On a More Serious Note....Pink Eye and Circumscision

This morning when I woke up, I decided I would stay in the land of Denial. It's a pleasant place to live in. I was certain that Alberto's eye was much better and that the school was wrong. He did not have pink eye but rather it was an allergy or a cold.

His eye was considerably better and that was true. But I couldn't stay in Denial and had to move back to Reality when I saw that the pinkness was still there, lighter, less, but not gone. So, I dashed to the pediatrician's office in hopes that she could tell me that when I was in Denial, I was really in Reality and that he could go to school. Unfortunately, the pediatrician confirmed what I dreaded...PINK EYE! (((Exhale)))

Now onto Circumscision....

Thank you to all who shared and left comments!

First of all, I want to make 2 things very clear.

1. In no way shape or form do I condemn anyone who is circumscised nor any parent who chose to circumcise their son.

2. My son is NOT circumscised and unless there becomes a medical need, I will not be circumscising my son. If he wants to later in life, he can do it. If he doesn't, he doesn't have to.

Second of all....

I wish I could take credit for having made this decision based on some really great reasons.

1. I didn't do extensive research on circumcision. Although I did later read a post that had a link that offered up extensive research, literature and pictures.

2. My decision wasn't based on respecting the Guatemalan culture.

3. My decision wasn't based on the fact that men in pretty much the rest of the world are not circumcised.

4. My logic did not include an understanding that my son had so many choices made for him already and that I wanted him to have this choice.

5. My decision was not based on the poll I took of friends, co-workers and family members.

6. My decision had nothing to do with the horror stories that personal friends who are Top Pediatric Urologist have shared with me.

These are all great reasons. They are all valid. And in many cases, I wish I could say that I thought of them and really wouldn't mind taking ownership of them because I do subscribe to some of that thinking. But it wouldn't be accurate.

My pediatrician explained to me that circumscision was no longer being done routinely. There was no medical basis for doing it. Since my son was 9 months old, the medical justification for the procedure would be AT LEAST 2 infections within a certain time frame. And, he would have to have the procedure in the operating room under general anesthesia.

Drum Roll for my Reason:

I simply chose not to subject my son to general anesthesia for a cosmetic procedure.

This was a personal decision. I do not for one minute regret my decision. And with the more I read and hear, I am comforted that it was the right choice for us.

HOWEVER, if a medical reason should come up and my doctors recommend the procedure, I will be open to the procedure.