Arpan, 21, works in the defence department in Assam.
Selection in my dream job
My parents were very happy when I received the final confirmation letter for my dream job. After clearing the written exam and interview for the government job I had been preparing very hard for, it was a dream come true for me. Just one step was left - I had to undergo a medical examination. I was fit and healthy but had no idea that I was having a physical condition that bothers many men.
The day I was told to undergo a medical examination, I was asked to report to the assigned hospital. Tests for my heart, blood pressure and sugar were initially done. Later on the dental and chest X-ray procedure were finished and finally, I went to the last doctor.
He requested me to get undressed. He was wearing his rubber gloves and face mask. He began examining me for piles and hernia. Then he checked my tests for Hydrocele (a swelling caused by fluid around the testicle) and Varicocele (a swelling caused by dilated or enlarged veins within the testicles).
After a detailed examination of my private parts, the doctor told me that I was all fit but I had Phimosis.
What is Phimosis?
When he tried to pull back the foreskin of my penis to reveal the penis head, the skin didn't move. It was tightly stuck around my urinary hole. He told me that this condition is called Phimosis and many adult men and boys face this.
Will this cause any problem, I asked him. He said it isn’t any parameter for him to declare me unfit for the job. The doctor then inquired about my masturbation habits and sex life. I told him I haven't ever had sex and only relied on wet dreams to ejaculate because masturbation was painful.
He told me that to get Phimosis corrected, a small surgical procedure is done. Once the surgery is done, you'll be able to masturbate without any pain and clean the smegma from your penis head.
He then gave me a clearance for medicals. I came back home and I narrated my whole day’s experience to my father about my medical check, the clearance for job and Phimosis.
My surgery
My father searched for a dermatologist and we fixed an appointment with him to get my Phimosis corrected. I was a bit scared after reaching the clinic but the doctor assured me that it would be over before I knew it.
He asked me to sit with my butt on the end of a chair such that my testicles and penis hung in the air. After injecting both my thighs with local anaesthesia, he informed my father that the surgery will take 10 minutes to get Phimosis corrected.
Once my thighs and groin went numb, he began the procedure. He told me to look at him and asked me about the government job and the working department I was selected for. When I was looking at him and answering, with a quick movement of his hand, he cut my foreskin in a second. I felt no pain but saw some blood that he cleaned and applied a cream on the penis head.
Path to recovery
It took me one week to fully recover. I was told to not sleep with my face down. I kept my penis covered with a soft tissue paper and wore tight v-shaped underwear until recovery.
I am all fit and fine now and doing well in my job. The decision I took allowed me to have pain free sexual intercourse and I can also masturbate without hurting my penis.
You can read about Phimosis in detail here.
To protect the identity, the person in the picture is a model and names have been changed.
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About the author: Arpit Chhikara loves to read, write, draw and take long walks while listening to podcasts. Besides writing on various themes related to SRHR, he also works in the alternative education domain. When not at home, you can find him living in lesser-known places in India. You can check him on Instagram.