You're never too old to be happy.

Health: 77-Year-Old Gets Transgender Operation

Reporting

Stephanie Stahl

(CBS 3)

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Renee Ramsey, 77

Recently Chastity Bono announced she was having surgery to become a man. A transgender center in Montgomery County is busier than ever. Medical Reporter Stephanie Stahl has the exclusive story of one of the oldest patients to make the switch.

Renee Ramsey is recovering from the surgery that she's been dreaming of for decades.

"Since I was about 13, I always knew something was different," said Renee.

She used to be Richard; a green beret specialist in Vietnam. A tough guy who privately dreamed of wearing dresses.

"It was weird cause as much as I wanted to dress like a lady, I didn't say anything. I knew if I did I would be discharged," said Renee.

She was in the military for over 20 years and married twice. She says Richard eventually started to dress like a woman, but switched back into the uniform for official duties.

"A lot of these transgender patients who try to be men, they take on masculine jobs they become labor struck, drivers, police men, soldiers," said Dr. Sherman Leis, with The Philadelphia Center for Transgender Surgery, says people with gender identity issues often try to over compensate.

"It was just a wonderful thing that I wanted for my whole life," said Dr. Christine McGinn, who CBS 3 interviewed three years ago. She had once been a man in the Navy. A military man, like Richard, who's now Renee.

Renee is 77, and while genital re-assignment surgery is complicated, age, as long as there are not medical problems, usually isn't an issue.

"Renee happens to be in great medical shape. She was a very physical person for many years, and she went through the surgery very well," said Dr. Leis.

Renee says she waited until her wife died to have the surgery, and finally feels normal.

"I'm happy good, as happy as any woman could be," said Renee.

The surgery can be expensive, $20,000. It's something that Renee has been saving for almost all her life. Transgender surgeries are not tracked, but Dr. Leis says his numbers are up.

RELATED LINKS: Transgender Information