91. Our Vasectomy Story

This week we’re back for round two with my handsome husband Danny. We wanted to come back and talk about the vasectomy process, as people who don’t already have children.
I’ve done some research about other couples who chose to not have children, and have found out the difference between being childless, and childfree.
Childless- are people that are wanting and or trying to have children and can’t.
Childfree - are people that have chosen the route to not go forward with having children.
Even though we fall into the childfree category, we’re not the people who will openly talk badly about people who choose to have kids.
We are people who have chosen not to have kids, but we are also kind people.

What fears did Danny have around Vasectomy?
His initial thought was just “no”. But then he talked to his father and step father about the process, and they were not fully understanding why we wanted it. So when he had to explain why this is the best option, and why we don’t want kids, it really cleared up his mind.
His biggest fear was just getting it done, and the pain, the needle specifically, was embedded in his brain. "Shots are shots, but shots in your nutsack are a whole nother fear."

How did he know that he was going to have to get a shot?
Most of what Danny found out was from his consultation and the doctor told him how it was going to go, and what to do to prepare, and exactly what was going to happen.

What was the process beforehand?
Danny did have to talk to his primary care doctor for a referral. Then you have to go into the consultation, and the earliest appointment to actually get it done was three months away, but it ended up only being a month wait. Which was great because Danny just wanted to get it done. If this is something that you’re trying to get in and get done in a week, that’s probably not going to happen, there’s definitely a process.

During the consultation, the doctor asked if Danny had kids, but Rachel didn’t have to sign anything?
The doctor was surprised when Danny said he didn’t have kids yet, but still wanted a vasectomy, but he absolutely approved and called Danny a hero. 
On the other side of the spectrum, if I had gone in to get my tubes tied, with the same exact medical background, there’s no way they would have approved it, I would have 1,000% been declined to get my tubes tied.

What is the day of the procedure like?
I had to drop off and pick up Danny, but couldn’t come into the building at all, probably because of covid, but definitely would have otherwise. I totally nerded out about the process, and would have loved being there for the whole thing. The Doctor explained it was going to be a shot on both sides one at a time, which numbs the entire testicle. He then cuts a small incision and finds the tube, pulls it out, and then cuts it with a laser, but you can’t feel a single thing besides the initial shot. They send you out with a cup, for a three month post surgery deposit to test after three months to check if there’s still sperm. They tell you tylenol and ice, and that’s it.  There was discomfort, it felt like squeezing, not in a nice way, constantly, for about a week. There was still some very slight pain for about a week after that.

Anything else Danny wants to tell anyone who’s thinking about getting a vasectomy?
Don’t go in freaking out about the needle being the worst thing. Really, it’s nothing. It’s the slightest uncomfortability.
The most important part of all of this is that you’re advocating for