An excerpt from my journal describing my first encounter with my endo (30 March 01).
With nervous excitement, I found I didn't need an alarm clock to get up for my appointment. Once at the doctor's office I finally started to relax a bit. The staff called me Michael, which was ok. It was the wrong name but at least it was a male name. A nurse finally took me back to an exam room and ask why I was there. I told her to start hormone therapy. I always worry a bit when I tell people that for fear they will all of a sudden treat me like a freak. I once called a regional medical school nearby and asked if their endocrinologist would treat transsexuals, and the lady I spoke to said, "Oh my God! No, we don't do that sort of thing!!!". But my revelation didn't seem to faze this nurse. She scribbled something down on my chart, and told me that the doctor would be in to see me soon. Why do they lie like that.....they always leave you in the exam room for 45 minutes with 15 year old magazines.
Finally the doctor showed up. I had heard he wasn't Mr. Personality, but he seemed very friendly. He did give me a puzzled look initially though. Sitting across from me, he began to ask a few questions. He first asked if I had ever dressed as a female? I hesitated for a second, not understanding why he would ask that question and said yes. "Good", he replied. He then asked if I had ever lived as a woman? Now I was really confused, but I answered yes. "Uh huh" he answered. Then he said he wanted to go over all the effects of estrogen. I scratched my head and said "don't you mean testosterone?!?!?!?!?" He looked up at me totally confused and then began shuffling through my chart. The good doctor thought I was MTF. Now I'm not sure how to take that. I've decided that I'm going to look at the bright side and think it's cool that he thought I was a bio guy, and not freak out that he thought I wanted to be a woman.
He seemed a little more relaxed after we straighten out the confusion and he answered all the questions I had. He gave me an exam, and then asked if I wanted my first shot today. Trying not to jump straight out of my chair in excitement, I said "yes, that would be very nice". After having some blood drawn and peeing in a cup, a wonderful nurse came in, and asked me to drop my pants. A second later my hormone therapy had begun.