| It's another late night up but there is no wood for the fireplace. Cheyenne slips off into the night and finds some wood for us to make a fire. The visitors, the pre-op girls, and the post-op girls all enjoy sharing stories, drinking hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows, eating popcorn, and enjoying a fire blazing away in the living room fireplace. Much of the conversation centers on the surgery the post-op girls have undergone. Many of the pre-op girls are asking questions in anticipation of what to expect in the coming days. More people to become acquainted with and more gender journeys to explore. |
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| Linda, Mikela, and Scott |
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| I have the weekend free to explore Montreal. Brittnay and I take off for the City via the public transit system. We take bus #69 to the Metro (Subway). We don't have a bus pass and the driver says, "for you ladies a smile will be your pass." We find the comment flattering and gladly accept the free ride. Downtown Montreal is very beautiful. We enjoy sightseeing, shopping and eating. I search the downtown stores for unusual mini bottles of liquor which Jeri collects. Upon returning to the residence in the early evening Maria Andrea is waiting. She is the night housekeeper for the weekend. Dr. Menard arrives at the residence and spends the evening unloading and stacking a load of firewood for the fireplace. What service! We spend another evening talking around the fire exchanging stories. Cheyenne has brought a laptop computer and we are able to make an internet connection for some entertainment. Mikela has a boyfriend named Scott who visits and gets involved in the discussions and activities. Mikela and Scott introduce me a local Montreal delicacy called "poutine" which can be made in numerous delicious combinations. I demand the recipe! |
| We continue to share experiences with one another. The weather inhibits anyone from venturing out today. I write letters to my friends and am especially missing Jeri and the kids. It is a continual wish for Jeri to share this experience with me. Had I known the setting would be like this we would have made arrangements for her to be here too, despite the scheduling problems. Dr. Menard arrives at the residence to check on everyone and we inform him of a problem in one of the bathrooms. Menard spends the afternoon doing plumbing work in the bathroom. We make a lot of obvious jokes about his plumbing expertise and he takes the humor in good spirit. Carley and Wendy are to have their GRS on Monday and are taken to the clinic for admission. Again I stay up until 3:00 A.M. talking with Annette, both Michelle's, Mikela and Scott. Mikela trims my hair and it's obvious she knows her trade well. I'm quite pleased with the outcome. |
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| Carley |
| Annette |
| I'm anxious to go to the hospital but I'm selected to be the last post-op. The selections are biased with the first ones being those who are undergoing the most surgical procedures or those with the risk for potential complications. I guess I should be grateful I'm not in the "at risk" category but I grow impatient. I pass the day helping Annette and Mikela with their dilations. I assure them their surgical result looks like a genetic female, which it does. They look very good which makes me even more impatient and a little envious. In the afternoon I walk to a small shopping mall just past the Clinic to pass the time. It's a cold brisk walk in the deep snow on this sunny but windy day. I do some shopping and buy a fancy perfume atomizer for Jeri. On my return to the residence I stop by the Clinic to visit Carley and Wendy who are now post-ops. I leave flowers for them in their room. Carley is still in recovery; Wendy is so drowsy I doubt she will remember I was there. I arrive back at the residence to find Lydia is the housekeeper for tonight. I'm glad, I like Lydia and like talking to her. I'm feeling a little down since Wendy and Carley are at the Clinic. Talking with Lydia makes things a little less lonely. There is a new Chef named Lydie, who is replacing the regular Chef while he is away. Lydie is a male to female transsexual who remains married to her spouse Isabella. The regular chef that Lydie is filling in for is a female to male transsexual. Most, but not all, employees at the residence are transsexuals or gendered persons. The employees join in many of our discussions and add their accounts to our stories. As always we find many similarities among ourselves despite our diverse backgrounds from places far apart and foreign to one another. I help Annette and Mikela with their endless dilations although I think they are bored and just want someone to talk to. Yes, my impatience grows even more. |
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| I eat very well all day long knowing I will eat little the rest of the week. For months I had been dieting and exercising for this coming day so today I eat freely. As evening approaches I begin the pre-surgical procedures I've been instructed to complete. Dr. Menard picks me up at 6:30 P.M. and drives me to the clinic to be admitted. I'm excited as I'm almost there, my impatience is finally being quelled. I share a room with another patient. I'm curious so I peek around the curtain and am horrified! The other person I'm sharing this room with is a male! Full beard, muscular and definitely all male! He's unconscious and I summon some of my girlfriends to check him out. We all agree he looks "too good" to be a female to male transsexual. This upsets me even more, another transsexual might be acceptable but not some guy who I don't know. I finally call Lydia back at the residence and, upset, tell her what has happened. Lydia has Dr. Menard call me. Dr. Menard explains to me that the other patient is in fact a female to male transsexual. I'm surprised but still a little embarrassed. I agree to the arrangement which is for one night only. I'm beginning to think that being off hormones prior to surgery is making me a little emotional. |
| Cheyenne and Michelle with a laptop computer |
| Linda with Maria Andrea who looked after us many a night |
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| My room at the Clinic is a corner room which affords me a view of the street as well as the river in the distance. It's a nice view with a prelude of snow that softens everything outside contrasted by the ice flows on the far off river. I write many letters and think of Jeri and the kids. I'm impatient and excited at the same time. I can't wait for tomorrow to be here and can't sleep. The nurse offers me a sleeping pill and soon I'm sound asleep. |
| The Clinic |
| View from my room at the Clinic |
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| LINDA'S GENDER REASSIGNMENT IN MONTREAL: page 2 |
| Continuation of Friday January 10, 1997 |
| Saturday January 11, 1997 |
| Linda at the entrance to the residence |
| Just a little too cold to use the pool! |
| Sunday January 12, 1997 |
| Monday January 13, 1997 |
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