A Circumcision Gone Wrong

BRAVO!

I hope it was your webpage I visited today. I found it very informative.

Fourteen years ago before my oldest son was born, I studied circumcision, so that I could make a knowledgeable choice. I leaned towards NOT doing it. However, my husband reasoned that he was, so our son would be. And we did it. When they Brought Taylor back to me he was happy and cleaned up.

Two-and-a-half years later my second son was born. My OB had shakey hands and that worried me (a few months later he was diagnosed with Parkinson 's), my pedi was ANTI-circ (he believed that parents should have to watch a video first and second, be in the room while it was done) When Miles* was a week old we took him to our doctor's office and his partner did the circumcision. I remember as we were walking in my husband said, "Let's go back to the car and say a prayer." And then as we started into the building a second time he said, "We don't have to do this." But we did.

We sat in the empty waiting room while they did the procedure. I could hear Miles screaming and I wanted to go make them stop. Finally the nurse brought him out and I nursed him. Before going home we stopped at Grandma's to pick up our older son. Miles was still fussy so I nursed him some more and then Grandma changed him. She came into the living room and said, "Have you seen what they did?" She thought it didn't look right--and she had had four sons all circumcised. I called the doctor's office and was told a little blood was normal.

Four days later it still looked awful. That day while I was wiping him, after a really bad bowel movement, the skin at the base of his penis ripped loose (not at the tip). He began to bleed lightly. I called the office again and was told I was being an over-anxious mother. "This is normal! You have an appointment tomorrow." I kept saying, "No you don't understand!" I called back (I know now I should have rushed him to the emergency room) and finally they agreed to see Miles. When I got to the office I sat in the waiting room for quite a while. Finally a nurse looked at it and said he was fine. I insisted on seeing the doctor. Finally he came in, and was saying I didn't need to worry. He pulled back the diaper and exclaimed, "OH my God!" (At the time I asked what had happened, he said that in over thirty years as a doctor he had NEVER seen anything like this.)He told me to take Miles to the hospital immediately. As I was dressing Miles, he picked up the phone and had his secretary make a few calls.

A few hours later Miles under went an emergency circumcision revision. They said there was no damage to his skin, tissue, or blood vessels. We were warned that if Miles had an erection before it had healed, the skin could rip again (they blamed our problem on swelling and claimed that this sort of thing happens every few years.) We were told that Miles might need a skin graft when he reached adolescence.

No, we didn't sue...and we should have! My husband wouldn't support me. Our current doctor says Miles's skin has stretched. We had two more boys. They are not circumcised! They've noticed the difference, but it isn't a big deal. We've taught them how to stay clean, etc...I tell expectant moms our story. About half the time they still do it. Two sister-in-laws have had their sons circumcised and they didn't remove enough skin. The one put her son thru it a second time! They've both continued to circumcise (with four boys each).

I wish I could have gone to a website before my first son was born. I think I would have refused to do it. Thank you for creating a place where parents can see both sides of the issue.

Tina Gardner Hubler

*The boy's name has been changed per his request