Today marks the first anniversary of me officially being called Stephanie Rachael Vaughan. What a year it has been, what a journey! One I didn’t have a map for that’s for sure but one I could not have managed without my partner, soulmate and best friend Denise. She has been my rock and has guided me through some very rough patches with her usual practical way of looking at things. I have also had wonderful support from the medical professionals who have looked after me for the last two and a half years, the two GPs, my amazing psychologist, my gender specialist in Perth, my endocrinologist and all of my friends both here and in the UK, you have all been incredible in the love and support you have shown me.
One of the things which has really made a difference is a very small thing but it means so much to me and it’s something I try to do as often as possible even to the stage of making it a challenge to get it to happen as I have with several people. That little thing is hugging! We should all do it more, the effect is amazing and it’s contagious. It started when I first began telling people my plans to transition and it’s just grown from there. One person in particular who will remain nameless even said to me when I have an appointment she can tell if I’m up or down just by the quality of the hug! She also said that strictly it’s against the rules of her profession but as it helps her gauge what mood I’m in she is more than happy to do it and she is very good at it!
Thankfully I seem to be slowly getting back to full health, I have not needed painkillers for almost two months and am trying very hard to quit the tamazepam. The latter was probably not the smartest thing I’ve ever done, I didn’t realise just stopping taking them would have such a big effect on me but I think I’m over the worst of it now and seem to be sleeping reasonably well if not quite as well as before. I’m sure long term it will be good for me so will persevere and hope to keep improving. The comfort of knowing I have some in my drawer for the odd occasion when I just can’t get to sleep is good but I haven’t been tempted yet and it’s been ten days so am hopeful of a good outcome. The look on the face of my psychologist when I told her I had been on them for almost six years was the thing which prompted me to give it a try and I’m hopeful that the next time I see her I will be completely off them.
The house at Nannup is coming on slowly but surely, all of the gyprock has been done, the verandas are in the process of being done and the cornice should be up this week. We have been looking at kitchens and interior doors etc which are the next things on the list. We are hoping to have it all finished by sometime in October so it is ready for the summer, there is a considerable amount of work needed outside as well but it will happen fairly quickly once the top coat of gravel is on and it will be a work in progress for the first few years before we get it how we want it. Hopefully it will be live on Airbnb by the summer. Every time I go there I get such a sense of satisfaction having been involved throughout the build, it seems a very long time since the truck arrived with all the hundreds of parts on it and seven thousand screws to put it together!