Ray's experience - added November 22nd, 2003
Vasectomy in 1970

In redoing the math it was about 33 years ago, approximately 1970.

Not much to say. We had two boys. My wife became pregnant within a month or so of her stopping the pill both times. We didn't want a house full of rug rats (I came from a family of 9 kids). The pill was not a good long term solution. My getting snipped seemed much simpler than her getting her tubes tied. I read about it in the popular press. It was presented as a simple alternative to having your wife's tubes being tied. I don't remember seeing anything about possible long term effects.

The attitude of my wife and I was that having two children was the responsible thing to do. The world was not suffering from under population. We felt we could do a better job of raising two, rather then the nine that I had come from. I had it done in spite of it being a "Mortal Sin". I am not religious any more, is it still considered a sin?

I don't remember doing any research at the time, after all it was such a simple procedure. Nor do I remember discussing it with anyone. My wife was unaware of the procedure until I explained it to her. I did not know anyone else who had it done. There was enough literature that I was fully aware of the procedure. Still to me it was no big deal, just the best of the alternatives. Prior to the operation I did not know of any one who had it done.

I am not a big consumer of medical services - this remains the second operation of my life. I had my tonsils removed when I was 10. It has been 10 years since I have been to a doctor. At the time my wife called a urologist, he said he did the procedure and I had it done in the doctors office. It was done through two small cuts. I went to work the next day. The only discomfort I remember was the itching from shaving and slight pain from the stitches. I went back 6 weeks later with a sample. I was told everything was fine.

This is not my usual topic of conversation, so I don't have too many stories to tell. One man said "I am not going to let anyone touch me down there". Another second hand quote is "I don't want to lose my manliness" so his wife was fixed instead. About 10 years later (ca. 1980) I remember discussing vasectomy with someone. He was under the impression that vasectomy meant the end of orgasms.

No more trolls appeared to I guess it worked. Sex was improved because no more worries and it was more spontaneous. It was a lot simpler than many of the stories I have read. I have no regrets, and my sons have both grown to fine men!

Ray