| NEVER GIVE UP |
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| The plane to Seattle leaves at 1:15 today, and I won't be on it. :( Because the plane I was supposed to leave for Seattle on leaves at 5:55 this morning, I had pre-bought my ticket for the afternoon flight, but when rechecking my arrival time, Anne had a schedule conflict and wasn't able to give me any time for consultation, and so I found another earlier flight that would arrive in time for me to meet with her, and that appointment time was acceptable. So when I started to line up the delivery of my ticket this Monday, I discovered that I had never actually booked the earlier flight, only researched it. I was heartbroken, I was so looking forward to start my TS journey, and psyched at the anticipated trip as Allison, and had planned it every day for a month, and I was very deflated. I considered booking the flight I was supposed to leave on anyway, but the fare, without advanced purchase plan was $1960.00, up a little from the $386.00 I had previously had. I would have gone ahead and done this had I the unlimited funds I feel I have when shopping for clothes, but fortunately, that type of thinking hasn’t carried over into my everyday life..YET! The soonest I could book a flight and catch the advance ticket price was 2 weeks in the future. I checked with Anne, I told her that I had come out to my psychiatrist that I was transsexual and wanted him to see what coordinated efforts might be available with her, I had come out to my family doctor so that he might be able to conduct the lab tests that are required while undergoing HRT, and that I had begun letting some of the people that I work with a little about my private life, but I had forgotten one tiny major detail-to book my flight-could I reschedule? She graciously agreed, saying nothing about my stupidity, which just shows you the tremendous self-control therapist have over their tongues. But, of course she didn’t need to say anything because my own mind was taking care of the stupid me part already. I resolved to get back online and reserve my travel plans, again, and as I was planning the trip I remembered that there was a facial feminization surgeon in San Francisco, that had been highly recommended by Brynn, one of my groups spiritual leaders, as being capable of creating silk purses from sow’s ears. I glanced in the mirror, oinked at myself, and began to search for a way to swing by San Francisco to consult with Dr. O AND Anne during the same trip. I was able to find a flight schedule that would do just that, so now, all I had to do was co-ordinate my consultations with two busy practitioners in different states, with the airline schedules from Little Rock. Miracle of miracles, I called Dr. O's and he was available at 3:15 June 4th, that all I needed to bring with me were x-rays of my face. I asked when that and where that could occur, and learned that I could arrange to have them made at the Radiologist’s office by as late as 1:30, and still have time for the x-rays to be developed, handed to me, and delivered by me to my consultation. Now back to kindly Anne, and scheduling therapy for the third and hopefully final time at 1:00 the following day in Seattle. Success, and guess what folks, the cost of the entire trip ended up being less than I had originally planned when I was only flying to Seattle and back. I was proud of my resourcefulness, but exhausted. And I haven’t even begun the trip yet. One of the things I am going to carry with me, and that I want to share with all of you who have come with me to this point in the story is this. Never give up, that’s the easy way, too many of us take the easy way. If you never give up, you can make even adversity work for you. Thanks for listening. Yours, Allison |