Lily aka “Brandon” is a 40 year-old
transsexual who presented to our shelter-based clinic for a multitude of
problems including diabetes management, substance abuse, and housing
assistance.
Having always felt like she was
trapped in the body of a boy, Lily’s childhood was spent in and out of
psychiatric facilities and “special” schools.
The first time she tried on make-up at age 12, her father beat her so
bad she was hospitalized. After that,
she was in and out of foster homes, and began living off the streets in her
late teens.
In years past, Lily had frequented
this shelter, but stopped after finding housing and a stable job in a nearby
suburb. A month ago, Lily got into fight
with her boyfriend who beat her into a coma. When she awoke in the hospital, she had lost
her job and her house, and was forced back into living on the streets and selling
her body for money.
Yesterday, feeling helpless and
wanting to numb the pain, Lily took several extra doses of her medication. When I saw her this morning in the shelter,
she was coherent but slightly sedated.
More than anything, she wanted someone to talk to, someone on her
side. So, for over an hour before even
entering the exam room, we talked about her family and friends, her past, and
her hopes and dreams.
It seemed as if Lily had hit rock
bottom, so I tried to give her a little help back onto her feet. Given her diabetes and other medical problems,
I checked her blood sugar and scheduled a follow-up appointment with her PCP
for the next day. Next, we connected her
with a member of the shelter’s advocacy team to get her started back with the
housing process.
Lily’s story is an example of the
revolving door that exists between being homeless and being marginally-housed. A single unfortunate event and one can end up
on the wrong side again. It is an honor to
take care of these women through the ups and downs of their lives - we hope our
work gets them closer and closer to the right side of the revolving door,
and in the meanwhile, feel safe and supported when they are still on the wrong side.
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