James' Top Surgery Fund
Hi! My name is James Burrow, and I'd like to tell you a little about myself.
I'm 23 years old, and I currently live in Cookeville, TN. I'm transgender, meaning I do not identify as female, the gender I was assigned at birth.
I spent most of my adolescence trying to repress the intense feelings of discomfort I felt about the disconnect in my identity and the way others perceived me, as well as the discomfort I felt about my body. I had never heard the term transgender. I just knew that my body didn't feel like my own. Through the years, I developed a lot of issues with depression and anxiety, partially due to the struggle I faced with my identity.
About three years ago, I quit hiding from my feelings and realized who I truly am. I decided to begin transitioning. I started by coming out to the people that I care about. I started seeing a gender therapist in July 2014, and soon afterwards, I was able to start taking testosterone injections to masculanize my body. This was a huge step forward for me.
I've been on testosterone for almost three years now, and I'm ready to take the next step in my transition. The reason I started this GoFundMe is to help raise money for top surgery. I currently use a binder to help achieve a flatter, more male-looking chest. Binding works for now, but after restricting my chest for the past couple of years, I often have severe back and rib pain from the amount of pressure a binder applies.
Even with binding, I don't feel comfortable or confident with my appearance the majority the time and am very cautious about what I wear. My chest causes me intense discomfort, and not having the flat chest I desire is a huge detriment to my self-esteem and confidence. Looking at my chest in the mirror often leaves me close to tears. I know that for me, top surgery is an absolute necessity in order to reduce the physical pain and mental anguish I experience on a daily basis. . Top surgery is the process of removing the fatty breast tissue and mammary glands to achieve a masculine chest aesthetic.
The surgeon I have decided on is Dr. Charles Garramone. His fees for a double-incision surgery are around $6500. Surgical and anesthesia fees are usually around $1300. I have set my goal to $8000 in order to cover these costs. To find out more about Dr. Garramone, click here.
I've scheduled my surgery for June 22, 2017, I was able to obtain CareCredit, a type of credit card used for medical needs. I did this because I feel at this point that top surgery is no longer just something I want, but something I need. However, I will end up paying a lot of money in interest using this method. Therefore, I would like to save as much money as I can to be able to pay it off quickly.
I go to school and work full time. However, with all of my bills (including medical debt accrued over the years), it is very difficult for me to put much money into savings. On top of regular cost-of-living bills (rent, car insurance, gas, groceries, etc), I currently pay for therapy, hormones, and other medical expenses out of pocket. My insurance does not cover my hormones, nor will it cover this procedure.
Thank you for your time and any contribution that you can make. The support of my friends and family means the absolute world to me. Please share this page with your friends and family; it would be so very appreciated.
If you have any questions or just want to talk, you can use the contact option on this page, or you can follow me on social media:
instagram: jdbrrw
tumblr: jdbrrw
facebook: facebook.com/jamesdburrow