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| Image from Brett Kavanaugh on UnSplash |
It's been awhile since I have journeyed out of the house without my wife Liz, unless I was going on simple errands to the gas station or to the pharmacy, I didn't go.
This morning I broke what I refer to as the "Covid" curse and I went to my first Alzheimer's group of Greater Cincinnati's breakfast presentation. I decided to go since I signed up to be part of the organization's diversity committee. The committee is meeting virtually for my first meeting later on this month. As I have mentioned in the past, my passion to try to help with the Alzheimer's effort comes because of my Dad passing from the disease years ago.
Almost as important to me was the fact I was returning to the public again after so long hiding in the shadows. Before the forced isolation of Covid, I was more or less a public person. Recently I decided it was time to get back in the public's eye and regain my confidence. Since I am inherently a shy person, the idea of meeting a room full of strangers was intimidating again. Almost as scary of facing the Cincinnati morning rush hour traffic with my GPS which had decided to not work all the way on the way.
Regardless of all of that, I did make it to the venue. In time to grab a breakfast sandwich, a cup of coffee and finally a seat where I could comfortably see and hear the speakers. To that point, everyone was really nice and greeted me with a smile. In other words, my fears of somehow being mistreated for being the only transgender woman there were completely unfounded. The only LGBTQA+ person I saw there was one of the caterers as well as several maybe lesbians in the crowd of attendees.
Looking around at the majority of the other women who were there, I dressed to blend rather well. I wore a pair of my black leggings, white camisole with a knitted top that my wife Liz made me. I added my black flats, lite makeup, pulled back my hair and I was ready to go. I was cool and comfortable on a warm summer's morning and wasn't too cold in the air conditioned venue.
Now I hope to expand my horizons again and do more to support my passions. Coming up next is the first of a ten week support group with the Dayton Ohio Veterans' Administration. Over the weeks we will be asked our opinion of how the VA has been doing in it's support of LGBTQA+ veterans. I am looking forward into providing my input as well as do more in the future for the Alzheimer's committee.
I feel anything I can do will pay me forward in the karma department and hopefully the recent strides in Alzheimer's care will continue and I won't have to face the same fate as my Dad did.
