Doc, it hurts when I bump my boobs the wrong way.

Over the past year, I’ve had this thing with my left ear. I can hear internal sounds very loud...such as my breathing, talking, even my heart beating. No, I don’t hear voices (as my friends usually ask when I tell them that), but I hear my own voice very loud in one ear. It’s very annoying especially when I am trying to sing or practice the girl voice.

So, I went to the doctor....well....attempted to see the doctor late last year. I had been on hormones for about 3-4 months, so this was my first time going to the hospital when I knew they would ask me the question “Are you on any medications?” The doctor was out sick, so they scheduled me with the Nurse Practitioner. Hey, I’m an equal opportunity person, so, sure, why not. The prep-nurse did the normal blood pressure, temperature, blah blah stuff and then asked what medications I was taking. So, I told her Premarin and Spironolactone. I had to spell the latter one for her. So, now I’m sitting in the exam room when in walks the NP. She’s looking at the charts and asks “Are you taking Premarin?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you taking that?”

“Because my therapist prescribed it.”

“Why did they prescribe it?”

“Because I’m a transsexual.”

If you could have seen the wheels o’spinning at that point. “Ooooohhhhhhhh....your changing your gender?” with eyes wide open. Hey, I’m not one to correct grammar on the whole sex-gender topic thing, so I just said “yeah.”

Well, her solution for my ear thing didn’t work, so I went back to the Doctor again. This time I made it in to see him. My therapist had asked me who my general practitioner was, and when I told her my Doc, she said he was great with TS, and had a number of TS under his care already. Sweet.

So, I was waiting in the exam room again after having to show the nurse how to spell spironolactone again. By the way, the blood pressure really does drop on spiro. Anyway, in walks the Doc. He seems pretty friendly, and says that he has reviewed my charts. He mentions my therapist and the TS stuff, and asks how I am doing. Pretty good I tell him. We talked about the TS stuff for a while and about my ear. He writes a prescription for it and notes some other medicines to take, and off I go.

Well, the ear is still bugging me this summer, so back I go. I was hoping to see a specialist this time, but I have to start with my own Doc. So, I’m in to see him again...blood pressure 130/56, pulse 55...not bad (I’ve seen my pressure as low as 110/55 since starting on Spiro. It used to be around 135/70). I showed the nurse how to spell Spironolactone again by telling her it was written down last time. This is getting easier. So, the Doc walks in again, we talk about some of the TS stuff, then he decides to send me to a specialist dealing with ear, nose, and throat issues. Yeah!!! I’m headed there later this week.