Circumsitions - Ouch!

The title says it all. Well actually it wasn't that bad. I saw 11 circumsitions and its a pretty quick procedure. Each took on average about 14 minutes. I was able to help out by getting things such as more sterile gloves and pouring some antiseptic liquid into a sterile bowl for each circumsition. I also had to pass the doctor certain things like an instrument that is used to burn away the excess skin. I was surprised that they burnt away the skin rather than cutting it off. I'd seen the burning instrument being used in the other surgical procedures but I guess it makes sense to use it for circumsitions also.

The injection at the beginning of the procedure actually seemed to be the most painful part (that being because of where the needle was injected and that the needle was injecting an anaesthetic, meaning the rest of the procedure couldn't be felt). Most of the boys were very brave and even though clamps, scissors and the burning instrument were being used on such a precious area (the thought of anything burning or cutting me in that area makes me cringe) they lay there quite relaxed.

I say most because one boy (the last circumsition for the day) wasn't so happy about the procedure. As soon as he saw the clamp he completely lost it and was screaming, crying and kicking the doctor away. I personally felt that they couldn't really go ahead with the circumsition then unless they anaesthatised him to the extent that he wasn't awake as, with his kicking and trying to move his body away from the surgical instruments, he was going to end up hurting himself. But being muslim, it was important for the boy to have the circumsition done and thinking it through I realised, not only would it be more expensive for the parents to have him unconscious for the circumsition and they may no be able to afford it, but also it was unnecessary and wasteful for such a minor operation when you could use the local anaesthetic (as they were doing).

So he was going to have to have this circumsition done and therefore I was called on (and a nurse) to hold him down because any sudden movements would be much more painful than the operation. I can't say that was a nice experience. I felt really bad for being an accomplice to causing his fear and pain. A bit of a negative way to end my hospital time for the weekend.