th - it would have been June 30th but I'll be in London that week! It gives me an extra week to do my life history anyway.
He asked if I'd had any thought about my new name and I said that I had one in mind but he said to keep it to myself. I told him that I had a couple of friends who used it already and he seemed impressed by that. He finished off by asking if there was anything I wanted to ask or tell him but I couldn't think of anything so he shook my hand and that was it.
Because of him running late, he didn't have a great deal of time, so we didn't really talk about much. He spent most of the time writing down the headings for the life history and explaining them. He's nice and friendly anyway, he's certainly informative and I liked how he explains everything so you know exactly what's going on and why.
I went off to the surgery afterwards to see about the blood test. I had to make an appointment for it, so that's on June 11th. I'm not looking forward to that, I hate needles.