MY FIRST CHILD WAS BORN IN FEBRUARY 2005 AND DIAGNOSED WITH SWCAH.

2 DAYS LATER LABS WERE DONE TO CONFIRM SHE WAS A SHE AND NOT A HE. WE THE PARENTS NEVER KNEW OF THIS DISORDER AND THOUGHT MAYBE HIS TESTICLES WERE FUSED TOGETHER AND HIS PENIS DIDN’T FULLY DEVELOP.

2 WEEKS LATER WE SAW AN ENDO SPECIALIST AND TO DATE IS TAKING CARE OF HER MEDS. QUESTIONS REGARDING SURGERY AROSE AND WERE REFERRED TO A PEDIATRIC UROLOGIST.

MARCH 2005: WE CONSULTED THE UROLOGIST.  HE EXPLAINED THE PROCEDURE TO US AND MENTIONED THAT THE BEST TIME TO DO SURGERY, IF THAT’S WHAT WE WANTED, WOULD BE FROM 6-10 MONTHS OF AGE AND NOT DURING THE WINTER BECAUSE OF ALL THE COLDS AND ILLNESS THAT GO AROUND DURING THAT SEASON.  

MY HUSBAND AND I DISCUSS THE SURGERY ONLY TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HER AT A LATER AGE.  WE PUT INTO PROSPECTIVE SOME OF THE EXPERIENCES WE’VE READ ON THESE SITES. SOME SAY YES DO IT NOW FOR LATER SHE WILL REMEMBER. OTHERS SAY SHE SHOULD BE PART OF THAT DECISION. WE ARE STILL VERY UNEASY ON OUR DECISION OF GOING AHEAD WITH IT.  ON ONE HAND WE SAY NOW WOULD BE BEST BECAUSE  SHE WON’T REMEMBER THE HEALING PROCESS AND THE DILATIONS THAT I, HER MOM, WOULD HAVE TO PERFORM ON HER VAGINA FOR ONE YEAR TO MAKE SURE HER HEALING TISSUE DOES NOT CLOSE AND FUSE MAKING FOR ANOTHER SURGERY. ON THE OTHER HAND WE DON’T WANT HER TO RESENT US FOR MAKING A DECISION LIKE THAT ON HER BODY.  WE ARE STILL LEANING TO WARDS THE GREEN LIGHT.