The universe threw me a frikkin bone!

Throw me a frickin' bone here!

So yesterday was our dreaded Tricare appointment. I had been sweating over this for the last week. I had a Plan A, Plan B and even a Plan C ( which wasn't a very good Plan C because it consisted of us physically running away ) Alex and I had talked through numerous scenarios and although we were nervous, we were ready. One funny thing: Alex has been living full-time as a guy for awhile and even without any hormones or surgery, he is passable. The male nurse that did the vitals thought Alex was a guy, used male pronouns and even did the intake paper meant for dudes. We kept looking back and forth at each other, smiling. It's always a big confidence booster for Alex when people identify him as a man. It was just a nice moment. Anyway, I will not name the GP doctor we saw but let's just say, she was everything we could have wanted. Seriously, I almost cried with relief. This person had actually worked in the LGBTQ community in another city close by and got us set up with an appointment to see someone for transitioning. The doctor that had been recommended to us ( an endocrinologist ) doesn't take patients under age 18. The new doctor that we are going to see is in Charlottesville, about 2 hours away. That will be this Monday. Needless to say, Alex is very happy.
While at the GP appointment I also asked about birth control as a mood stabilizer. Pills are not the best mode of delivery for Alex, he is not a person who remembers to take pills. I asked about the Depo shot and the doc suggested that this might actually make the mood swings worse ( oh no no no, please) Okay, so other options? She suggested the Mirena IUD. Inserted in the clinic, it lasts up to 5 years.  Mirena IUD   But, because Alex might start testosterone in the near future, he wants to wait. I dread the next cycle, I was really hoping to get the IUD this week for him and see if that helped. I'm not sure when/if he will be starting the T anytime soon. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.

I'm still reading The Transgender Child. Sometimes I get spurts of reading in and sometimes life just doesn't allow it. You know how it goes, you carry the book with you everywhere in hopes that you'll be able to sit and concentrate for a few minutes. And it never happens. And the book becomes a real pain because its clogging up your purse. So you toss it in the back seat of the car, STILL intent that you will read dammit. And then someone throws their crap in the backseat, burying the book and all hopes of you remembering where it is. Yep. But I did yank it out of the car last night and now it sits on the junk table, with the rest of the shit I have no home for. Sigh.

I managed to kiss-ass my way out of my 4pm class today. It helps that I'm a 'mature' student who takes school "very seriously'. Ha! Actually I had all the work done, I'm probably lightyears ahead of the rest of the class ( and that's how I like it!) so she went over everything I had done and "oooo-ed" and "aaahhh-ed" *uh, I can rock some histology slides y'all* because my superior work had her right where I wanted her. LOL. Ok, then I dropped the bomb. Mind if I miss your class today? She pretty much gave me a free pass for the rest of the semester too. Just check in once in awhile, I know you're a busy Mom. She absolutely rocks! Anyway, that really helps when it comes to my stress levels. I hate leaving Alex alone at home for any length of time. Today, because it was not possible for me to be home when he got off the bus, I spent an hour or so making sure the house was as safe as it could be. Anything sharp, all meds and most foods are contained in cabinets, a rolling cart and the fridge. ( I put the knives in the freezer. lol.) But locking it up isn't enough sometimes and warnings are needed as well. 

The fridge is also padlocked. I put the white paper over some of the window portions. Out of sight, out of mind. Things like protein bars, cereal, crackers, rice cakes, popcorn and small snack things will be too tempting if he can see them. He would pull at the cabinet until he could squeeze his hand in and tear out anything he could get through the hole. So, I leave out a high protein snack with fruit. Hey,  I have to believe this isn't forever. But for now, it's what works.

Binge Eating