Pride & Medicine

Hi there and thanks as always for tuning in. I've said it before but I still remain amazed that this gets read at all. 25000 page views and averaging a steady 400 per month remains way beyond what I might have ever expected.

I did this to document my journey and circumvent the need to repeat stuff to others. Education as a sideline but principally documenting the whole shebang.

Rather like the MCU this came in phases and I'm nearing the end of phase two more of which later.

In the meantime I trailed that I was attending Liverpool Pride in my last blog. In advance I did a little piece for the Liverpool Echo. If you missed it then click on this link.

Echo piece

I went with some hope that it would be a good day. Frankly it was an amazing day with fantastic company.

I started by watching the parade assemble and listen to the speeches. The emotions were close to the surface and if the choir afterwards had sung This Is Me I'd have been in bits. Fortunately they didn't.

I've been Prides as me before but not as me permanently. Travelling there as me and mixing with others just felt so natural. The flag proudly flowing behind me all day like a Trans Batgirl. Whoever said "No Capes" got it wrong.

Very proud to show my colours off all day. I wasn't alone that day and felt very much part of a collective. I felt home in more than one sense.

Following the parade and seeing such diversity and acceptance was heartening. Thereafter followed a few drinks, a falling up stairs before I had even had a sip (scar still healing), a chance encounter with a girl in an Irish pub who claimed she knew me pre transition (still have no idea how she knew me), catching the last throws of Boney M and slowly bouncing around bars all night. 

Aside from the less than perfect weather it was pretty much complete. Next year will be more special I hope and look forward to many years of attendance.

Still possibly going Chester and Manchester prides but even now writing this it just won't feel the same. However I'm making up for lost time and looking forward to seeing how others do theirs.

In a months time though things will be very different. 27 days to go to surgery all being well. Wow that is such a big thing. Each day that passes makes it that much real. I'm excited and nervous. I want everything to be right and my OCD over planning it has really kicked in. From what I'll wear going down to sleepwear to what to take. I'll be bed bound near enough for a week. I remain of the view that boredom post surgery will be the biggest issue so I welcome chats etc. Daytime TV is no fun lol 

That boredom factor and me constantly stopping myself from doing things whilst I recover and heal will also be a challenge. Feel free to shout at me for overdoing things. 

It however means the end of phase two. One was coming out and starting living as me, phase two was living as me and the start of the medical procedures. Phase three is living post operative. 

Oddly I thought the other day after 50 years of largely peeing standing up I've less than a month left of that. Odd thoughts you get but certainly a part of the change. 

Thanks in Advance for the support I'll receive post operative. It's not just about my physical rehabilitation but mentally as well. 

COVID put a speed bump in my plans but didn't knock me off course. It did however prevent foreign travel.

Now travelling as me outside of the UK is a carefully planned event. I have to be selective about which countries I visit and even where within the country I feel safe going. For instance Texas will be avoided for a very long time. California however is very much on the return list 

So pre op I was very keen to travel as me abroad. To see how being trans going abroad would be, how culture and approaches differ. So I've booked a city break in a Mediterranean city. 

Not an Eastern Europe backwater and a progressive city but I'm looking forward to dealing with the complexity of air travel and language as a Transwoman.

So the next time you hear from me will be from my Trans World Travels. A series of micro blogs will cover my adventures. I'll see if I can fit in a vlog as well. Phase three may well contain more of them. 

Until then massive thanks for the 25000 visits. I don't have an ego but it does feel good that these missives are reaching beyond that initially thought. 

Next stop Europe.

Amanda xx