Thanks to All Vets!

Active or retired, alive or passed on - it's Veteran's Day and a chance to honor all Vets. This year here in Cyrsti's Condo, I am taking a slightly different approach.  This year there will be no talk of hypocrisy, sweeping equal freedoms or stonewalling. No "I fought for your freedom to deny me mine."

Very simply, thanks to all vets. For the rest of you, install a green porch light and take a second to remember all vets around the world!

Thank God it's Wednesday?

Well, it's not Wednesday around here-it just feels like it because of the Veteran's Day holiday-which moved my regular Tuesday appointments at the VA (Veterans Administration) back to Monday.

Recently I have been writing here in Cyrsti's Condo about my on going health situation, my gender marker advances and coming out experiences within my family.

Yesterday was day number one (of two) this week at the VA. The news was exceptionally good. I have no cancer or cirrhosis of the liver. And all my liver functions were only slightly elevated-which may be brought into line with all the other treatments I'm going through-which happen to be Thursday. My appointment was especially nice as I got the chance to admire my Doctor's ear-rings. And, for all you smart - arsses out there she is a cis-woman! (I think.)

Also yesterday,I had coffee with my brother. He is a couple years younger than I and we are the only two siblings. What I wanted to do was clear the air with him about being transgender and what that would mean for the holiday family get togethers.

He just smirked at me about the trans word and said he and his two sons have known that (or assumed) for awhile. Plus, (the best part) it's my life was my life-so who cares? 

So, the only remaining discussion point from me was, before my brother and I parted ways was: was there a certain point on the androgynous scale (for me) my Sister in Law and him would find appropriate? The answer was it was up to me. 

Cool. So all of that tension in my mind was imagined. Now I can get on  with life. Which means another visit to the VA Thursday and get my legal name change paperwork filed at the courthouse. 

Cyrsti's Condo "Sunday Edition"

Kerplunk! Another Sunday Edition is hitting your virtual front porch. It's a sunny slightly chilly fall morning here in Ohio and a non football one. The Cincinnati Bengals stayed undefeated by beating the Cleveland "Brownies" on Thursday. (And THE Ohio State Buckeyes did the same last night.)Let's get a hot "cup-o-joe" and get started!

Page One-The Week that Was-or Wasn't: The "stunner" last week was the defeat of the LGBT non discrimination bill in Houston. What was especially disturbing to me was the fact that transgender restroom usage was used as one of the main reasons NOT to vote for the measure-purely from incorrect ignorance. When in doubt, use a trans person to trash an issue????? Not a good precedent.

Page Two-The Most Wonderful Time of the Year? I know that many agree with this phrase from a very popular Christmas song, but I don't-somewhat. Fall has always been the best season for me. Temperatures are warm enough around here for me to wonder what it would have been like to really have all the curves of a cis-woman. Then to really enjoy showing them off in leggings, sweaters, scarves and boots. Without having to wear heavy winter coats.

The fall is the time for more woman to shine without having to worry about all the diet and skin restrictions of spring/summer. And then they do. Fall fashions can cover many problems!

Page Three-The Back Page-It doesn't seem possible but we are rushing head long at another Veteran's Day and then the Holidays. Plus this week, I plan to file for my legal name change and have two big Doc's appointments.  On the bright side, I am meeting my brother for coffee on Monday and my daughter/grandkids on Thursday.  

You all have a great week and thanks as always for stopping by Cyrsti's Condo!

 Luv ya all!

Cyrsti's Condo "From the Hart"

"Too Much Imagination Ruins the Future-Too Little Impedes It."

Cyrsti Hart

Big News From the VA

Hopefully, this will be the first of these stories to come out of Veteran Administration Clinics around the country. And yes, it comes from the much maligned city of Cleveland!

Starting in November, the Louis Stokes Cleveland VAMC will be the first VA to have a Transgender clinic for transgender veterans.

"We are excited to announce the opening of the G.I.V.E (Gender Identity Veteran Experience) Clinic in November. This will be the newest addition to our Medical Center and will be headed by our very own Dr. Megan McNamara M.D and her team: Jen Healy RN, Kami Bizub LPN, and Tike'ta Brock AMSA. This clinic will make a difference by offering a comfortable and safe atmosphere where Transgender care is #1 priority. More information coming soon regarding opening day.

Actually my therapist in Dayton, Ohio asked me if I had heard of such an effort in Cincinnati and I said no. I am fairly sure she is working on one!