Sending love and support to you and everyone stuck in Florida ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Well I'm thankfully close to the Greater New Orleans Area, instead of being totally isolated from blue cities. As a last resort, I might try to work up the courage to go to Pride stuff this year, but I'm so nervous of large crowds of people and evereything being recorded for social media now. If it weren't for all of the cameras, I might actually be able to find LGBTQ+ people during carnival time.

Thank you for the luck 🍀 😊

Hiya. It's kinda hard for me to pulll away from Matrix and the friends that I've made there, and I've not been good about remembering to come back here to the fediverse. I really created this thread looking specifically for people to meet offline. If you're looking for more offine friends, you might want to join us on Matrix.

Also, thank you for saying my name 😊 It feels so nice to see.

I appreciate the advice, but I would sooner harm myself than go back to facebook (sorry if that's too dark). If my choices in life are between being surrounded by friends while all interactions are monitored closely by facebook, or being forever alone and disallowed from human experiences, then there's really nothing here for me anymore. I hope it doesn't come to that.

Thanks cowboy, and yes it's been nice.

...

But I also feel like I've been numb for so long that this sudden capacity for feeling, mixed with these new relationships, has just melted me down to my very core and left me more distraught than I otherwise would have been. It's one thing to be lonely, but it's quite another to feel so connected and loved by others and yet unable to ever be in their presence. I was more positive when I made my original post searching for friends, but this time I'm just...I don't even know. I came here to distract myself, and I figured I may as well do this now, call out to the void to save me. But there's no one coming. I don't have hope that anything will come of these threads. I don't think I'm likely to find anyone. I just wish this were all easier. I wish I could just meet my friends and feel a sense of calm wash over me, allowing me to relax and breath easy, knowing everything will be okay. I need to be strong for others, but I also struggle to be strong for myself, and I wish I could just cry with my friends. I've cried enough tears in solitude, and I don't wanna feel trapped anymore. I can't continue like this; I need an escape from the pain.

Thank you for the reminder for myself and others that read this thread. Yes, I am aware of the dangers and the necessity of public meetings, and I'd probably bring a family member with me if I actually find someone here to meet.

Thank you for the well wishes and support.

You're in southeast Louisiana? Do you happen to use Matrix? I'd rather not join things like Discord if I can help it, and I'm not really a gamer. My laptop probably couldn't handle running steam anyway.

I do advise keeping an eye open for opportunities elsewhere.

I have been wanted to evacuate soon, but my heart is pulling me in lots of different directions, and I don't really know which path to follow.

In the meantime, you're not going to be a fan of this advice, but discord is a good place to find communities.

Yeah, that's what my friend Lacey was telling me. I just can't do that right now. Making these posts is difficult enough.

Thank you for the well wishes.

very

I'm so lucky to have you in my life now 🥰

We will take on this world together 💕

and nothing can stop us; the future is what we decide, what we make it to be.

❤️💖💗💖❤️

Unless you have fuck loads of cash I'd say settle in for the long haul and cope,

😢

unless you're like some boomer with a house?

😢

I take it you're in the US?

yeah, in the deep south 😢

Is there insurance that covers it maybe?

😢

Laser, you mean on face or genitalia?

everywhere. i'm pretty much done with face now and have been focusing on genital region. i'll be doing electro of remaining light facial hairs soon.

i've learned some good info from this thread, that laser isn't technically necessary, that electro is also not technicaly necessary, and idk. i've already paid for several sessions, so i'm gonna get 'em done and take it from there.

i wish this were easier. i wish that i could just push the button. i wish it didn't have to be this way.

thank you for your reply ❤️

you are loved. never forget that Keris ❤️

why hello there my super bestest best friend!! 🥰 i too love my family here on lemmy and matrix, and i wouldn't trade this for the world 💕 my parents are supportive and very helpful, but i rely on you and this family for the love and community that i really need ❤️ i love you so very very much 💗

a very good friend indeed 😊 just don't get too distracted over there (kinda telling myself that too 😉)

My surgeon did electro as part of the operation and I have had no problems over a year out with hair.

Wow, I had no idea this was even possible. I'm learning quite a lot recently.

what surgical technique interests you

I think you've already seen my messages about that in one of the Matrix chat rooms. If not, I can elaborate here or there.

how you're paying

I usually pay for things using cash that I withdraw from my checking/savings.

if you have insurance coverage

I currently have Medicare coverage.

how far you're willing to travel

If I need to flee the country, I'll do it.

what your cost limits are

I'm willing to empty my savings and, if necessary, sell access to my body. I need the surgery.

what you think about each individual surgeon

What I think I really need is to actually talk to one or more surgeons in-person so that I can know what to expect, and as I said before, I really don't wanna be on a waiting list for more than a year. That and the cost are the main reasons I'm considering evacuating to the west coast.

I'm hoping that I can get letters from my GP (who prescribes my HRT) and my Psychiatrist (who knows I'm only interested in the letter), and I figure that the letters do not expire and can be taken out of state if I evacuate. Is this correct?

Thank you for all of the help to start me off in my research. ❤️

If you have insurance now, it might cover bottom surgery.

I currently have Medicare, so it looks like I am covered. 😊

You'll likely need two letters of support in order to receive coverage: one from your hrt provider and one from a mental health provider.

Well I do currently have a GP that prescribes my HRT and should be able to write me a letter, and I have a Psychiatrist who knows that the only reason I'm talking to him is to get the letter. So maybe I'm all set and don't need to rope a third person into this to get consent to alter my own body? (I cannot begin to articulate the level of rage that I feel about my lack of bodily autonmy)

and you get the insurance immediately after moving if you are low income

I would guess that I'd need to actually have a residence there right? So like, if I can manage to rent a room, I'm good, but if I can't find a stable living situation it wouldn't count as having moved there?

I currently have Medicare, so I think everything should be covered if I can just manage to secure a residence.

thank you for everything 🥰

yes definitely. i wish the world were a nicer and safer place, but alas.

i've met someone from an online datin app before, so i'm not totally in the new here. of course i was still closeted back then, and it's very different now...but yeah, i know some public places to meet, and i would def make loved ones aware of my location and plans and stuff.

thank you for looking out for me 😊

damn, two therapists? this gate-keeping of healthcare is really exhausting and frustrating. exhaustingly frustrating. frustratingly exhausting. grrrrrrrrrrrrrr