So, I haven't been keeping up on my blogging every injection schedule, partly because there seems to be little enough to report every two week, and quite frankly, last time I completely forgot to make a post. Ah, well. So, here's 18 weeks, which is what, 4 1/2 months? That's about what my math works out to anyway. At this point, the only really noticeable change still going is the amount of hair. Still can't grow anything decent on my face, which really is to be expected, but it's sprouting just about everywhere else. I'm definitely getting hairy knuckles. I've also noticed that any bodily peach fuzz is slowly but surely getting darker, and since I was skinny enough that my body seemed to think I needed extra insulation, that peach fuzz is damn near everywhere. So I may out-perform my dad on the chest hair front.
In other news, I seem to have become lactose intolerant. Nothing concrete, mind, but given the timing I'm pretty sure its a 'puberty' thing, like those few years I was allergic to cats. Although, given the nature of it, I doubt the lactose intolerance is going away again any time soon. I also seem to need new glasses again, but that was likely to happen regardless.
Now I shall let you gaze upon my smiling face once more, and bid thee goodnight.
Still more of the same, it seems. Food is still one of the two best things in the world. As far as my voice goes, people are still remarking upon it, and last night I gave my first live singing performance since starting on T. While I know that I stumbled over some of the words, and I think I had some issues singing that range at that volume, it was pretty well received, including one person calling it "spot on."
What really struck me today is how ordinary-seeming it is already for me to go ahead and inject myself. The prep, the needles, the syringe; this is only my fifth time doing this and it already feels like I've always done it. It's an interesting contrast to a friend of mine who, though he injects himself with insulin on a daily basis, still has his partner (who is a nurse) do his T injections for him. He says though that when he did his trial run with saline he pushed it too fast and would up with killer cramps where as I learned with T straight away. I wonder if that might have something to do with it? Either that or, being the odd duck that I am, I sort of enjoyed it the few times I messed up a little and did give myself cramps. At any rate, I like that I don't have to rely on someone else for my T injections.
And now, since food is only one of the best things in the world, I am at the very least going dancing tonight. But before I do, my mug shot:
Today I blog from abroad, and by abroad I mean the next closest major city: Edmonton. See, the 'fun' thing about Alberta is that it has only one gender clinic to service the entire province, which means any time I have an appointment, I'm spending about 4 hours on a Greyhound. It's pretty much 'fun' bringing needles on the Greyhound since they started upping the security. Definitely a checked baggage item. On the other hand, it gives me an excellent opportunity to visit with my Grandma, something we both greatly enjoy.
In other news, while things are still a bit 'more of the same' as far as progress goes, it think its picked up a bit again. I'm pretty sure I detect the beginnings of body hair, and facial hair is slowly but surely sprouting. I think my face has changed somewhat too; the nurse at the clinic hardly recognized me from the picture taken at my first appointment, and out and about I've been getting a lot more 'he's and 'young man's than I used to, and virtually no 'she's. Looking back at the pictures I've taken, I think I see a difference myself. Speaking of pictures:
Yeah, I'm wearing my Grandma's fleece sweater. It got rainy and cold here, and I (stupidly) packed only t-shirts...
Yeah, I'm a couple of days late with my update, but I did my injection on time, and that's what counts. Really, there's not much to report, everything's pretty much either the same, or more of the same. People keep commenting on my voice, but I'm pretty much used to it myself now. I mean, I hear it all the time, so it's not really new any more. It is a lot easier to buy clothes now, though. I can buy pants off the rack, and my Dad's old tweed jacket that was too big for me fits like a glove now, which is pretty awesome. When I checked in with the doctor, all my levels were right on target. Testosterone was right up, and no ill effects.
I suppose the biggest thing is my moods and attitudes now. It's like, I didn't really expect transitioning to solve all of my other issues like some miracle cure. That would be totally unrealistic. Still, starting T, making that final commitment to the transition, somehow it did make a lot of things better for me. At the very least, most things seemed easier to deal with. I've typically had a better time eating right, taking care of myself, even just keeping my bed made and not sleeping on a bare mattress like I used to. Then there's the new job. I hit the ground running, so to speak, impressing just about everyone including myself. Still... once again I must remember that working on one problem doesn't make all the old ones disappear. I pretty much burned myself out in the first week and spent most of this weekend sleeping. It's something of a repeat of old behaviours, where no matter how well I do initially, sometimes my self-doubt gets the better of me and I feel like I just can't do it any more. Still, there's only so long I can keep moping, and I have a team meeting in the morning. Before I go, this week's mug shot:
Apologies to my loyal fans and followers for missing the last update. To make it up to you, there will be a bonus video special! But first, my general update.
Two weeks ago, I learned to self-inject. That went a lot easier than I expected, especially seeing as I have had this mental block about piercing/cutting my own skin. This has probably been a good thing in the past, but I was worried about it getting in the way of giving myself shots. Fortunately, I was able to get over it, and the nurse sent me home with fist full of needles, syringes and prep pads.
Today was the first time I did it at home. It went a little less smoothly than in the clinic, but I got it done with no ill effects. Of course, the timing means I'll be walking around a comic convention for two days with a sore leg, but I've done worse for conventions.
Most of the effects are about the same as last time I checked in. A little bit hairier, but not much (patience!), acne, but nothing I can't handle, and a certain amount of bulking up. My mom commented on my arms while she was helping me with my measurements for my costume. Also, clothes fit a hell of a lot better than they used to. I can find pants that fit! I bought a good part of a wardrobe, including a three-piece linen suit. Only needed a little hemming. Sex drive is still on the up, a thing that is at once awesome, and has gotten me into a bit of trouble already. If you don't know, don't ask. If you do know, well... you know.
And of course, there's the voice. This, my friends, is where the video comes in. First, a song I did pre-T as part of the Fake Mustache Drag King Troupe:
Now, here is the same song recorded this very night, sans trumpet as there would be strenuous objection to such a thing at this hour:
So, there you have it. Updates, videos; everything you could want.
It's been four weeks now. I got my injection a day early this time around, seeing as tomorrow will be filled with cashiering for the Show and Sale at school and preparing to move. Next time I'm going to see if I can start learning to self-inject; see if I can get past the 'must not pierce the skin' mental block I've got.
My leg hair has definitely gotten thicker. I showed some friends and they agree. I think my arm hair's getting thicker also; at the very least it's getting darker. This morning I noticed the beginnings of a bad teen-age moustache, and one robust hair on my chin. Pretty exciting! Appatite and sex drive still high, nothing new to report there. As I've said many times recently, food is my favourite thing in the world! Well, sometimes second favourite... but definitely in the top two. My voice is in a bit of an awkward phase, still bouncing back up to old levels sometimes (annoying). People have been asking me to talk, just so they can hear the change, though. It's been a bit more drastic than some of the other guys. I can't wait to see where it settles out!
Aaaand, obligatory mug shot. I don't think that there's been any significant changes here yet. My body's gotten more toned, but it's never really taken much for me to gain muscle definition anyway. I have noticed some growth downstairs, which is pretty awesome. After all, I'll need something to work with for the meta.
All is fantastic, actually.
So first off, my voice has definitely changed already. Mostly this means that my speaking voice is lower and that it's easier for me to sing in the range that I'm more comfortable with. Strangely enough, this also makes me more comfortable with the idea of singing falsetto, if need be. Crazy, huh? I think my voice has only cracked a couple of times thus far, but we'll see how that goes.
Definitely an increase in sex drive. An increase to dangerous levels even ;) though what's not quite as awesome is the accomanying dryness. Ah, well.
I keep trying to figure out if my leg hair is getting coarser and darker. I think it is, but I'm not really sure *glares at legs skeptically* My dad's not a very hairy guy though, so I'm expecting that that part will take a while.
My scent has changed. although I think it was trying to revert around the end of this week. I'm liking that.
Started breaking out more around the end of this week too, though; I was almost wondering if it was going to happen or if I'd stay at my regular acne levels. Actually, it was looking like I was going to have a clear face and a spotty back, but no, things decided to progress normally after all.
And now the obligatory snapshot :) See ya, I'm off to a party!
