To those who know me, which is few on this site, and those who don't, I want to start by saying I am a nurse of 20 years. That being said, I have just started a new job in the last 2 weeks. As with any new job there are the anxieties and insecurities aplenty. I have always worked in hospital, usually a large one, and am now working in a long term care facility in a new position as a supervisor.

All that aside, I seem to be one of the more senior nurses in this facility and I am finding that for once my years on experience is actually being appreciated.

Today as I was speaking with the educator about life and other things, it came up that I was a transsexual and have only been living as my true self for the last 4 years. I made comment about it should be fairly obvious due to my large size, bone structure and large hands. Mind you I have always felt that my size and what I feel are my less than feminine features are so obviously blatant that I was always poorly hiding in the world as a 'man who is one of those strange creatures who has made that change thing'. Mind you I have had only one surgery to minimize my previous masculinity. This was vocal chord surgery in the form of a fem-lar procedure. Obviously there is no amount of surgery that can hide or minimize my 6 foot 2 inch person who is 250 pounds and wears most things in XL or XXL with large gloves ect.

My co-worker got a funny look on her face and then said thanks for feeling comfortable enough to share with her this private information. She then told me that on the first day of work she had noticed my large size and hands but was not concerned. After the second day she said that I was so nice, soft spoken and gentle that she assumed I was just a lady who had had a glandular problem, i.e. acromegaly or some sort of pituitary disorder. She was so sweet as to say that I was very natural and easily passed as the woman I am and have always felt I am.

Wow! what an affirmation and boost to my self esteem. My fiancée has been telling me this for ages but until you hear it from a complete stranger, it never really seems to be believable. Needless to say I'm on cloud 12 tonight. Cloud 9 seems rather crowded anyways!!

Dahlia