Partial Credit....
Ugh... You'd think after all this time i'd be used to getting "mostly bad news" and then a tiny ray of hope. Anyways, my mission was at least a partial success. i managed to get an appointment with the nurse at least, and while that was helpful it wasn't AS helpful as i could have hoped.
A) Neither she nor my current Doctors can sign anything because they aren't psychiatrists. That includes proof that i've been living in the female gender role. This is a serious blow, but not entirely unexpected. i figure i can just get my boss and doctors to say to the shrink that it's true and then he'll back my play. That part is easy. The fact that nobody at the clinic can give me either letter of recomendation is no big deal either because i was hoping for a referal to a shrink anyways.
B) She knows of a clinic that WILL give me free therapy but the waiting list just to get in is an ENTIRE YEAR and because it's geared to income they'd probably want to do a lengthy evaluatory period before signing off. Okay now THIS is horrible news. i don't have a year.
C) Despite my assertations that all the clinic wants is the two letters, and my statement that they'd emailed me SPECIFICALLY to say therapy was not required to qualify for GRS, she's pretty sure i'm going to have to agree to therapy sessions to get the letters. Owch, that's either going to take over a year or be incredibly expensive... not good. At this point i mention that if push comes to shove, i'll pay but preferably only for a limited # of visits with the letter coming quickly at the end. i have no interest in paying for therapy i don't want or need for GRS.
D) Owing to my insistance that i don't need therapy, just the two letters, she agreed to refer me to one psychiatrist who normally works with female to male transgendered people. He MIGHT be able and willing to provide me a single letter recomending SRS. Of course i jumped at that chance, reasoning that he MIGHT also be able to put me in touch with another psychiatrist who would do the same. Plus hey, it's a shot (albeit long) at getting one of the two letters for free. Unfortunately she can't actually refer me, so i have to make another appointment with my Dr at a later date.
E) My doctor walks by at that exact moment. i explain what we've come up with so far and he says that if i'm willing to see him and an intern at the same time, he can give me the referal today. Okay this is a major score, if only because it saves me at least a whole day.
F) During consultation, Doctor mentions that he might be able to help me find someone who will give me a letter of recomendation assuming i was willing to pay for it. He seems to understand that i mean "evaluation then letter" and not "therapy and counciling". This is very hopeful, since i couldn't seem to get the nurse to understand the same. He gives me referal and i return to "hurry up and wait" mode at home.
See what i mean? Mostly bad news but just enough hope to keep me from binge drinking bleach....
need a smoke now, bbiaw.
A) Neither she nor my current Doctors can sign anything because they aren't psychiatrists. That includes proof that i've been living in the female gender role. This is a serious blow, but not entirely unexpected. i figure i can just get my boss and doctors to say to the shrink that it's true and then he'll back my play. That part is easy. The fact that nobody at the clinic can give me either letter of recomendation is no big deal either because i was hoping for a referal to a shrink anyways.
B) She knows of a clinic that WILL give me free therapy but the waiting list just to get in is an ENTIRE YEAR and because it's geared to income they'd probably want to do a lengthy evaluatory period before signing off. Okay now THIS is horrible news. i don't have a year.
C) Despite my assertations that all the clinic wants is the two letters, and my statement that they'd emailed me SPECIFICALLY to say therapy was not required to qualify for GRS, she's pretty sure i'm going to have to agree to therapy sessions to get the letters. Owch, that's either going to take over a year or be incredibly expensive... not good. At this point i mention that if push comes to shove, i'll pay but preferably only for a limited # of visits with the letter coming quickly at the end. i have no interest in paying for therapy i don't want or need for GRS.
D) Owing to my insistance that i don't need therapy, just the two letters, she agreed to refer me to one psychiatrist who normally works with female to male transgendered people. He MIGHT be able and willing to provide me a single letter recomending SRS. Of course i jumped at that chance, reasoning that he MIGHT also be able to put me in touch with another psychiatrist who would do the same. Plus hey, it's a shot (albeit long) at getting one of the two letters for free. Unfortunately she can't actually refer me, so i have to make another appointment with my Dr at a later date.
E) My doctor walks by at that exact moment. i explain what we've come up with so far and he says that if i'm willing to see him and an intern at the same time, he can give me the referal today. Okay this is a major score, if only because it saves me at least a whole day.
F) During consultation, Doctor mentions that he might be able to help me find someone who will give me a letter of recomendation assuming i was willing to pay for it. He seems to understand that i mean "evaluation then letter" and not "therapy and counciling". This is very hopeful, since i couldn't seem to get the nurse to understand the same. He gives me referal and i return to "hurry up and wait" mode at home.
See what i mean? Mostly bad news but just enough hope to keep me from binge drinking bleach....
need a smoke now, bbiaw.