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hairyfigment comments on The benefits of madness: A positive account of arationality - Less Wrong
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It's essentially circular. It assumes an "I" from the start. If you get rid of that assumption, you have to start with "something is thinking."
That's been acknowledged in philosophical circles for some time now, but I don't think many philosophers regard it as an important problem anymore. It's about as safe an assumption as you can possibly make.
Seconding your main request, I've heard more people than I care to recall claim inspiration from altered states of consciousness, but it would be a first to have anyone present one that's novel and demonstrably true.
The message here doesn't seem truly novel, but 'You will survive through sex reassignment surgery' must at least count as unusual.
The story also illustrates how the word "I" can conceal any number of unsafe assumptions. Clearly part of the author knew more than she thought she did. (And the part about her childhood memories seems credible though not strictly proven.)