adventures in name changing

I wanted to share the story of my name change.

It all began not long after I began my transition, and discovered that if I wanted surgery, I would have to change my name. Which would have been difficult, because I was deep in debt, and didnt have the money it would take.

That changed when Walmart outsourced my department, and paid me out, giving me a about four thousand dollars.

With the money issue solved, I sent away to New Brunswick for a copy of my birth certificate, which I would need to start the ball rolling.

And then two days after it arrived, I lost it, along with my wallet containing all my identification.

That was such a body blow, I almost gave up right then.

But, after having replaced my driver's licence, bank card, and the rest, I sent away for another copy of my birth certificate, and tried again.

This time, I made it to point where the province of Alberta recognized me as Dorothy, changed my driver's licence, bank card, medical card, and thought I was done.

Unfortunately, I was wrong, as I discovered late last year that the federal government wasnt on board.

In order to get them on board, I had to send away for my birth certificate for the third time, fill out a form, and send it along with even more money back to New Brunswick to get them to make the changes needed.

Meanwhile, I was freaking out because I had needed this updated info to keep collecting handicapped assistance this year, and had been forced to ask for an extension before I had even put the paperwork in the mail.

I'm sorry to have to tell you, but I was pretty close to checking out of life by Christmas, because I was starting to think that my decision to change my name was going to end up costing me the help I was getting.

But finally, last Thursday, the changed birth certificate arrived, and Friday I went to the federal government office, got my updated social insurance info, took that to the handicapped assistance office, and for good measure managed to get a hold of the tax people and get the changes done with them as well as fixing an error on my files regarding my address.

In short, I did this as badly as you could, and still succeed in the end.

Make of that anything you will.