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post #41 of 58
10/26/07 at 10:55am
Quote:
I honestly believe that no amount of appeals to mercy or explanation of the pain my son will go through matter to him.
Have you showed him pictures of complications from circumcision? I don't have a link, but I am sure someone here does. If someone can see those pictures and not be affected... well, he's either lying or insane.
post #42 of 58
10/26/07 at 11:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by catholic74 View Post
I have no problem telling my husband that's it's still possible to circumcize him. I would never consent regardless. Don't have to worry about that.

To the person that asked, I did show the video to my husband. I sent it to him via e-mail and it took him months to finally watch it and he claims it did not affect him. I honestly believe that no amount of appeals to mercy or explanation of the pain my son will go through matter to him. He seems very stoic about all that. It's like he wants to put that emotional wall up and "just do it". Cultural pressure/influence has a tight grip on so many of our circumcized males!
Same here. I showed that video to my BIL and his response was: "Well, it's a baby and babies are gonna cry no matter what you do to them. They get over it." Sis refused to watch it. Nephew is circed, of course.

Getting that info to you today...
post #43 of 58
10/26/07 at 12:05pm
Have you seen this article, catholic74?

http://www.cirp.org/library/cultural/fadel2/

it's pretty much everything i was gonna say.
post #44 of 58
10/27/07 at 12:47am
FWIW, my father was circ-ed at age 18 or 19. That's the Navy for you. "Hmm, looks infected. Let's cut it off!"

My DH is circ-ed. Our two boys are NOT. :

My mother subtley encouraged us to circ. Because, "weird stuff happens, you know." :
post #45 of 58
10/27/07 at 4:41pm
a
post #46 of 58
10/27/07 at 4:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by clareywarey
My DS was not circumcised at birth, but by age 5, his foreskin was fused to penis and by age 7, he had to undergo circumcision. (We had followed guidelines for cleaning, etc... and to this day I'm not sure why it happened). He was put under general anesthesia and did not feel a thing. I was actually really surprised to find how easy surgery was. We let him run around naked for a weekend so that the stitches wouldn't rub against clothing, and after that he was able to wear undies/pants again without problems. The circumcision has healed 100% with no complications. I was really worried about surgery in the months leading up to it, but it was not a bad experience.

Just an fyi.
I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but your son's circumcision was completely unnecessary.

To start with, it is normal for the foreskin to be fused to the glans at age 7, and even through puberty and beyond.

Second, even if he were suffering from phimosis that needed treatment (something that could not have been determined until well into his teen/adult years), there is no medical justification for circumcising. It could have been treated much more conservatively with a steroid cream and stretching exercises.

Finally, you may have been given very bad advice on cleaning. The bottom line is, foreskins should never be retracted for cleaning before they are fully retractable on their own (as discovered by the owner of the penis), and even then, plain water is the best cleanser until the hormones of puberty kick in. Retracting the foreskin to clean under it actually can cause tears in the skin, causing scar tissue to build up, and may cause yeast or bacterial infections by disturbing the body's natural balance.

Sadly, your son lost half the nerve endings and half the skin of his penis because you were given extraordinarily bad medical advice by uninformed doctors. :
post #47 of 58
10/27/07 at 6:30pm
Just wanted to say good for you for protecting your son and continuing to do so.
post #48 of 58
10/27/07 at 6:59pm
Oh clarey I am so sorry your ds was circed for no true medical reason

another victum of the ignorence of the medical dr's in the USA.

If you go here http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=764732 then click on the link to the Fliess and also check out the resources sticky you will see how the seperation process happens and how long it can take.

It can take to adulthood for the foreskin to seperate if it isnt seperated before then it is not a issue.
post #49 of 58
10/28/07 at 6:43am
Quote:
Originally Posted by catholic74 View Post
I have no problem telling my husband that's it's still possible to circumcize him. I would never consent regardless. Don't have to worry about that.

To the person that asked, I did show the video to my husband. I sent it to him via e-mail and it took him months to finally watch it and he claims it did not affect him. I honestly believe that no amount of appeals to mercy or explanation of the pain my son will go through matter to him. He seems very stoic about all that. It's like he wants to put that emotional wall up and "just do it". Cultural pressure/influence has a tight grip on so many of our circumcized males!
http://www.udonet.com/circumcision/v...ty_of_men.html
post #50 of 58
10/28/07 at 6:45am
My brother opted for circ when he was 12 or 13 years old. I don't know if they used general anesthesia or not.
post #51 of 58
10/28/07 at 6:47am
Quote:
Originally Posted by avent View Post
My brother opted for circ when he was 12 or 13 years old. I don't know if they used general anesthesia or not.
Ack, I'd imagine so but why?
post #52 of 58
10/28/07 at 7:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Revamp View Post
Ack, I'd imagine so but why?
We're Muslim and normally my parents would have circed him as an infant but he didn't have very much foreskin or something.(They didn't give me too much detail since it was his private matter, so I don't really know.) The doc said it would probably self-correct at puberty and it did, so he decided to get it done. He asked to, I don't think there was any pressure. Honestly it had been so many years since my parents had seen his penis I think they had forgotten. I don't know his actual reason,though. He's not super religious.
post #53 of 58
10/28/07 at 7:41am
Oh how terrible!

As an intact man I am fully aware of how much he is missing out on. It is a real pity that that happened. I would never allow a child {if I had one} to make that sort of decision at that age: what with all the twisted websites anything could happen...

Feel sorry for him, really. It is sort of impossible to come here without hearing sad stories.
post #54 of 58
10/28/07 at 7:53am
Not sure what you mean by "twisted websites"?
post #55 of 58
10/28/07 at 8:45am
Quote:
Originally Posted by avent View Post
Not sure what you mean by "twisted websites"?
Well, I have gotten into trouble for naming one in paticular before so I shall keep this vague: the internet is a diverse place, often worryingly so.

Some people seem to feel strongly in favour of circumcision, so much so that they are willing to spend time, effort and money creating extensive websites riddled with misinformation, half-truths and often down right lies.

Whether it is telling parents that they have to retract the foreskin of a newborn or claiming that it is unquestionable that removing an erogenous zone will improve their sons sex life their lies are designed to have a powerful impact on the ignorant.

On some websites their motivation for this is clear: certain people fetishise the circumcised penis heavily and want to make sure that as many have the procedure performed upon them as possible. What exactly do they get out of that? I am not sure but they are certainly dedicated.

Some of these people (I would use the word "Perverts" but that would constitute name-calling, I suspect) manage to become mods for established message boards, others settle for setting up their own or simply playing web-master to mistruths, often alleging that their websites are balanced and objective.

Basically there are plenty of places where you can find pro-circ lies, ranging from accusing the foreskin of being a cancer-magnet to restrictor of pleasure. All unfounded but all intended to get somebody, somewhere, circumcised. They target especially the vulnerable and unknowledgable. If they establish themselves as the sole source of information for an unsuspecting parent-to-be new to the topic then that baby is doomed. But they also aim for teens as well, often giving advice on how best to procure the operation and even advice on "Styles" (take as much off as possible and leave it as "Tight" as you can is, curiously, the circum-fetishist consensus).

Sickening, unfortunate, but true. Which is why I would be wary of my son suggesting it.
post #56 of 58
10/28/07 at 1:46pm
Oh, I see. Yeah, that wasn't an issue for my brother--this was in the early 1980s. I could see how it would be a problem today, though.
post #57 of 58
10/28/07 at 2:39pm
James, that is the most excellent dissection of that whole cutting crowd as I have ever read. Every word of it is quite true.
post #58 of 58
10/28/07 at 2:58pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by avent View Post
Oh, I see. Yeah, that wasn't an issue for my brother--this was in the early 1980s. I could see how it would be a problem today, though.
In which case I am guessing social pressure. Near everyone was cut in those days, assuming you were in America that is. These sorts of things matter to teens. Boys as much as girls.

And thank you Bm, I do try {from time to time}.
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