I know the feeling well. I felt the same as you reading other trans women’s stories. One thing I did not share is that for the first 10 years of my professional life I worked in health care as well. I had degrees in Nuclear Medicine Technology and Masters degrees in Radiation Physics and Radiobiology. I founded a Nuclear Medicine RIA lab in the early ‘70s. My summer jobs were all in the Radiology Department of the local hospital because my father was a Radiologist. I too worked with many female employees, nurses and technologists mostly. My first wife was a coworker.

Over the last 17 months I have had 12 surgical procedures. The first 7 had nothing to do with my medical transition. 5 were for my eyes, 1 for my prostate and one was a cardiac cath and vagal nerve ablation for ventricular tachycardia. In pre op there was no way to avoid telling all the nurses (everyone was a woman) that my prominent breasts and bra were due to the fact I was a trans woman. It was obvious that I was different when they were hooking up heart monitor leads. Uniformly they were supportive and I would talk at length with each of them. I felt right at home as if I were being taken care of by old friends. When I would stay over night, many times the nurses would sit with me for hours just talking. It was so affirming. I felt loved and accepted. Women are so much more nurturing than men. I know just how you feel.💕