tennis balls in hand

By The Bloke in The Shed

It isn’t every day I let a strange man play with my bits. This day was not any day though and, strictly speaking, he was a doctor.

The time had come for my first medical appointment to ensure no further princesses or princes were added to our household. Here I was with Princess Kel by my side talking to a man about… well, you know… “The Snip’’.

The urologist opened with the line “well, there’s only one reason I see a fit, young bloke like you and his wife …’’. Yep, my sperm should be preparing for a road block.

I’m not sure what I expected, but I was a little surprised when our doctor started using Aussie terms I hadn’t heard or used since high school to describe the process. Did he just say “balls’’?

The most awkward bit came when he said “well, I’ll have to have a bit of a look down there’’. Scene: Kel sitting in same room behind a curtain while someone else fondles “the crown jewels’’. Weirdly, that was the part Princess Kel had the most questions about.

 

Kel and I had made the decision some time ago that I’d have a vasectomy after the birth of our second child. Seriously, I have been surprised at the negative reaction it’s received from some males. Things like: “What if you want to have more kids?”, “What if you get divorced?”, “You know it’s hard to reverse?’’, “You know Kellie could have a new device inserted which would last for a couple of years?’’etc. The last question actually came from someone in the medical profession.

Frankly, I’ve been shocked by all this. But I guess blokes are a little sensitive and perhaps a little stupidly protective about that whole area.

Me? Less so. Thanks to a reluctance of my “little pals” to drop, I have some horrific memories of several operations as a kid – picture trying to stretch a shoelace with your delicates attached and you’ll get a hint of what I went through. Hence, I consider myself lucky to have fathered children at all and am very content with what life has presented me.

Girls and bubbles

The way I figure it is, I watched my wife suffer two troublesome pregnancies. If this makes our lives a little easier, then it’s the least I can do. I realise that the procedure is final and is incredibly hard to reverse. Fine with that. As I said, I consider myself lucky.

Our GP delivered some sound advice when he told us not to rush into it and leave it at least a year after the birth of Li’l Holly. Let’s face it, with a tired, breastfeeding wife, it’s not often during that time there is an issue in any case.

Yet, 16 months on, neither Kel nor I thought differently, but we did appreciate that time and space to reaffirm our decision. So, the operation is booked.

Why blog about it? Well, it just might just help someone out there. And besides, if your wife has been in the same room while a bloke fondles your balls, there is not much dignity left to be had.

If you have any questions about the process to this point or personal experiences let us know. Or feel free to share your experiences or reasons for your or your partner having “the snip’’.

Image credit.

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18 Responses to The Shed: A strange man just played with my bits

  1. Eliza says:

    Hi Julian,

    My dad was 64 when I was born. I have half brothers and sisters from an earlier marriage.

    I’m really pleased he hadn’t had the snip, or I wouldn’t be here!

    Best wishes,
    Eliza

  2. Michelle says:

    Took my dad until the announcement of the 10th pregnancy to finally agree. Stubborn bugger.

  3. Leonie White says:

    Oh dear not something a mother in law should be reading. There goes my chances of a grandson from the O’brien side

  4. Lisa Wood says:

    My hubby got his done after we had our fifth baby boy! I was so sure we didnt want any more kids, and seen how easy I fall pregnant it had to be done!
    He was fine – he even drove himself home from the doctors afterwards.
    Not had any issues since it was done!
    The only thing he did – was to take out the stitches a few days too early…he should have waited for the week like his doctor had told him, but he was sure that two days was enough time!

    Other then that he was fine, and back to work the next day!

    Funny how many strange comments he gets over it…not sure why that is!

    All the best with the snip!
    Cheers
    Lisa

  5. Kelly Exeter says:

    I have told hubby that after #2 (if we manage to produce a #2) that I want him to have the snip.

    Cue pale face and vehement shake of head. You would think I was asking him to cut his little boys off!

  6. Eccentricess says:

    We had always decided after having our four intended babies that Hubby would show how masculine he was and be the big brave man.

    9 Pregnancies (2 tried to kill me but I won!) and 1 darling daughter later, I’m finally ready but there is no way I am letting him be the one to be “roadblocked”. (love that term) He’s got perfectly functioning equipment and mine is uber dodgy, so I just want them to zoom in and take away the ruins, clear up a little.

    And to be thinking about something other than my potential death every time we get romantic.

    So, good on you and DO take it easy afterwards. My Cousin in law tried to show how tough he still was, by climbing stairs and was confined to bed for two weeks. Another friend followed the Doc’s instructions and was fine and dandy afterwards. 😀

  7. Harmony says:

    My dad had the snip and 7 years later my brother came along… and yes he was the dad hahahaha

    My hubby will too be joining you in getting the snip hopefully sometime soon, he too has 3 princesses, fingers crossed we are not having a prince in 7 years time after the snip hahahahaha

    • Apparently there is a 1 in 200 chance “reattachment” can occur. My Doc proudly boasts his stats are 1 in 1000 as he does “a couple of other things” to make sure it doesn’t happen. I dared not ask what those “couple other things” were …… don’t wanna know.

  8. Di-licious says:

    My SIL is a urologist and we often joke about her ‘castrating’ powers. But seriously, I’ve noticed quite a few of my friends talking to her about the procedure now that they’ve had their kids and decided enough is enough. Its not the choice for everyone but the choice is yours (and Kel’s) to make.

    I think its great that you’re talking about your experience and demystifying the process. I’ll definitely be forwarding this post onto her – it might make for interesting reading for future patients.

    • Thanks Di. Yeah, I hope it helps a few blokes out there decide whether it is for them or not. Luckily I have a great GP who has openly discussed this all the way. I’d be interested if your SIL, like our urologist, uses all the slang to describe men’s bits and their functions? It was quite funny.

  9. […] see, today is the day of “The Snip”. I posted a little while ago when the vasectomy was first booked in and it seems like time has flown towards the operation day. Princess Kel and I had always planned […]

  10. […] One thing is reinforced through the whole process and that is: While there is an outside chance of reversal once done, the operation should be considered terminal for your “little squigglies’’. It’s not a decision we’d taken lightly and we’d received good advice to take our time with it as I’d spoken about in my first post on the topic. […]

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