Wish Katherine well today as she is going under the knife laser.

I used to want to be a doctor when I was a little kid. I still like medical stuff (as long as it isn’t medical SCHOOL….) The night before last I had the realisation that I am a sort of doctor after all. It was a sad realisation but I am the only individual who knows all of my various problems and how they affect one another. More than once I’ve been able to say “you can’t give me that because it’s contraindicated with another treatment I’ve got.”

Having me for a patient must be just soooo special.

Over at Home Ec 101, Ivy is talking about getting dental care and not going into debt over it. The comment section, especially from the Nashville area, is very helpful on dentists who will work with people.

So, with all that said, I gathered my resolve and headed to a local dentist today, determined to make it work- get the dental care I needed and not go into debt for it. The way I figure, I could get partial dentures on the bottom until I can eventually afford implants. You know, not get into debt, do it a piece at a time as I can afford it. That sounds fairly reasonable, right?

Apparently not.

It’s been a rough road for Ivy, but there is a dialogue from people wanting to help.

Tim Chavez writes this about Bredesen’s proposed cuts of TennCare.

One cannot begin to fathom the heartache and stress from such an upheaval, and I can write from personal experience tied to my ongoing battle with leukemia and the devastating impact upon my family and its finances. Much to our shame, we’ve been forced to file for financial assistance with Vanderbilt University Medical Center for our bills tied to my leukemia and related maladies like diabetes and broken bones from a quadruple drop in my bone density. While chemo can save a life for the moment, it can also devastate other parts of the body.

So far, I’ve broken both my arms at the elbow and my left collarbone. Unbeknownst to my wife, I let a broken bone in my hand go untreated because of the cost of visiting a orthopedic specialist, $40, and accompanying X-rays. The broken bone was not out of line, so the pain was all that I had to endure.

I don’t write this to elicit any sympathy but to show how much every dollar means to families crushed under medical expenses. Household finance fortunes can reverse so quickly. And the stress from not knowing how you’re going to pay your bills, keep your home and educate your children is worse than the most nauseous chemo reaction or piercing bone pain.

People will say that folks like us could just sell our homes to pay bills. But two houses on our street have been for sale for a year now. The subprime mortgage mess has screwed up the real estate market.

Bredesen doesn’t like TennCare. His business background is in making money off health care, not primarily helping those in need. He promised to fix TennCare when he ran for office. Then he gutted it when he got into office. And in keeping with his bizarre view of value in the world, he proposes in his budget to keep $100 million in an economic development fund while cutting TennCare.

Chavez used to write for the Tennessean.

What he’s saying people are going through every single day in this country.

Community Health Systems in Franklin, the parent company of a hospital in Illinois is being sued over an accidental baby swap.

The mixup occurred when the IDs were apparently taken off and put back on incorrectly when the babies were taken away for circumcision. Both mothers claimed to have felt unsure of their babies identities, but one went home with the baby she was given anyway. But within a few hours, the hospital recognized the mistake (it’s not clear if the recognition was a direct effect of one of the mothers’ complaints) and arranged for the babies to be reunited with their real parents.

Certainly, I understand that the hospital needs to be held accountable for the issue and that an investigation into the causes should occur and steps put into place to prevent it from happening again, but I don’t understand why the mothers think they should receive over $50,000 each as compensation for the error. A few months, a few years…yes, then I think they’d have a claim. But a few hours? I don’t think so. Heck, when I was born, my mom was the last person to see me. She and I were both asleep for quite a while–probably as long as it took for the hospital in this case to recognize the error.

Our litigious society…and some of us wonder why health care is so expensive…

~Mark Twain

I got an e-mail about the other day from the PR person for a film that has been making the rounds of public television stations. Here are the details:

The POWER of FORGIVENESS will be shown on Nashville’s WNPT-8 on Friday, March 28 at 8:00 p.m. The film is released nationally on Public Television through American Public Television (APT) and is a production of Journey Films. Best Documentary 2007, Sun Valley Film Festival

The one-hour film is a collection of seven short stories showing the limits, difficulties, healing qualities and unforeseen effects an act of forgiveness can have in people’s lives. It includes stories on The Amish, Ground Zero, Northern Ireland, and Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, plus reflections from renowned Buddhist teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, and best-selling authors Thomas Moore (Care of the Soul) and Marianne Williamson (The Gift of Change).

Other highlights:
- A celebrated forgiveness expert has his theories put to the test after his mother’s brutal slaying
- Latest clinical research shows a link between forgiveness and lower blood pressure, other health benefits
- Equally revealing stories of people who cannot forgive or find relief from anger, grief and resentment

I’ve included more information from the e-mail after the jump…
Read the rest of this entry »

Climb up on the couch, dear Liberal friend. The issue of Barack’s Beliefs has reminded me of my Intro. to Psych studies from way back when. And here’s some local amateur psychoanalysis from yours truly relying on observations of what’s being said on the issue around the state.

–“Projection”. I perceive that much of the hand-wringing (and teeth-gnashing) I hear from the Left about what purportedly happens in Evangelical churches is a function of what they (y’all) do in their (your) churches. Wes Comer covers this nicely. When it comes to discussions about mixing religion and politics . . . Liberals, speak for yourselves.

–“Cognitive dissonance”. Glen Dean (over at tennesseefree.com) identifies some of the angst being felt by those who had concluded that Sen. Obama represented a different kind of politician . . . one who transcended race.

–Speaking of “cognitive dissonance,” Sean Braisted finds some solace in an LATimes article proving that some of the words spoken by Jeremiah Wright weren’t wrong or hateful, and that some people who sat under Wright’s teaching (not Obama, of course) agreed with things he said.

As I’ve said at my place, this is a valuable discussion, and I’m glad that we’re having it. But it is regrettable that we’re only having it in the context of damage control for Obama’08.

Pardon my absence–not only was I out of town for most of the last two weeks, I’m also experiencing a bit of the blogger’s block. The blockage could be partly due to the clogged head sitting atop my body. I experienced a relief from the allergy symptoms that have been plaguing me since October while I was in the desert, but now I’m back and so is spring and I’m in bad shape. I’ll not bore you with the details of all the medicines that don’t work for me (and have nasty side effects) and how none of my alternative treatments (other than vacations) seem to work.

But I’ll ask a question of the group–what do you think about those air duct cleaning services? I’ve always thought they were a huge scam but as I get on in years, my allergies worsen and I think there may be some merit to this service. I have all hardwoods in my house except one carpeted room. But I have tons of dust (not a problem in my former all-hardwood home). It’s got to be coming from somewhere and I wonder if it’s just getting recirculated. Also, I have a cat. But I’ve had him for nearly 14 years and he’s never been a problem. But I’m sure the air ducts have their share of dander in them.

Thoughts?*

*I’ve seen a doctor and short of getting the battery of allergy tests to determine what shots I need, he’s got nothing. I’ll get the allergy tests done when I have good health insurance again, though. Yeah, I’m really looking forward to that.

Our Health Editor, Rachel Walden, has a very informative post over at Our Bodies Our Blog regarding the discovery that pharmaceuticals are in many water supplies.

My first reaction upon hearing this news was to vow that I would only drink bottled water from now on…but not so fast…

Switching to bottled water is not likely to be a great solution to this problem - many bottled waters on the market are ultimately from a public water supply, and the production, shipment, and disposal of these items creates its own environmental concerns. Although some bottlers use reverse osmosis, which the AP says “removes virtually all pharmaceutical contaminants,” this process is “very expensive for large-scale use and leaves several gallons of polluted water for every one that is made drinkable.” An industry spokesperson commented that, “Bottlers do not typically treat or test for pharmaceuticals.”

Spring and well water are not exempt, either, as Rachel explains in her post.

Further…

The levels detected are very low, much lower than medicinal doses, but the report notes that long-term effects of repeated exposures are not well understood.

So with drugs in our water and hormones in our meat…is there any wonder why it seems like everybody in the world is going crazy?

As usual, Rachel and Aunt B bring to our attention something so important — something that could very well affect me, you, or a close loved one should such a tragic situation like this arise. That is, in some states if you or a loved one is raped, not only do you have to go through the further humiliation of a “rape exam,” but the victim has to pay for the forensics testing as well!

The Vol Abroad notes that (finally) in Tennessee, legislation was passed wherein the cost will be funded by the Victim’s Compensation Fund for sexual assault victims; however, that will most likely be a reimbursement rather than out and out payment. Thus, the victim has to pay for it and then go through a bunch of red tape to be reimbursed.

I’m sorry, but what a bunch of bullshit.

I really appreciate and agree with what Mack had to say on this topic today:

Isn’t the sole purpose of the kit to gather evidence? As such, it seems like an expense that should be covered by the police, or the State.

I ‘m wondering if I show up at an ER claiming to have been shot, if I would be charged for collecting and storing the bullet fragments as evidence? Or, what if the police want to make sure I didn’t shoot myself, and gave me a GSPR test? (Gun shot powder residue) Should I have to pay for that? What if I decide not to press charges? Is it OK to charge me for the costs incurred investigating the crime?

I’m just sitting wondering what kind of message this sends to women. Are we saying that they, as victims of rape, are somewhat, kinda sorta, in a way complicit? I think it does.

The following events have been culled from a variety of sources. If you know of something health-related going on in the Nashville area, please send us a tip!

Today - Gilda’s Club, a cancer support group, is holding a “Look Good Feel Better” workshop for female cancer patients to talk about self-image during chemotherapy. The event is free and from 11-1 today.

Thursday
-According to the Tennessean, the Maryland Farms is starting sessions for an eating disorder support group on Thursday, although I couldn’t find the info on the Y’s site. The 8-week workshop costs $440 for non-members.
-Baptist Hospital is hosting an exercise-focused stroke support session.
-Vanderbilt is hosting a Faces of AIDS panel which is open to the public.

February 21-23
-Vanderbilt is having a 3-day conference entitled “Loving the Body? Sexuality and Black Churches Conference,” with “hopes to examine the ways black churches have negotiated history, theologies, and identities in the responses (or lack of responses) to matters sexual.”

Council moves closer to upping loan to Nashville General - Metro council members have expressed support for a resolution to “extend the reimbursement date of a loan to Nashville General until June 2009, while increasing its line of credit by $11.5 million.” Apparently the hospital is operating with an estimated net deficit of $7.1 million for this fiscal year.

Relatedly, Gail Kerr opines on whether General should be shut down, and notes that “efforts to persuade patients with health insurance to pick General have not worked.”

It seems as though a financial crisis for General almost every year, but how can this be rectified? The hospital is specifically intended to serve as a “safety net” for those without the ability to pay for care and to reduce healthcare disparities, including in its mission statement, “We are committed to providing excellent healthcare regardless of age, race, creed, gender, sexual preference or ability to pay.” Is it possible to have what is in many ways essentially a charity hospital, and have that facility not operate at a loss? Is this deficit simply an accepted part of providing this type of community care, and if so, how do we financially support these services to the community?

I don’t have answers, but I’m interested in your thoughts.

Via Out & About comes news that Vanderbilt will begin testing all patients in their emergency department for HIV this month, unless the patient opts out. Funded by a federal grant through the state health department, rapid tests using an oral swab will be performed, returning results in about 20 minutes. The hospital estimates about 200 people will test positive every 6 months, and plans to work with other health organizations to coordinate follow-up care. The Reporter notes that the grant will run out in September, but the project may continue if funds are available.

The accounts of the program are not clear as to whether unconscious patients arriving at the ED will be automatically tested, or whether testing will be delayed until they are able to choose to opt out.

For more information on HIV testing and to find a test site near you, visit www.hivtest.org.

The other day, I was reading about how scientists think that the cervical cancer-causing HPV strain might also be causing oral cancers in men and I thought to myself, “Self, this could go one of two ways.” Either men are going to use this as an excuse (”Sorry, honey. You know, cancer…”) or there’s going to be a line of dudes getting that Gardasil vaccine. And an ensuing backlash from uptight folks not wanting to get their sons vaccinated against the sex cancer.

In other news regarding people who are too uptight, out of touch, and just plain ignorant, Rachel and Southern Beale comment today on this week’s piece in the Scene about  ”Democrat” Douglas Henry and his definition of rape.

From Rachel:

Should I take this to mean that Senator Henry (despite what state law says) does not believe non-virgins and men can be raped, or that wives cannot be raped by their husbands?

Looks lahk it there, lil’ missy. ’Cos no don’t always mean no ’round these parts. Now get back in the kitchen and make papa some vittles. Mouths are for eatin’, not for talkin’ (or other unsavory things!). 

If you’re not busy with voting and an election results-watching party tonight, Vanderbilt is hosting a panel discussion on whether states should mandate HPV vaccination for public school students.

Panelists will include a Texas state rep who authored legislation requiring the vaccine for girls entering 6th grade, the vice president of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the ACLU-TN director, and others.

The event is taking place at 6pm tonight at the Flynn Auditorium at Vanderbilt Law School, and is free an open to the public. It is going to be available online (streaming live and archived) as well.

Hard to imagine what might be behind a legislative proposal in Mississippi filed Friday which seeks to ban obese people from eating in restaurants. Using the BMI scale, the bill (HB282) demands that any customer whose BMI is 30 or above be refused entry or service.

Blogger Sandy Swarcz at Junkfood Science tried to find out from the bill’s sponsor (one W.T. Mayhall Jr., born in Memphis and a U of M alum) what was happening and writes:

“I called lead author, Rep. Mayhall, and asked if this was serious legislation or tongue-in-cheek to make a point. He kindly took a moment to answer my question while the legislature was in session. He said that while, regrettably, he doesn’t believe his bill will pass, this is serious. He wrote it, he said, because of the “urgency of the obesity crisis and need for government action.” He hopes it will “call attention to the serious problem of obesity and what it is costing the Medicare system.”

Does Mayhall know Stacey Campfield? ‘Cause I’m thinking they might just get along.

[Note from your Health Editor: I have commentary on this as well, and Aunt B says, “But I’m fat! And I have tourist dollars! And a dream of eating red hot tamales in the Delta!”]

I’m breaking posts down into categories, a librarian peculiarity of mine. Future posts may also include healthcare news in general, national policy, important health research findings, etc. - I’ll also be including links to reputable online resources for health information. Don’t forget to send your tips if you have suggestions.

Blogger Musings:
The Archrone is talking about how corporate maneuvering can have a negative impact on healthcare and choice, after a Knoxville hospital is subsumed by a Catholic system and stops offering tubal ligations:

Now, this really pisses me off, first because a hospital has the audacity to impose religious views of contraception on women, and that this imposition is being placed on women through buying up other hospitals. And, here it is in a nutshell — for the people that have health insurance that would otherwise cover tubal ligations performed by their doctor at Baptist hospital, are no longer given the option to make the determination of whether or not they want more children.

Ben Cunningham and Aunt B have a note for Rep. Gary Moore - beating your wife actually does make you a criminal. Said Moore of the legislature, “I don’t think there are any criminals in here. But we’re a cross section of society. There are people in there that drink, people in there that beat their wives…”

Liz has some sex ed suggestions for ya.

Short and Fat has knee trouble, claims “shrinkage.”

Update: a report on Deb’s surgery

One thing I’ve learned: you people love to blog about your ailments.

Policy:
A bill proposed in the Tennessee legislature that you might not have seen yet (HB2676/SB2745), from Doug Jackson and Mike Turner:

Imposes a privilege tax of $5.00 on each customer entering an adult cabaret or adult oriented establishment that provides live entertainment; the proceeds from such tax shall be used solely for making grants to public and private agencies for victims of sexual abuse and domestic violence.

Healthcare Tech:
This one’s mine-I couldn’t resist. The National Museum of Health and Medicine is offering some of its historical images via flickr. You’ll find lots of World War II-era field medicine and public health imagery.

Resource of the Day:
Familydoctor.org’s symptom flowcharts. Produced by the American Academy of Family Physicians, these charts guide you when you wondering what your symptoms mean and what you should do about them. Got a kid with a fever? lower back pain? Answer the questions for likely causes, self-care tips, and when to consider it an emergency. The main site has lots of consumer-friendly health information on a variety of topics as well.

I’m TICKED (or at least I was).

My 9 year old happened to be watching the freaking ANIMAL PLANET channel this morning–at a little past 8 a.m. and saw this @#$%*& commercial. You can probably watch it on the front page of this site. But here’s the transcript of the advertisement:

“MUFFINHEAD”

:30

BOY 1: Mom, Dad, I know you don’t want to talk to me about sex.

GIRL 1: You think I’m too young.

BOY 2: You’re afraid if we talk about sex I’ll no longer be your little Muffinhead.

GIRL 2: Your Cuddlebug.

BOY 3: Your Butterbean.

BOY 4: Talk to me about sex.

GIRL 3: Tell me you want me to wait.

BOY 2: Sure it’ll change our relationship.

BOY 3: It’ll make us closer.

GIRL 2: Tell me to wait to have sex.

GIRL 3: And don’t worry.

BOY 2: I’ll always be your Muffinhead.

GIRL 1: Your Punkinface.

BOY 1: Your Pookie Bear.

LOGO: 4PARENTS.GOV

GIRL 2: Go ahead, tell your Schnookums how you feel.

Isn’t that cute?! Hahahahahahahaha . . . not. I’ll concede that the ad is well done, and the message is not a bad one. It’s probably good for parents to see that ad. But it is definitely not good for my child to see it. I don’t need the government setting the timetable for when I discuss this issue with my child. Have some freaking common sense, people!

As Ivy mentioned, in recent discussions of the future of MCB, the idea arose of having topic-based editors who would round up Nashville-area and Tennessee bloggers’ posts on specific subjects. I’m pleased to have been asked to be the Health Editor, and to have accepted the invitation.

The guidelines for this role are pretty broad, so I’ll be compiling everything from your serious discussions of health policy to your jokey posts about your colorectal exam, posting as I can and as you provide material for linkage. We’ll learn together as we go. Now, I just have to figure out how to keep my own posts out of the round-up, given that health is the primary focus of my blogging both at Women’s Health News and Our Bodies Our Blog. Okay, okay, that’s the last bit of my shameless self-promotion, but you can check out those sites if you’re interested in your Health Editor’s background and previous related work.

Don’t forget to send your tips to tips@musiccitybloggers.com. You are a prolific bunch, so it’s easy to miss some of your excellent posts. In “real life,” I’m a medical librarian, so feel free to send questions about good resources for information on health issues as well, and I’ll try to include those in the posts.

-Send your good thoughts to Deb at Sugarfused, who has been in the hospital and is having surgery today for a diseased gall bladder.

-Finnspace is going to bring us another blogger baby, and had her 12-week appointment last Tuesday. Says Finn:

“Sometimes I think I might be narcoleptic. And arthritic. But then I remember, no, I’m just pregnant. I felt like I could have taken a lovely nap in my spinach dip today at Ruby Tuesdays and my hips are so stiff I’m hobbling around like a 90 year old.”

-Katie Allison Granju has a review of the book “Body Drama:”

For too many girls, the only information they have about what’s normal are the homegenous women-in-bikinis you see in music videos and advertising. But healthy, normal bodies come in all shapes and sizes. I would have loved to have had this book when I was 14 or 15 years old and fretting over the dimensions of my own bod.

-Relatedly, ‘Coma talks about getting naked.

-Sharon Cobb wants to know why the Tennessee pro-choice blogosphere isn’t more up in arms about this [PDF] abortion-related Senate Joint Resolution. If you’re interested (let me know in the comments), I might attempt a round-up of the healthcare-related bills our legislature has introduced thus far - there are some doozies.

-Hispanic Nashville is talking about this Tennessean article in which St. Thomas and Vanderbilt indicate that race and immigration status aren’t their big money concern - insurance status is: “‘I would say the more expensive patients (to VUMC) in the Hispanic community are the same as the ones in the Caucasian community,’ hospital spokesman John Howser said. ‘Those are the ones that are uninsured and critically injured.’” Aunt B is talking about this story as well.

This is important:

I’ve always had a time talking to doctors but Dr. Yuill is one of the easiest docs to talk to. Dr. Millspaugh, who I go to now and who is a good friend of Dr. Yuill’s is also easy to talk to. It must be the younger generation of docs. I don’t know. I like both of these guys a lot. Dr. Millspaugh is also a blogger. He’s a good, thorough, doctor, but, I love the fact that my doc blogs. Hee.

Anyway, Dr. Yuill has started the Rochelle Foundation in memory of his wife. Along with the Tennessee Affiliates of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure (Knoxville, Tri-Cities, Upper Cumberland, Memphis and Chattanooga) they are trying to get a special license plate. The license plate has been approved by the Tennessee Legislature and all they need, before the plates can go in production is pre-sell 1000 plates before July 1, 2008. The plates are $35. If they don’t sell the required number of pre-production of plates, they will return the money to you, but, see…that ain’t gonna happen. We’re going to get all these 1000 plates pre-sold, aren’t we?

A thousand doesn’t sound like too many to have to pre-sell, but if word doesn’t get out about it, there might be enough. Will you buy one? Sista has more at her place.

DeMarCaTionVille has great news for those of us who need another reason to toast to our good health!

ScienceDaily reported a few days ago: “People who drink moderate amounts of alcohol and are physically active have a lower risk of death from heart disease and other causes than people who don’t drink at all, according to new research. People who neither drink alcohol nor exercise have a 30-49 per cent higher risk of heart disease than those who either drink, exercise or both.”

It’s all about balance, folks!

Now go out and have a wonderful weekend…

Sista Smiff has a very touching story to tell about her former doctor, and then a call to action…

It’s so hard to wrap your head around a young mother to be being told she has breast cancer when pregnant, but, that’s what happened to Rochelle.   She was a succesful dentist (she actually worked out of my office at one time).

Dr. Yuill is not practicing medicine as much now because he is devoting himself to his little boy and he is also devoting himself to finding a cure for Breast Cancer.

Anyway, Dr. Yuill has started the Rochelle Foundation in memory of his wife.  Along with the Tennessee Affiliates of the Susan G. Komen for the Cure (Knoxville, Tri-Cities, Upper Cumberland, Memphis and Chattanooga) they are trying to get a special license plate.  The license plate has been approved by the Tennessee Legislature and all they need, before the plates can go in production  is pre-sell 1000 plates before  July 1, 2008.  The plates are $35.  If they don’t sell the required number of pre-production of plates, they will return the money to you, but, see…that ain’t gonna happen.  We’re going to get all these 1000 plates pre-sold, aren’t we?

Think of someone you love who has fought this horrible disease and fork over that $35, would ya?

You can go right here to get your license plate. 

I am completely and utterly appalled by what I read over at Katie Allison Granju’s place this morning:

Denver mothers who are enrolled in high school are asking for a modest four weeks of approved maternity leave from classes, and all hell is breaking loose over their request. The topic has bloggers and pundits buzzing, with most folks nastily wagging their fingers at the idea that “teen mothers” should get a few weeks to rest their bodies and bond with their babies after giving birth. After all, the reasoning goes, if we “reward” teenage moms with four weeks of no homework, it will surely encourage more 16 year old girls to get knocked up.

Are they NUTS?

No, they are cruel. Evidently, they want to punish those girls much as they possibly can for their mistakes.  God forbid you give them an “excused absence” for giving birth!

Katie wrote a powerful essay entitled “In Defense of the Pregnant Prom Queen” recently, and it ties in to this most recent story, as well.  Read her entire post, as well as the essay here.

Sista’s going in surgery tomorrow…

I’m not the mess I was on the eve of the first surgery I ever had back in 1993. I was borderline hysterical before that one. I’m trying to focus on the fact that hopefully, after tomorrow, I will feel like a new person and be saying “I wish I had have had this done years ago” and enjoying my day in the bed, hopefully, having Mr. Smiff wait on me hand and foot and pamper the pee-waddling out of me. (snicker)

Don’t worry Sista, I just know that Dr. McDreamy will take real good care of you.

Still, let’s send up prayers and/or be thinking positive thoughts for our girl.

Update: Sista just text messaged me…everything went well! Whew!

Kat’s story:

The doctor I went to yesterday was in an office I had been to before. (The exact same office in the same office building, as a matter of fact.) It was the second-worst medical visit I’ve ever had in my life. I’ll never forget it.

Go on over to hear the story.

I’ve been away from blogs for the better part of a month. This means that I haven’t gotten to talk about penises as often as I would like, so imagine my thrill to see that W has a circumcision post erected just in time for my return!

veryone both in real life and on the net have a story about some distant family member who had to be circumcised later in life due to some obscure penile problem. So the argument that follows is of course you should have it done when they’re an infant so it won’t hurt as much. Folks, I call bunk. An infant feels too. I’ve read the research. The only difference between having it done as an infant versus an older child or adult is that infants don’t remember it. Having it done when you’re older actually seems a lot better. Because when you’re older a new surgical scar won’t be residing in a diaper right next to where bodily wastes collect.

He’s preparing for the imminent arrival of a son, and needs his questions answered in short order. As far as circumcision posts go–and I’ve read plenty–his recent one is very good at covering all the bases.