Inquiring minds want to know...

I received a comment concerning Justus' circumcision ring that has prompted me to explain, "what the heck it is!"

Basically, they started by giving Justus a shot (in the area) with a very small needle, that he didn't seem to feel...they said that it numbs everything up, but usually only works for about 65% of babies. The other 35% scream and cry through the process. Thank you Lord that Justus was among the 65%.

After he was numbed up, the doctor (or whoever it is that does the circumcisions) did all sorts of things that left me with sympathy pains...having just gone through something that felt a whole lot like what I saw! They used sutures and scissors and made a cut down the length of the foreskin, and then inserted the ring over the penis and under the foreskin. He then tied a string around the outside of the foreskin (at the base of it) very tightly around the plastic ring (which was underneath...protecting the penis, and also allowing that he could still pee). Then he cut away the excess foreskin.....the idea is that the foreskin will die because of lack of circulation and eventually fall off, much like the umbilical cord. It was awful to watch, but other then a little gasp when he tightened the string, Justus seemed happy with the drops of sugar water and the pacifier they were giving him.

This method is pretty much worry free for me...I didn't have to apply any ointment, or tend to it in any real way (no gauze or cotton balls or bleeding). All I had to do was squeeze some water over it to wash away any poo or pee (to keep bacteria off), and then once it fell off (within a week), I have been applying some bacitracin (kind of like neosporin) to the area where it was to make sure that it has time to heal up good and proper without worrying about infection in the mean while. No worries!

So that is "what the heck it is!" haha :-) All in all...I'm glad I'm not a boy, much the same way boys feel about women and labor (being glad they're not girls).