circumcision regret story, 2002

circumcision was the choice we made for our newborn son in december 2001

 

My name is Patricia and my son Michael suffered a very severe complication from his circumcision where the head of his penis was partially severed by a negligent doctor.

 

Since then, much has happened. Everything was going well at one point and it looked like Michael was going to make a good recovery. He'd had his last reconstructive surgery and finally had the catheter removed to see if he would be abl e to urinate through his urethra. It went very well.

 

Two weeks ago, Michael developed a fever. He was crying day and night and Tylenol was not bringing it down. The following night, he started having febrile seizures. We rushed him to the emergency room where it was found that he had a m ajor infection and his temperature was 104.7.

 

Antibiotics were not combating the infection, and his major organs started to shut down within hours. My litte boy never regained consciousness, and we removed him from life support 2 days later, so that we could still donate his organs.

 

Michael would have been 5 months old yesterday.

 

I can't stop crying as I write this, because I can't stop running through my head that this could have been avoided! My son would be alive right now...if I hadn't made that decision.

 

One could argue that something else could have taken him. Be it a car accident or whatever, but this decision was in my control. My son was perfect. Why did I have to put him through this?

 

These doctors have a vested interest in keeping circumcision alive. Not because it's for the best interests of the children but because it benefits them financially.

 

I have lurked here for the last few days because I was not sure that I wanted to bring everyone down with my son's tragedy. But after seeing the activity that has taken place here, where everyone is talking about how it's their choice, none of you are even thinking that these babies are the ones who are going to suffer.

 

They don't have to suffer the way my son did, but they will suffer through the pain and indignity of this surgery.

 

I want my story to help others. I refuse to allow Michael's death be in vain. You may be lucky enough to never be in my shoes, but I never in a million lifetimes expected this to happen to me either.

 

So please hold your babies tight. Do not allow this senseless act continue. I don't know if there are enough things in this world that I would give up to have my son back in my arms. To know that I could have prevented this with just saying the word NO is more maddening than you will ever know.

 

I just want you all to pray for my family and for our tough road ahead. The doctors who did this are going to pay big for what they allowed to happen to my son. No family and no child should have to suffer the way Michael did. My sweet baby boy.

 

Patricia