Circumcision repair for my 16 month old son next Wednesday. - Page 5

[homebirthing]

The foreskin that you are describing sounds pretty normal to me...but then I don't have a boy! I DO however have a lot of friends with boys who are naked a lot (LOL) and there are a couple of them that have foreskins that hang down at least a half inch from the tip of the penis. There is also one boy who's foreskin hangs down about an inch or so. There is just a lot of extra room to grow. For someone who hasn't seen what an uncirced' penis looks like, it might look like there is something wrong. But there isn't!! It is all perfectly normal. They come in all differert shapes and sizes. Even mushroom shaped at the end.

[InDaPhunk]

Originally Posted by thundersweet

The only thing I remember was the doctor coming in and saying to us "he was bleeding alot, I'm not sure why but he is all fine now." I am assuming she used them because of this? I cringed when she said that.

I agree with everyone...sue the dog crap out of this dr (is 'dog crap' one word or 2?). Then she'll be broke before she rots in the ever-lasting fires of hell for making money off of the blood of children. You're so lucky that your son lived through that surgery, thank god. Then you'd suing for something much worse than a botched circumcision. What she said sounds really scary to me as it doesn't take a lot of blood loss in a newborn to be very bad.

Don't be too hard on yourself. It's mostly the medical community's fault. Don't turn the anger on yourself. Yes, you should have researched more but when tons of drs say it's ok, you don't have a fair shot at knowing what's right. I mean, if it was so bad they wouldn't do it, right (oh yeah they would)? When you know better, you do better. But don't have anything else done until you get a second and even third opinion. Right now you're so mad at yourself that you can't see past that, but once you're past that you'll realize how mad you are at that dr and the medical community as a whole for perpetuating such a horrendous practice for money, then that dr won't know what hit her.

I haven't seen a pic of really loose circumcision or one in an infant/toddler, but maybe that skin hanging down is typical of that? When you say "skin hanging down" I think you mean frm the underneath part of the penis, not from the end? Or from the end but not in a sort of "tube" like with an intact kid, but more loose skin? Maybe that part isn't as unusual as you think.

[Frankly Speaking]

Originally Posted by InDaPhunk

I agree with everyone...sue the dog crap out of this dr (is 'dog crap' one word or 2?). Then she'll be broke before she rots in the ever-lasting fires of hell for making money off of the blood of children.

A case like this will have virtually no financial impact on the doctor. That's what they have malpractice insurance for. Their premiums may go up slightly for a short while and he/she may have to miss some office time while this is being negotiated but it wil not have any significant financial impact on the doctor.

The reason that every single one of these cases must be pursued is because the insurance company will eventually see the light and defund the procedure and write it into their malpractice policies that they will not cover circumcision claims against doctors who do perform circumcisions. We are already seeing evidence of this. In Canada, doctors have been warned that their professional insurance may not cover them for circumcision claims. That helped but what really drove it home is when Ryleigh McWillis died. Suddenly, the doctors saw that they could be financially ruined over a $300.00 procedure and suddenly, the circumcision rate dropped by almost 50%.

We are begining to see this. In a recently issued policy by ND Blue Cross/Blue Shield, circumcision is specifically excluded as a covered procedure and treatment of complications from excluded procedures is also excluded. This puts the onus on the parent or the malpractice provided. I suspect BC/BS just got tired of paying for stuff like this. I don't blame them! I can imagine it was costing them millions each year.



Frank

[ShelleyMom2in2]

Originally Posted by Frankly Speaking

In Canada ...the circumcision rate dropped by almost 50%.

We are begining to see this. In a recently issued policy by ND Blue Cross/Blue Shield, circumcision is specifically excluded as a covered procedure and treatment of complications from excluded procedures is also excluded.

Ive never been more proud to be Canadian (living in the usa...but still : )


YAY BC/BS!!!! I think Ill have to write them a nice email commending them on the policy in ND. yah I know its all about money and not human rights...but when money keeps little boys intact then thats awesome!

[channelofpeace]

Originally Posted by Frankly Speaking

In Canada, doctors have been warned that their professional insurance may not cover them for circumcision claims. That helped but what really drove it home is when Ryleigh McWillis died. Suddenly, the doctors saw that they could be financially ruined over a $300.00 procedure and suddenly, the circumcision rate dropped by almost 50%.


Frank

It makes me so sad that a little boy actually had to die before they started to get it. And even then, it wasn't about losing a person, it was about money

[greenmansions]

Originally Posted by milkydoula

It makes me so sad that a little boy actually had to die before they started to get it. And even then, it wasn't about losing a person, it was about money

What blew my mind was that in an article I read about it, his mother said she would circ again if she had another son!

"Tanna McWillis herself says she and her husband would probably circumcise another male child.

"I was told a lot of people opposed to circumcision would grandstand about my son's death, but we would do it again.

"If I had been better informed on how to look after my baby, it would never have happened."

<http://www.cirp.org/news/theprovince02-13-04/>

[InDaPhunk]

Originally Posted by Frankly Speaking

A case like this will have virtually no financial impact on the doctor. That's what they have malpractice insurance for. Their premiums may go up slightly for a short while and he/she may have to miss some office time while this is being negotiated but it wil not have any significant financial impact on the doctor.

Eh, Frank, I was speaking in hyperbole .

[channelofpeace]

Originally Posted by greenmansions

What blew my mind was that in an article I read about it, his mother said she would circ again if she had another son!

"Tanna McWillis herself says she and her husband would probably circumcise another male child.

"I was told a lot of people opposed to circumcision would grandstand about my son's death, but we would do it again.

"If I had been better informed on how to look after my baby, it would never have happened."

<http://www.cirp.org/news/theprovince02-13-04/>

Denial anyone?

[LeosMama]

I know it's OT, sorry, but I'm floored by this woman. HER BABY DIED because they wanted to cut off a sensitive piece of anatomy "Just for family history". This probably translates to "I had a brother who used to get infections/had phimosis and had to be circed as an toddler". We've all heard this one before. And she blames the dr's and herself for not knowing how to deal with the bleeding. If she hadn't had an unnecessary procedure performed, he would be alive today. GGGGRRRRR

[nd_deadhead]

What choice does she have? She could say "Boy, am I an idiot! I insisted my son be circ'ed, and now he's dead. It's all my fault".

Not everyone is strong enough to make that sort of admission - even to themselves. I only hope that if she has another son, she has the strength to do the right thing.

[LeosMama]

You're right, nd, but I have heard many parents say "I'm speaking out so this doesn't happen to another child."

I agree and can only hope with you about her next son. Or rather, that her next child will not be male, as I assume from her cultural context that she doesn't think that a famil history of gynecological problems should encourage labia removal for new female members of that family.

[ShelleyMom2in2]

Originally Posted by nd_deadhead

What choice does she have? She could say "Boy, am I an idiot! I insisted my son be circ'ed, and now he's dead. It's all my fault".

Not everyone is strong enough to make that sort of admission - even to themselves. I only hope that if she has another son, she has the strength to do the right thing.

You know I think she will be VERY hard pressed to find a doctor willing to circ future children. I mean every DR in her city will know who she is and what happened to her first son.

I did say 'Boy I am an idiot I insisted my son be circ'ed It's all my fault' thankfully my son has not had any major problems. My second child, another son is intact. Maybe she will admit it to herself and she can become an advocate for leaving perfect little babies whole. One can hope

ETA: I guess I didnt insist on it but DH did and I did the 'I dont have a penis so its up to DH' copout come to realise DH doesnt have an intact penis either....double

[nd_deadhead]

Shelley, I have the utmost admiration and respect for parents who DO have the strength to admit they made a mistake. I applaud you for putting your son's well-being before your own pride.

I do find it inconceivable that a parent could lose a child to circumcision, and still be willing to do it again. But I guess that need to not be wrong can be overwhelming.

[DarkHorseMama]

Originally Posted by thundersweet

They did use silver nitrate. Is that not standard? The only thing I remember was the doctor coming in and saying to us "he was bleeding alot, I'm not sure why but he is all fine now."

Freaking scary! From the write up on Ryleigh McWillis, the editor indicated:

A baby's body contains ~350ml of blood. 10% blood loss - 35ml, about a tablespoonful - is considered dangerous.

So when a doctor comes out with the above statement, I would be ready to rumble. :

Good luck with the attorney, and hopefully you can get a resolution from all of this Extra hug for you and your Mom for her medical issues, too