A brief catch up:
I was raised as a boy in the 1950s where any gender variance simply did not exist – or allowed to exist. My ‘tribe’ was always girls. Boys were dirty, violent and competitive in ‘not a nice way’.
For a rational, practical thinker, I found it hard to accept myself. I wore the shroud of society’s distrust and disavowment of gender variance, and tried to conform. But inside I was always a girl. One that is not attracted *at all* to males (although if you are – that’s okay and I accept you).
I have been happily married over 40 years with a kind, gracious and accepting wife, who is with me through my transition, wherever it leads.
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I went on Testosterone suppressors and Estrogen supplements last summer. It hasn’t been easy, and for those not in touch with a transgender person, getting the meds right takes time and good feedback, from bloodwork and monitoring the symptoms by a good endocrinologist.
In February we revised all my dosages, and things are going very smooth. There are several things that change, from fat redistribution, to breast growth. Hair gets softer on the arms and legs. (For those that don’t know lost head hair does NOT grow back. A small amount of dormant hair can regrow, but it isn’t much in most cases)
all the best! 
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Hermana, Pattie Panties, GraceH, Thaumas, port_berger, Tez_zer, Stephanie DonnellMtF Over 65. Supportive wife. Canada. 36B+. She/Her. Living full time as a woman.
These Golden Years we are living should be filled with all the things we could not do in our past times.
So you are living the life, without anyone influencing your journey, unless you want them to. You are not alone.
Congratulations on 40 years, I know the journey you both have traveled as my wife and I, celebrate 30 years. You don’t make it that far without the ups and downs experienced in life. Keep the journey going and stay active. Find a good wig to fit your features and post up a photo of yourself!
Reminiscing PT CDer. 65. DADT 30 yr marriage. Upper Midwest USA. Natural 38C. He or She.
Time for a 1 year update.
I began HRT and T suppression along with medication to reduce hair loss. For about half of the year I went off the T supression drugs, as I was getting some effects that it turns out were not related to T or the T suppression drugs. Live and learn.
Because of the Estrogen being in the right zone, I have developed A to A1/2 sized breasts. So I don’t *have* to wear a bra every day, but almost every day I do.
Despite the false alarm, everything has gone very smoothly.
Take care of yourselves!
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fun500, Hermana, Bali HighMtF Over 65. Supportive wife. Canada. 36B+. She/Her. Living full time as a woman.
Thanks for the update, dear friend. May your journey to womanhood continue to advance smoothly.
Downunder in Kiwiland (New Zealand), I am taking care of myself, thanks for asking. Although, for me personally, “taking care…” mostly means simply sliding gently into my dotage and becoming more content with wearing bras with great projection out socially. And in the summertime (it’s winter in my part of the world right now) I add miniskirts to my feminine dress code.
I’m a single man, and present as one, even with my womanly outerwear (I couldn’t pass as femme, therefore “forced” to present as male…). When summer arrives again, I will be hitting the beach in my one-piece women’s swimsuit.
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joniLove from Hermana ~ Do - Or Do Not. There is no 'try' (Yoda the Jedi Master)
I meant to add the surprises that I have discovered along the way…
When breasts are growing, they hurt. It gives me another reason to respect young women who are far stronger than their male counterparts believe.
When my T levels are much lower, cold is a thing. Even at 22C, My hands can be freezing… I used to walk around in shirts at 5 or 6C (about 40 degrees in banana terms) without noticing the cold. It isn’t old age. Last year was ‘normal’ for me, and now I’m cold all the time.
With much lower levels of T, I’m a *lot* more calm all the time. Less anxious, and less prone to being angry… Mind you my T levels were *very high* – about a 25-30 year old average level. Even now my T level is still too high. (about average for a 50 year old male, even with a double dose of T suppressant)
It costs way too much to permanently remove a beard. Electrolysis is my only option, as my hair is all white now. Around 20,000$ if I want it gone… So the beard stays, and my journey will only get part way…
Peak strength and endurance has fallen off enough to notice.
My body smell has changed – I’ve hyper sensitive to smells, and this one I noticed right away. I’ve always have had to wash more than most people because it bothers me when I can regard my own ‘ambiance’.
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I expected the next one, but people don’t seem to get it: Even with the hormonal changes and changes in body stuff, I’m still the same *me* as before. I’m aligning the outside of me with the inside of me. that’s it.
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Kelli, Hermana, Bali High, port_bergerMtF Over 65. Supportive wife. Canada. 36B+. She/Her. Living full time as a woman.
I grew breasts from some meds I was on. Could feel the little button behind the nipple growing. Never had any pain when they grew just the feeling of the nipples changing with the breasts growing. Hope you are happy changing over because that’s what is important. I never wanted to get breasts, but I got them and trying to deal with them.
For those following
My meds were changed for only a few months when they caused massive blood clots in my lungs and leg. So I had to go on blood thinners for 4 months (just finished). Now that I’m off thinners, we had to change my meds again(!!).
I’m now injecting Estrogen, which is getting far better results. The new testosterone suppressor, doesn’t stop the creation of testosterone; it stops cells from using it. So I’m going to be living on T again (sort of). The big downside is that I have to be checking for jaundice, and these can cause sudden liver failure.
I am being accepted by some strangers as a woman, which is new and exiting! Still getting misgendered a lot, but progress is being made!
My home town pride happened this weekend, and the whole community is loving, supportive, chill, and down right nice! My wife and I had a great time! (I guess we qualify as newly minted lesbians)…
I’ll update if I get on a GRS surgery list. Still making calls. To expedite my surgery, I am paying for it myself, as public funding can take 5+ years, and I’m not getting younger!
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Kelli, Stephanie DonnellMtF Over 65. Supportive wife. Canada. 36B+. She/Her. Living full time as a woman.
Joni
Be really careful when dealing with blood clots. They found one in my left leg a few years ago. They put me on blood thinners for years. Fast forward to this year.In January the price of my medication skyrocketed. I went with out for 4 months.
I had foot surgery in May. Before hand and because they found a second blood clot, they inserted a wire blood filter through my neck. I’m now on a different blood thinner and they don’t seem to be in any hurry to remove the filter. Blood clots can kill.
It has been quite the roller coaster ride!
Thank you for you warm wishes and thoughts.
I have had a weird experience at the end of my first week of injectable estrogen. By injecting, it suppresses testosterone somewhat. Due to the surge in sex related hormones (it is called monotherapy, and is a proven approach, while being much more expensive than T blockers and lower doses of estrogen) It also surges the E levels very high, and the levels decay to just below normal female levels.
What I didn’t know is that you get mood swings from the hormone changes, and these can affect your pain tolerance: On the 7th day after injection, my hormones were pretty low, and I had a long-standing electrolysis appointment. My pain threshold has always been very high, but not that day. After the 4th follicle, I was emotionally weeping. It startled my technician, as normally I never even flinch. We worked on less sensitive areas that day, and it worked out okay.
So much for being “iron john” (or in my case, “Iron Joni”)
— back to the emotional swings; they are much like a cis woman’s period cycle emotional effects, so I get a putative period every week! The women in my life are all “now you will get it”, and “you get to see what it is like”. Priceless. 
Despite the ups and downs, I’d never trade this new life for the old one. Just no going back for me. 
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ValentinaMtF Over 65. Supportive wife. Canada. 36B+. She/Her. Living full time as a woman.
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