Hi friends! I have some exciting (and vulnerable) news to share!
If you follow me on Instagram, I have shared over the last month or so that I am undergoing a gender-affirming breast reduction surgery. Surgery is tomorrow! I am feeling nervous but really excited for this life-changing surgery. I shared more about it in the following post, if you're curious:
On April 1, I will be undergoing gender-affirming breast reduction surgery! It’s been quite the journey to get here, for sure, and I realize this might feel a little out of left field as I have approached this process privately with close friends, my partner, therapist and doctors.
I remember back in 2020 when I shared with Laur for the first time that I felt like “nonbinary” was more fitting than “woman” for me but still not exactly right. As I explored more with my therapist and community, I began to understand most of what was hindering me being able to show up as the truest version of myself centered around the size of my chest. A lot of discoveries started during COV*D lockdown when I didn’t have to perform my gender in public, and coming out of lockdown I noticed how I cross my arms when in public, physically trying to push my chest down to feel more comfortable. Since that discovery, really all I have been able to think about is how excited I am to show up more authentically as myself with a smaller chest. I am grateful to be able to access the gender affirming care right here in Tennessee with the same surgical team as Laur did, despite mounting challenges for us nonbinary and trans folks here in red states.
This surgery means I will be out of commission for a while, so I also wanted to send out this note to you all to let you know what the next few weeks will look like while I am recovering. I am expecting to not be able to embroider for most if not all of April, giving myself the time I need to recover and rest.
Further, I am unable to lift anything heavy (ahem, my solid cast iron embroidery machines) for up to 8 weeks without causing damage to my surgery sites. Embroidery events are out...for a little while. I'm hoping that if I'm feeling good by May I might be able to do a couple events with hired help to move my equipment, but I'm doing my best not to push it.
For now, I have a disclaimer on my website for any online orders that orders placed in April will not be fulfilled until at least May. I will be back to computer work/emails sometime in April, but have an OOO reminder up for now. Thank you so much for your patience during my recovery!
Finally, if you feel inclined to support my recovery, my friends and family have a GoFundMe and MealTrain setup on my behalf. Taking on this surgery while being self-employed is intimidating, but I am so so grateful to have the full support of my partner, Laur, and friends and chosen family. If working for myself has taught me anything it's that following what your soul needs will always pay off, no matter what.
Thank you for being here, and seeing me 🏳️🌈
-Kait