Trans

Bottom Surgery - Part I

The accounts of a 23 year old trans-woman living in Winnipeg Manitoba and her accounts detailing my experience with GCS/SRS at GCS Montreal.

Denver

Denver

— 4 min read

Hi, My name is Denver and I am a 23 year old trans-woman living in Winnipeg Manitoba. This is one of a many part blog series detailing my experience with GCS/SRS at GCS Montreal.

These posts will be SFW, if NSFW resources or links are provided they will be noted.

I will also include interjects.
Yellow background = Issue/Problem/Question
Grey background = Personal thoughts, monologue.

This blog post will contain a timeline of before my surgery referral up-to the point GRS Montreal opens the file and begins a medical assessment.


The timeline so far...



A long time ago...

Sometime in 2020 I realized I was trans, told my doctor I wanted HRT, was referred to the amazing team at Klinic who got me started in 2022, I achieved stable levels on HRT and was transferred care back to my primary care physician, dysphoria came and went, but plateaued, unfortunately around 2024/2025 it came back and continually got worse, I saw a therapist and did some soul searching and decided GCS / GRS would be my best option, and so the process begins...

September 2025

I sent Klinic (Manitoba's main gender affirming care clinic) an email asking to see someone regarding getting the ball rolling regarding bottom surgery.

October/November 2025

I saw a social worker at Klinic, this is standard when you have been out of their care for a while, just a housekeeping checkup / chat.

I then saw a Nurse Practitioner at Klinic, she completed the pre surgical readiness assessments, and prepared my file to be sent off to GRS Montreal, I wanted to wait a bit to further think about if this was what I really wanted.

Early January 2026:

I phoned Klinic to request the referral be sent, I got a call back a day later? or the same day (I think January 10th) letting me know it had been sent.

💭
Holy shit ... what did I just do (where did that courage come from...)


January 15th, I get a letter dated January 13th that the province of Manitoba has agreed to fund the surgery, and my file will be transferred to GRS Montreal.

💭
Now for a short freakout, I was expecting months from referral to funding, MB Health typically does not move fast... The realization of things being real set in.. especially when this only took 3 business days lol.

February 2026:


About a month has passed without notification from GRS Montreal, I left a phone message to see if they got the file.

I got a phone call the next day and setup with Monarch, GRS Montreal's online patient portal system, this is where you can message with them and complete needed paperwork.

I also then got my first 3 tasks on Monarch, these were easy (Just things like consent to access information, completing your profile, choosing which surgery you'd like) and then they begin to open your file.

February 6th 2026:

They have approved the previous tasks, and begun the process of opening my file
I get assigned 13 more tasks (wow... it seems like a lot but its all simple)

  • Code of Conduct
    This is a standard form, it sums up to don't be rude.

  • Consent to access and disclose my healthcare information.
    This allows them to talk to Klinic about your personal health information, also pretty standard.

  • Consent for use and collection of personal information.
    Title sums it up, just a we can store your info, also standard.

  • Send photo of provincial health card
    Billing stuff, also standard.

  • Consent for use of images
    Can we post your images on a internal site for other clients, can we use it for research journals and can we post it on social media, also a standard form.

  • HRT Report
    Waiting to hear back on what this is...

  • Health status questionnaire. (To be filled by my family doctor)
    Any medical issues, weight etc.

  • Letter of recommendation (LINK) (to be completed by ANY health professional)
    Social demographics etc. Waiting on more info to see if this needs to be complete since Klinic should of sent this?

  • Preop questionnaire
    More healthcare related questions such as allergies, dietary restrictions, and a list of Y/N questions... standard stuff.

  • Contact info for healthcare providers
    Who are your main healthcare providers, standard stuff.

  • Medication List
    Your pharmacist can get this.

  • Upload Proof of Funding
    Upload scan of letter.

  • Information Packet A (LINK)
    Info for surgery, one of three booklets.

❓
I completed all documents, however I sent a message asking about the letter of recommendation as this from my understanding was already sent by Klinic, and to clarify what a Hormone Therapy Replacement (HRT) report was.

I further found an email from the 4th listing these documents but only Consent to access and disclose my healthcare information and Funding approval from MB health were highlighted.

Once i hear back, I will update this section.
💭
Lots of thoughts and anxiety over the last few days, some excitement, lots of just thoughts on how this is real and finally happening (both scary and good).

I sometimes still wonder if I have made the right choice.

February 9th 2026


GRS approves most documents, oops... i missed my initials on three documents, had to resend them, waiting on them to approve the errors, they approved the documents a few days later.


February 10th-13th


Traveling for work, no progress.

February 16th-20th


Saw my GP for the healthcare questionnaire, saw Klinic for another referral form and HRT report.

All paperwork is now submitted.

What is next...
Once all tasks are completed, they begin assessing my file (a process that can take 6-9 months).

That will likely conclude this part 1 post, thank you for reading, if you have any questions please reach out to me on telegram @shescream, where I can provide further information/share access to a telegram channel.