Thanks for all the ~ma guys.

The vet was all, "didn't you TELL him they'd been fine before?" he's way more conservative with this (which is a relief). If they ARE malignant then we need to consider a mastectomy and keep an eye on her lungs since that is where breast tumors like to metasticize. Vet 1 didn't even ask me if her breathing was normal. duh.

vw, the best of luck on the apt.

Kristin, I don't know how you can bear it. Hang in there.

Hil, I'd never cut it as one of the chosen people... I'd die if I saw my son brissed.

I know I'm missing things. Sorry.

Tons of surgery~ma to Dallas.

Thanks, Sail. Part of the not putting it off is that I am supposed to start the class next week.

{{Trudy}}{{Dallas}}

I'll never forget the bris that I went to where the poor boy screamed and screamed and his grandmother went around telling us all, "he's just cold." I don't know if I've ever been to one where the mother actually stays in the room.

vw, credit check ~ma.

I am home and basketball is on, but now that I've seen the score I'll be turning it off.

Soon I must motivate to the grocery store. Yes, we have no bananas...

I'm now all curious--what does the rabbi (or whomever wields the sharpened implements) do with the bit they cut off? Does it get put in some sort of medical container, is there some ritual involved with disposing of it?

My nephew did that when he was baptized - full immersion, 3 times. We hadn't been told before hand that that was what would happen. My sister was Not Pleased.

12 years ago next month. That's weird.

From teh FAQ at imohel.com:

Q: What is traditionally done with the excised foreskin?

A: The foreskin is an object that has been part of a mitzvah, and similar to an unusable Torah scroll or tefillin, it requires burial. A garbage disposal is not dignified and considered a disgraceful place to throw away an object of God’s imperative.

OMG, a garbage disposal? I mean, I can see if you're saying "throwing it in the trash isn't appropriate, it should be buried" or something, but...garbage disposal? Who would put it down the DISPOSAL???

It must have come up to be specifically mentioned like that. As a hypothetical question, one hopes.

The doctor asked me if I wanted the foreskin with one of the boys. Um, no.

My ability to form sentences not so good. Going to watch the rest of the game in bed.

G'night all. Sweet dreams.

Huh. Until I read that, I'd never even considered what they did with the foreskin.

the rabbi (or whomever wields the sharpened implements)

The person who does the actual cutting is called a mohel. (Pronounce "moil," approximately.) Generally, he's got rabbinic certification plus was trained by an older mohel; nowadays, a lot of mohels (but not all) are also doctors.

At the bris today, I think the baby's mother and grandmother and great-aunts were crying more than the baby was. (I don't know what the mens reactions were -- it was separate seating.)