24th Jun 2014, 4:56 PM
in Ch. 22: Valentine's Night
Author Notes:
Jocelyn
24th Jun 2014, 4:56 PM
Much in the same way that my therapy experience influenced Rain's first session, Rain's "letter" session plays out a bit like mine as well. Particularly the suddenness of the very first panel. "Oh by the way, hormones!" XD
Mind you, this doesn't mean Rain's going to be taking them on the next page or anything, but it seems like it's become an inevitability for her. One way or another, it's coming. And that's a great feeling! ^_^
©2004-2014
Rain, all characters and all other aspects of the story are copyright material belonging to me.
Don't forget, Rain - Volume 1 and 2 are available for purchase. ^_^
Also, I've said this before, but I'm trying to raise money for SRS, and I'm still struggling with it. If you can help, it would be most welcome. If not, don’t worry about it. I totally understand (you don't need to feel bad or apologize if you can’t).
Mind you, this doesn't mean Rain's going to be taking them on the next page or anything, but it seems like it's become an inevitability for her. One way or another, it's coming. And that's a great feeling! ^_^
©2004-2014
Rain, all characters and all other aspects of the story are copyright material belonging to me.
Don't forget, Rain - Volume 1 and 2 are available for purchase. ^_^
Also, I've said this before, but I'm trying to raise money for SRS, and I'm still struggling with it. If you can help, it would be most welcome. If not, don’t worry about it. I totally understand (you don't need to feel bad or apologize if you can’t).
User comments:
I can only speak from my personal experience. I mean, I struggled for a very long time, first with my own feelings and then with finding a place that could help me. Once I was there though, things have actually moved rather smoothly for the most part.
Unfortunately, this is not everyone's experience. Even Rain has mentioned she went to a crappy therapist before this.
http://rain.thecomicseries.com/comics/433/
Still, I don't want people to get too hung up on what could go wrong. Speaking from experience, if I worried less about everything that might not work out and more into doing what I could, I might've started transition years earlier than I did.
My experience was quite similar with the therapist, I got my letter after two sessions. My problems continue to be a lack of transportation, my social aniexty, and my weight which have prevented me from starting hormones almost a year later...
But I've been hearing from a lot of younger trans people that this is no longer the case. Which is great. In fact, a LOT of things have been getting better, these past few years.
My own therapist just wanted me to be completely out with those who need or ought to know - work, family, friends (particularly family I live with), before we moved on to HRT, although I suspect she'd have been willing to do it earlier had I pressed the matter.
In this case, I think Rain's even luckier in that this won't be expensive for her, while I'm saving up a few hundred dollars in order to pay for the endocrinologist visit.
I absolutely love this comic :)! I love this page, it does a great job of capturing the excitement Rain is feeling right now. I remember how super excited I was when I had the hormones in hand for the first time. Probably the happiest moment of my life, definitely in the top three.
The place where I went to in my town, I only needed two sessions before I got my hormones and one was the day of. They just needed to make sure that I could give informed consent and that I knew what I could expect and to talk about options. They were super professional and understanding. They even understand and leave room to work for people who are more in the middle of the gender spectrum.
I also should have worried less about getting them too, I could have started at least a year earlier than I did.
And my experience with HRT has been amazing. All of my body hair grows in slower and lighter, if it grows back at all. My skin is softer, my sex-drive is happily low. But my breasts... Well, let's just say I'm not impressed. But my friends tell me they are bigger than I think. I think they exaggerate.
As for muscle mass and emotions. I've been able to keep my arms from sagging by lifting weights and going zumba, yoga, and barre none (a type of ballet class) classes. My emotions are a little more on edge than before. And my friends have noticed it more than I.
I do cry more easily at sad moments on teevee or in movies, and I'm happy about it. I don't feel restricted by my apparent gender any more. It used to physically hurt when I tried to cry. I could feel it coming, but I always felt choked and my chest would begin to hurt. I just couldn't get past my programming, until HRT released me.
Anyway, I love this page so much <3