All my love and support to him, a brother in arms.
But it reminds me that, 15 years on, we're still in Afghanistan.
Would someone remind me why?
21
Your bravery in serving our country and courage after serious injury makes you 10x more of a man than most. Hats off to you.
12
This man paid a high cost in flesh and blood in the selfless defense of his country. Penis or not, he is one hell of a manly man. No one has the right to ever question that.
If this surgery proves successful for this, and other, veterans, I think that is amazing. Anything to help in their recovery is a good thing. My prayers go out to him for a successful recovery, and a long, peaceful rest of his life.
25
Why should there be stigma associated with a genital injury? When is society going to mature to the point of realizing that a penis is a body part, like a finger or a toe are body parts? Why should injured people be burdened with both injury and stigma? Ridiculous. I wish him well in his recovery. Modern medicine brings many blessings. Let us not blur them with stigmas manufactured in shibboleth-laden minds.
12
Erection and urination aside, would it not be possible, using the latest genetic methods, to change a dermal cell to a germ cell and use IVF so as to have a biologic child?
5
Patient X: You are a hero.
Not for your active duty service, although I thank you for that.
For this: "He struggled with thoughts of suicide, he said: “When I would actually think about killing myself, I would think, ‘Am I really just gonna kill myself over a penis?’”
He learned to walk with prosthetic legs, left the hospital and lived on his own in an apartment. But he had trouble connecting with other people, and even when he no longer needed OxyContin for physical pain he kept taking it to numb his emotions.
He managed to wean himself off it. He saw a therapist. He earned a college degree and began making plans to attend medical school."
That is truly heroic: Choosing to build a life in the face of devastating injury.
Many people struggle with emotional and physical loss, and sink into addiction. You suffered, but managed to pull through and not just survive, but thrive: living independently, earning a degree, making plans for the future.
I wish you the very best with the new transplant. And please remember: No matter what happens, you are already a hero.
Thanks for providing us all with an example of how to live!
26
That picture of the man with his hands over his face is grossly exploitative. It makes his situation seem shameful, like politicians covering their faces on the way into the courthouse for their corruption trials.
1
He wants to be anonymous.
12
As someone who is transgender, I believe this soldier was and always remained a man. It is what's in his head as well as his groin. He was no less a man, and to assume otherwise is to take a slim view of what it takes to be male.
Interesting that so many are for reconstruction surgery here but have qualms about trans surgery to match the body with the brain.
Patriotism over science perhaps?
8
i just don't get all this nonsense about "medical ethics." just give the poor guy a set of donor testicles. who cares if he fathers a child that isn't genetically his? as long as the child is properly cared for, it shouldn't matter.
7
Stupid question: Why doesn't the VA pay for this?
10
Not a stupid question.
9
This is lovely. Best wishes to you, and complete and utter support. It should not be a lonely injury - it should be supported like any other devastating loss. I am glad you persisted, that you didn't accept "no" and that some people were able to donate it. This article makes me smile, gives hope and shows the good side of humanity.
9
This sounds like a groundbreaking surgery. I wonder, instead of not transplanting the donors testes, if there was consideration of transplanting donor testes and performing vasectomy, if ethical considerations about fertility were an issue. Seems as though that might have been a superior medical procedure if so.
6
Here's to being normal, man. May normality serve you well for years (and years) to come.
4
Medical care for those who choose to be in the military should be the best and free - bottom line. We should all be grateful to those who serve and more than just saying "thank you for your service". Give them what they have earned and deserve. Thanks to those who made this operation possible.
21
I wish all the best to this man.
11
The article makes clear this gentleman's profound psychological link between his identification with being male and attendant genitals. I wonder however what would have been the outcome had the patient voiced an identification with being female, to take lemons and make lemonade as it were, and given the issues at hand the patients desire to take the opportunity to transition to femininity.
5
It is so sad to see these patriotic young soldiers, dying or being hurt in frivolous wars.
These casualties cannot be treated as mere statistics, and wars should be waged only when the nation is truly at risk.
11
I wish nothing but the best for this veteran going through this historic process. The story raises the question for me, though, why we invest so much identity in body parts. Must one have the genitals of one's gender identity to feel whole? I ask this question not only in cases like this one, but for people who are transgender also. There is a bundle of nerves down there. Does it matter what shape it's in? Does it matter what we look like? To what extent is the issue one that is solved by surgery versus psychology? We have people who refuse to abide by binary gender identities: They recognize themselves as neither "male" nor "female". What their genitals represent is not who they are, and there is no surgical option to synchronize their body with their identity, so they move beyond surgery, move beyond the structure of the body, move beyond the expectations of binary-bound definitions of identity, and stake their own claim. Can we learn from people who are Queer that there are possibilities out there that are not surgical in nature, but yet yield completely fulfilled lives? Not everyone will be able to get this, or some other, surgery. Can those people follow a path informed by the Queer community that helps us understand we can be whole with whatever body we have?
6
This is great -- but being for life on anti-rejection drugs makes this a tricky decision for the patient.
Because unlike a donated liver (etc) one does not require a penis to live. If the patient wants it along with the anti-rejection drugs, that is cool. I am not sure I would make the same decision.
It is interesting how much of the abdomen donor tissue is used in order for the transplant to succeed. Fewer nerves and vessels to reconnect that way.
5
Great story! Kudos to the patient and to the donor family! It seems to me, though, that if they can perform this type of surgery, that they can develop some type of protective device for this specific reason. I would love to see this happen, so the soldiers would not have to have this type of surgery. I do think this may happen soon. I also think that this soldier will get a lot of offers from women who want to have a true relationship....something to watch.
7
Wishing this young man all the best and kudos to the medical team and scientific research. My own father was an severely wounded amptuee veteran. Never ever give up! keep moving forward. May god bless all our wounded heroes. I am forever grateful for my fathers and all veterans sacrifices.
9
Reminds us all how important it is to be an organ and body donor. A breathtaking story of science helping man, of The foresight of a man who donated his organs, the bravery, courage and strength of a man badly maimed in war. The dedicated medical teams who worked together to help a man. The advances of medical science that this operation could be done is so beautiful. Arrivals such as this is what gives us all hope and faith in the goodness of humanity. I am in awe of everyone involved including the MYT journalists who write a stunning article.
10
Fascinating, and clearly demonstrative of the leaps that science and research are making. If more of our tax dollars were allocated to scientific research instead of providing unneeded tax relief to the obscenely wealthy, there is no telling what breakthroughs could be made. Instead, government funded medical research stands at the lowest levels since the days of the Apollo space program. The fact that members of the surgical team had to offer their services pro bono speaks volumes.
9
That last paragraph made me cry. I am praying he does get to do the normal stuff.
35
Wishing him the best and kudos to the medical team. This soldier is truly a courageous man and was so before the operation.
22
This is amazing, and the caring of the donor's family is wonderful. The human body, when we leave it in death, becomes mere garbage much like the leaves we rake off our lawns without the generosity of organ donors. So many veterans, especially in the age of EIDs have suffered similar loss as did this veteran. I hope that this procedure can give renewed energy and confidence in being alive to those who have been comparably injured. Thank you to all the vets, and thank you to the emotional generosity of the donor family who enabled their tragedy to gift hope to another human being.
17
Don’t be hard on the leaves. If composted, they enable new life too.
12
To the recipient: Thank you for your courageous service both to the country and for offering yourself to advance medicine world-wide.
To the donor's family: Condolences for your loss; God bless you for your inspiring and generous act of kindness.
37
You have expressed my own feelings better than I could. Thank you for that. I would only add the highest praise for: (1) the doctors, surgeons, nurses, other medical support personnel, and administrative personnel who made this operation possible; and (2) the NYT reporters who delivered this moving story with such clarity and respect for all concerned.
3
This is why Transgender surgery needs to be kept in the Military. Surgeons need to practice this skill so that injuries such as this can be done in a competent manner.
15
I’m sure there are more than enough battlefield cases for military doctors to work on to perfect the skills necessary for for this procedure. Those doctors need to help soldiers with injuries, not people who just want to change their appearance.
7
That makes zero sense. This surgery can be practiced outside the military also. Sorry to break it to you but the medical condition of being transgender is just one of an extensive list of medical conditions that keep you out of the military.
1
Transgender people in the military aren't simply changing their appearance. They are becoming their true selves, and I applaud them for serving our country and for their courage to live an authentic life.
5
I cannot understand why young men (and women) continue to volunteer for the military and risk these horrific injuries. If we were at war and they were drafted, then I could see it as a sacrifice that was necessary. But, as it is, it's just a waste and these kinds of terrible injuries are endured for absolutely no reason. Every young person considering enlisting should read this story, so they would hopefully reconsider.
22
With the speed that the world moves today, not having a staffed military and waiting for a draft is s recipe for disaster. That's like saying we shouldn't have more doctors until there's a pandemic and we now need to get more people into med school. Too little, too late.
Thank God there are men and women who are willing to answer the call be be ready.
11
George S: If we need a force at the ready, then keep them out of danger so they are actually ready to be of use. Sending them into areas of undeclared war, to fight another country's battles, and where they risk injury and death does not serve the purpose you describe.
5
"Thank God there are men and women who are willing to answer the call to be ready"
None of them named Trump...or Kushner...or Bush... or Bolton, or their kind...The ones who pay the price are the ones with the least to start with. Shameful. Institute a draft. No exceptions for college, or $$$$, or women, or family men/women, or anything. No exceptions for heel spurs. Then you will see the wars stop...
Best to this young man. We are all wishing you a full recovery and a long and happy life. To these doctors, hospitals, medical staff - God Bless you all.
7
This is precisely why US military doctors should be allowed to perform gender reassignment surgeries. The skills learned constructing genitals will, in the future, benefit brave soldiers wounded on the battlefield.
12
This is the type of surgery that could benefit all men.
1
Probably the families who have lovingly and generously given permission for this ground breaking surgery and use of their loved one's genitalia, would not draw the line at the testicles. It seems this would enhance overall success of the procedure.
11
I wish the recipient the best of luck in life. May you complete your education and go on to live a full and rewarding life. I have no doubt your experience will make you an excellent physician with tremendous empathy.
Thanks to the donor family for your incredible generosity as well. I’m sorry for your loss.
Hats off to the doctors on the surgical team. You all had no idea when you were in school how far the field would come. Your hard work has such value. Awesome job. Amazing article.
32
A wonderfully well-written article . . . and written by a woman on a very difficult subject that would be demanding for even a man to write.
19
Great story.
Greater pictures. They display such honesty while still maintaining his privacy and are brilliantly executed.
19
I am not easily moved to tears but this story had me sobbing. That our young men are sent to fight this awful war and then must endure the results of these cowardly I.E.D.s is just heartbreaking. To those young men who are so horribly injured, I would like to say as a woman, that a penis is not what truly makes a man. Yes, it is important but not the be-all end-all to many women; these men should not deprive themselves of a life with a woman if they can offer companionship, loyalty, a sense of humor and love. They can never be thanked enough for their service to this country and deserve the very best in treatment and care for as long as they need.
53
The "enemy" is not cowardly for its use of IED's. They are fighting for their own country against a vastly technologically superior oppressor bent on destroying them. Look at any military action where the odds are so heavily stacked against the true inhabitants of the countryside and you find them responding with anything at hand. Our own "patriot" ancestors used similar tactics in the American Revolution and have experienced its reciprocity in every war through today. Watch some WWII film of Japanese being burned out of emplacements or caves with jellied napalm. Pause to reflect. Watch "The Terminator" series.
4
"How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be, Let the more loving one be me."
-- Poe Wystan Hugh Auden (1907-1973).
19
Thumbs up!
4
I have an idea to end all wars. Yes, you heard me right. How about we take photos of all these genitourinary injuries as well as videos of the surgeries employed to restore limited function. Then we distribute these visuals on social media. How much do you want to bet that recruitment for every holy cause and every national aggrandizement would shrivel - pun intended - to zero? Every young freedom-fighter and every other 'you name your fight' fighter would take one quick look and experience a visceral 'no thank you.'
31
Ten or eleven inches and four or five pounds?! Now THAT is what I call a penis transplant.
8
support the troops by ending the useless pointless wars that destroy lives of soldiers and civilians
21
Get out there and try it out, young man!
4
"This is an evolving branch of medicine spurred in large part by the wounds of war — particularly the blast injuries from improvised explosive devices, or I.E.D.s."
How about we stop the wars? This would save lives in all countries and save our men and women such horrifying debilitating personal destruction. I'm sure that no matter how extraordinary this transplant is, it will not ever be the same as the original.
Our stopping the killing would also save the lives of people in other countries and prevent their being horribly maimed.
We need to spend money to help others, not just kill and destroy. A lot of fighting is caused by economic hardships that result in political abuse. Too many people lack decent food, clean drinking water and many other basic necessities of life. 40% of the world doesn't have a decent home. The US has money but uses it the wrong way.
15
How should we like it were stars to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be, Let the more loving one be me.
How should we like its were starts to burn
With a passion for us we could not return?
If equal affection cannot be,
Let the more loving one be me.
English Poet W. H. Auden
5
"The patient at Johns Hopkins is just one of many soldiers whose lives were shattered in a split second when they stepped on hidden bombs in Iraq or Afghanistan. He lost both legs above the knee, but the genital damage was even more devastating to him."
Every young person thinking of enlisting or re-enlisting in the armed forces of the United States should consider that they could be sacrificing their genitalia -- or other parts of their anatomies and minds if not their lives -- not to 'defend our freedoms' but in the service and at the whim of Donald Trump, who was not only a notorious draft dodger but who, by every measure, is the most despicable, demented and thoroughly disgusting human being ever to hold the office of president and commander in chief. Think about that.
29
George W Bush should have been the donor.
15
And yet everyone is worrying about George Bush's health, the man that sent so many young men off to a early death or grave injuries will get to die in a comfortable bed at a ripe old age.
13
George HW Bush (the 41st President) voluntarily enlisted in the Navy at the beginning of WWII and flew combat missions in the Pacific. He served honorably before his political career and is now 93 and in failing health. I think most decent people feel sympathy for him and wish him well.
Are you confusing him with his son, George W Bush?
4
You've got the wrong George Bush.
I'm stoked for this. Maybe they will offer it to transgender people someday. I sure hope so because the surgery we have now for transgender men sucks. I'm sure private insurance will never cover it but at least some rich trans-men could get a surgery that could change their lives.
If it was possible to do a uterine transplant on a transgender woman I would totally do it. Im.a transgender woman, and quite frankly our surgery sucks too. If I could have a child I think that would radically change my life. Today I'm dealing with accepting that I'll have a penis that doesn't work for the rest of my life....and accepting that I am sterile now and will never have children even if I wanted to.
You know, the way this guy describes his loss of his genetalia is so so similar to how transgender people talk about being transgender. It's really quite uncanny.
Anyway, I hope he is hung and I hope he enjoys his newfound pocket rocket.
7
"Just that normal stuff." Modest sounding goal for an extraordinary man. He's earned it.
15
“Just the normal stuff”
One of the most amazing things about this story is how it illustrates what so many of us take for granted. There are activities and experiences of every day life which are off-limits to many because of medical conditions. Often, surgery feels like a miracle, not because it gives the recipient some magical power, but because it restores their ability to simply participate in the daily experiences of life that many of us undertake without a second thought.
Thank for showing us the great beauty of science and medicine and the indomitable drives of the human intellect and spirit.
8
I saw this headline several days ago, but didn't want to read it. The journalism was admirable, explaining the biological-medical process along with the emotion-social aspects of this procedure.
I can attest that at a given age, men reach the point where the uro-genital components that were destroyed by trauma in this case, through evolution, become less or even non functional. Of course this part of the aging- and dying process that is a principle of the organism being the species' way of perpetuating itself.
I must remark that our current President who relishes playing war, with parades and saber rattling, ignores tragedies such as what this individual and thousand of others must face. While this surgery is important, if civilization does survive, the concept of war itself must relegated to the dustbin of history.
13
Perhaps this is not the time or place for politics, but I truly feel the U.S. government is direct cause of the deaths and catastrophic injuries our brave troops have suffered in Iraq. The Middle East is a maelstrom with no end in sight.
21
Nearly 50 years ago, my family donated the organs of my 17 year old brother who died from head trauma from an auto accident, so I have been paying close attention to organ donation news ever since. I don't understand how families can say "no" to donating organs. It offers life and hope to others and costs nothing. The letter from the donor family here is moving and echos much of what my family has felt all these years. May this brave veteran always feel whole again and appreciate his own character, bravery and service to humanity. And may he meet and fall in love with a woman who is truly deserving of him. And I suspect that most of the women reading this article would tell him that it is character, personality, sense of humor and values that we fall in love with, not body parts!
47
Your family gave a gift of love during a time of terrible grief. Bless you and all the families who save lives through organ donation.
17
I feel nothing but admiration and compassion for the subject of this article and the donor's family. But in my view these veterans have not served their country so much as they have been cruelly used by their country -- more precisely by the warmongers and ideologues and arms manufacturers who see some profit for themselves in brutal, horrific violence. To what end? I'm not more free. I'm less free. I don't want this violence done in my name. No political goal is served.
Our military budget dwarfs those of the next twelve highest-spending countries combined. Spend the money on the VA and care for them that shall have borne the battle, in Lincoln's words. And then let public service take the form of repairing our infrastructure -- green this time -- and funding schools and providing universal health care and preparing for climate change mitigation. All of which are perfectly affordable if we could turn away from policies of destruction.
45
It is amazing the number of life-saving, life-restoring medical innovations that have come about, mainly because of war and its carnage.
All best wishes to the young man.
10
What an amazing, incredibly touching story. Many thanks to all of the wonderful medical staff who made it possible for this brave young man to be able to live a life doing "normal stuff". And bless the donor's family. Much gratitude to the NYT for sharing this with us.
24
As a Nurse Practitioner, I still never cease to be amazed at the progress found in our medical community. The surgery described is astounding in complexity but it will enable this young man who gave so much to his country to live a more fulfilling life. How heartwarming to read that this veteran's main thought is in regards to his ability to give back by going to medical school and helping others, possibly veterans like himself. It's wonderful to read something so positive and uplifting among the many pessimistic yet necessary articles regarding the state of our government today.
25
This should be covered by insurance. Thanks to the doctors who donated their time. I wish this young man well and hope he finds the relationship he'd like.
25
Actually, the government should pay for this procedure. He was in the military when this happened.
20
What a great medical story. But I’m still perplexed why the US continues to send our young to far out places only to get nothing in return. The corrupt regimes we have supported do not appreciate our services except for the hundreds of billions of dollars we have given them. Most of that money are in Swiss bank accounts. That money would be better served supporting American infrastructure of various means.
26
Doctors do amazing things that make our lives better. We certainly need to invest more in medical research. Very fitting that this is being done for a veteran who plans to be a doctor.
12
What an amazing time to be alive. Many thanks to the soldier himself for his service, and to the donor and his family for their compassion. Here's to a life full of all that "normal stuff" for him.
23
Ooh boy, there are tears streaming down my face after reading this one. Thank you to the soldier willing to share his story and to Denise for reporting on this. May he continue to feel whole and happy. I am a stand up comedian so after the tears have dried, I might have to take some inspiration from this, but it will be respectful and nothing at the expense of the dear recipient. Wishing him a happy life ahead.
22
Wow, what a powerful article. If this doesn't make you believe in the American spirit... The doctors working for free, the note from the donor's family, this kids courage to go forward and keep his head up... so many wonderful things.
I get the impression that they won't quit until they get this right. To the patient, best of luck in med school and a meaningful life. Incredible story.
30
This is absolutely amazing and prayers for a successful recovery! What a huge team effort. Im currently recovery from donating a kidney to someone in need. I encourage everyone to be an organ donor. One person can save up to 8 people.
28
An edifying story but sad that in the 21st century, we humans are still blowing each other up.
37
Blessings, young man - use it in good health..!
9
Mission accomplished! Thanks, W, and thanks to your supporters! I wonder how many surgical miracles are being performed on Iraqi victims.
10
After months of reading stories about horrible men & their penises, this story was a welcome counter to that.
Kudos to the medical / prosthetic teams that are developing body parts to help these patients.
37
This is groundbreaking for him and others with traumatic injuries. I hope he is able to tolerate and sustain the anti-rejection medications regimen. Thank you to the doctors who made it possible, and the family that saw how life changing this donation would be.
10
"Just that normal stuff." One of the really great aspects of this type of medical surgery, treatment, therapy and medicines and health is that procedures that are birthed out of military trauma will eventually be part of a "normal," everyday, availability for all people -- not just military citizenry.
As we learned in the Civil War and since the Civil War, procedures that emanate from War are soon at work and in use in the civilian and general populations. What stems from 1300 wartime genital(s) injuries will, at some point translate and be available to patients in the overall general and civilian populations.
Just as breast enhancement and augmentation is a commonplace option for women, one day men who wish to be augmented and enhanced will be able to make this choice as a health option and not just as a grizzly necessity. Penile and scrotal transplant and procedures associated with these organs will be part of an everyday general menu of availability for boys and men who feel that they want to improve upon themselves.
8
A grizzly necessity is a simple, bear necessity.
5
I wouldn't compare this man's reconstructive surgery with the potential to "enlarge" male genitals for cosmetic purposes.
6
There was no attempt to "compare", but rather point out that the genesis of some medical advances has been war. Why the hostile response?
What a brave man and what brilliant doctors.
22
Discussing how this condition occurs is not trivializing it, as some suggest, it's obvious common sense. We see this volume of these injuries specifically because we are constantly fighting largely unnecessary and brutal wars, usually for the purpose of stealing some country's oil when we should be racing to eliminate oil, period.
It would be stupid, for example, to discuss football players' CTE without discussing whether the game itself is the cause.
49
This is very encouraging. Not having more wars would be even more so.
41
I'm reading this article and I keep coming back to the one thought : why would such a brave and strong spirit in a man like this ever think that someone out here, wouldn't love him despite this injury? There are still genuine people out here who would look past the injury.. Everyone deserves love and every one has a someone out here..
104
Nicole in Brooklyn: your words speak of such kindness. I hope the recipient, who has so righteously served his country, reads your comment.
19
Nicole is right, the relationship is everything. You fall in love with the person. Physical attributes are secondary. There are men I have been attracted to just by the look on their on their face, by the look in their eyes.
9
I feel the same way. Thanks for saying it first. I had tears in my eyes after reading the soldier's story...and, your comment. I can only hope he reads your words.
2
What a courageous man! The nation owes him a debt of gratitude.
13
He is evidently an emotionally stable, psychologically strong, and intelligent young man. I believe he will have all the success in the world. He deserves it.
72
Let's talk about why this poor soldier came to have this injury and why we are still doing this. We've now fought in the Middle East for 17 years, with little positive results.
The most common injury is having one or both legs blown off above the knee, with about half also having genital injuries.
We take young, poor, rural men and send them into conditions where genital injuries are so common, that they are (unofficially) advised to bank their sperm. Many wear loosened tourniquets on patrol- so they can just tighten them after the explosion. This entire immoral travesty must end.
88
I have volunteered for over five years with our "Wounded Warriors" in the vicinity of JBLM (Tacoma, WA). So many of our young men 'sperm bank' before they go into today's wars.
While I applaud the technical whiz of St. John's - as the famed MD, William Osler; one of the founders of the facility, called it -- I wonder why do we allow the old men to send the young men (and now one-third women) into so many spheres of war? Imagine what the skills of the plastic surgeons, other members of the medical team, could do for the multitudes without adequate health care in this country.
Women in the military have led to MST - military sexual trauma. An American woman's chance of being raped, molested, etc. are higher than her chances of being physically harmed in today's theaters of war. No longer are volunteers in any of our military branches representative of the entire country. By and large, they are poor kids, rural kids, who have no other opportunities.
By enlisting, as one wounded warrior told me, "I got three square, a roof over my head and a chance of higher education." Once upon a time, in the not so distant past, Americans of all social and economic spheres spent time in our military. The only high ranking administration official whose offspring (killed in Afghanistan; son Michael) enlisted and served is John Kelly, currently Chief of Staff.
Isn't it time we direct our resources (medical, financial, political) to a more peaceful world?
68
I was very moved by this story. This young man sustained multiple grievous injuries; his courage and resilience are admirable. I am sure that he despaired at moments, but he kept forging ahead with the plans for his post recovery life. Truly heroic, in my eyes. I wish him health, success, and happiness in all of his endeavors.
I am grateful to the medical team that did this pioneering work.
62
All the more reason we need to keep pouring money into public education- and more federal grants for Math, Science and Medicine! The next remarkable surgeon could be a the neighborhood kid down the street .. We can't turn our back on the youth and the unlimited potential they wield!
46
Wow. Please remember there are other ways to achieve erection such as intracavernosal injection, though I suppose that in transplanted flesh it would be a bad idea to traumatise it with needles. Godspeed to the patient who is one of the pioneers of this surgery.
7
The John's Hopkins Medicine doctors involved have done something great. Here is one way that hidden horrors of war can be faced and overcome -- with extreme courage, creativity and skill. So proud of the young man who is defeating these obstacles. Well done!
36
First of all, a huge thank you to the doctors who did this groundbreaking surgery for free, as well as John's Hopkins for their free services! Real angels! I am quite distressed, however, that they did not also transplant the testes of the dead donor. Having to not have the testes transplanted is almost as bad as not having the penis transplanted, both because of the disfigurement and the need for lifelong testosterone injections. The ethical argument for implanting the full package far outweighs any argument that the donor would not have wanted progeny, especially as he is dead, and this is possibly his only chance at carrying on his DNA in the world! I pray he has a full recovery, and that gets a testes transplant too some day! I also pray that the 1300 or so others who need this surgery get it quickly, that it is fully successful, and that they get testes too, so they can have children! I am really outraged they did not also implant the testes! I pray the ex-soldiers have full healing, and can have sex and children again!
Reading this story makes me so upset that I and the billions around the world opposed to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq couldn't prevent them!
We must end our involvement in these wars around the world, and bring our brave troops home, and do our best to negotiate peace instead. Thousands of soldiers, +millions of civilians, have been maimed+killed in these wars since bin Ladin's murders on 9/11, done by Saudis, not Afghans or Iraqis! Enough.
17
They probably gave him testicle implants which is pretty standard for guys who have their testicles removed because of testicular cancer.
4
Read the article again. Unethical. Too big an ask of donor parents. And I add, more likely to led to rejection.
He received scrotum, artificial testes are used for men with testicular cancer same as women who can receive breast implants.
7
Plus, the world doesn't need more children...
3
Outstanding! This young man went through a lot for his country. I hope he got a big one.
22
This latest operation transplanted a single piece of tissue that measured 10 inches by 11 inches and weighed four or five pounds. With that he won’t need any medals to impress the girls.
5
We live in a world both wonderful and horrific.
Thank you to the young man for not giving up. Thank you to the doctors and the donors and the friends and family of this man. Thank you to the writer of this article. Wonderful efforts and results.
Horrific is war, so mostly I want to thank the peacemakers who do the boring and monotonous work of talking and negotiating and listening to the other side. This work is done without the adrenaline rush of the bugle call. Glory goes to the fighter, not the diplomat. Society hoists the man of action on its shoulders, not the talker. Thank you to those that keep the first shot from being fired.
Bless the peacemakers. Bless us all.
28
What an amazing story and reporting. The recipient sounds like an incredible human supported by some pretty incredible medical professionals. I have no doubt he'll live a very rich life and achieve everything he pursues.
18
Hemingway’s blockbuster first novel, The Sun Also Rises, which put The Lost Generation on the cultural map, revolves around a character, Jake Barnes, who had suffered a similar wartime wound. He still nonetheless experiences intense love and desire, causing him great suffering. Thank God that medical science can now mend a physical injury which can have such a devastating emotional impact.
21
Also movie "Big Chill", with urp, Jon Hurt's character.
2
Thank you (I knew there Was an assignment I should not of skipped!)
Kudos to the courageous young man going through this challenging ordeal.
Admiration for the dedication and skill of his surgeons and medical team.
What next (immediately) comes to mind is how I excoriate the "Neo CON" chicken hawks like Bolton, Bush, Cheney, Trump, Wolfewitz, et al who intentionally got US into the needless war(s) that cost this man and (many thousands more American AND foreign men, women and children grievous wounds or their lives...
And NOW some of those same (insane*) folks are on and leading the Trump chump train.
* (one definition of insanity is continuing to make the SAME actions (mistakes) expecting a DIFFERENT outcome).
32
This article is transphobic. This article specifically discusses cis-men and leaves out trans-men who also might want this surgery/go to war/ and struggle with the incredible stigma around penis = manhood. It is a medical feat but the article promotes a one-dimensional view of “man-hood” uncritically.
3
I read the article as information about the possibilities of new technologies/procedures. I didn’t see anything that would limit access to a transplant to anyone not heterosexual.
35
What a bizarre comment. This article has nothing to do with transgender men.
24
It has nothing to do with that. It talks about straight men and the stigma around not having a penis. Everyone feel things in their own way.
12
It is awesome that a penis and scrotum can be transplanted to help this vet feel whole again. The loss of his genitals must have been devastating, and I'm sure there are many more men with this issue. I hope this surgery is highly successful for him and gives him a chance at having a sex life and feeling confident. He will certainly be a compassionate doctor if he pursues that dream. .
24
I wish this brave soldier the best. I wonder however, were this article about a woman's rights over her own genitalia/healthcare there would likely be a whole lot of "weigh in" and opinions, most of which attempt to remind women that we don't get to own our own bodies outright as men do regardless of injury and damage (rape)
24
RE: women that we don't get to own our own bodies outright as men do regardless of injury and damage (rape)
If you are talking about limits on abortion remember that babies have two parents. Until women take 100% legal and financial responsibility for their kids the fathers and society get to weigh in.
1
NO, they don't. Women own our bodies and what we do with them is our business. We are exposed to 100% of the risks of pregnancy and delivery. "Society" and the fathers do not have any legal "right to weigh in".
13
Many single mothers are already doing this.
Ask for interior indiglo and a lamp shade, that way you can stay up at night and outdoors to keep up with the news :))
Not funny. Not compassionate.
14
Nice atricle. Hope hedoes well. God bless the donor's family.
6
Outrageous that tricare will pay for breast implants but not a catastrophic war injury to a man
4
This is a very new kind of transplantation. It probably will take a while for insurance to catch up. Sometimes a problem isn't caused by attitudes-just inefficiency.
11
This type of surgery is most likely newer and considered experimental is my guess. And, breast implants are not always cosmetic; they're often reconstructive surgery after cancer.
10
Your privilege is showing...
This was an episode of Grey's Anatomy. Loved it then, very happy now. Great luck to a great hero.
3
If this is possible we can expand this into FTM transitions
3
This is a heartwarming story. It's wonderful that this veteran will now probably be able to have a normal romantic and sexual life. I would be happy to have my tax or insurance dollars go to help a veteran wounded while serving his country to receive this transplant. This veteran experienced a massive war disfiguring war injury and was left with _no_ genitals.
If you're born with a full set of working parts and you want to electively change genders, I celebrate your right to make that choice. But at a price tag of $300,000 to $400,000 for this surgery, don't expect the rest of us to pay for it.
25
Such surgery is, as you say, Elizabeth, "a choice"; but it's often a decision made after years of being in the "wrong" body.
5
$300,000 to $400,000 did not include payment to the nine medical specialists involved in performing the surgery, who donated their services. I agree that a wounded veteran deserves every medical option available because of service to his/her country, but what must be added is that, though the modern imagination lacks the capacity to grasp it, sex is not the meaning of life.
4
Sir, I wish you would have shown your face. I hope you know there is no stigma associated with bravery and putting your life on the line for your country. I should be as brave as you.
21
Have we forgotten the gent in MA whose angry wife amputated and tossed the thing into a traffic circle. Picked up, washed off and reattached and working, he became a cause cellebre among the ladies
2
And an adult movie legend...
2
And she was a Man-icur-ist!!! Seriously, did nails.
That occurred to me way back when.
He was not very nice to wife as I recall.
We need more organ donations. I heard recently that in Sweden, it is assumed you are an organ donor. Only if you are NOT is it on your license.
18
God bless this veteran and the donor's family that made this possible.
8
God bless him.
There is not one single solitary thing we have accomplished in 17 years(!) of Middle East quicksand wars that is worth this young man’s suffering.
Supporting Our Troops starts with not sending them into useless wars in countries we don’t understand.
35
Thankful that this person was able to have this procedure. Hopefully one day there will be no more wars and this procedure can help someone who was horribly injured or afflicted by some terrible disease.
7
I am generally opposed to military parades, but for this guy I would make an exception.
17
War of choice, pre-emptive war and young men and women paid with their live and suffered.
13
The horror of war can only be fully experienced by those who are in one. The cavalier blindness of a men like Trump and John Bolton and most of the neocons, including W, who couldn't even finish his National Guard duty to talk tough and volunteer young men with bravery these blowhards never had, at a time when they could have volunteered, like John Kerry and Robert Mueller did.
The non combatant politicians like Cheney, Trump and Bolton preaching war is utterly revolting. Trump lied about a foot bone spur, could not recall which foot it was when asked. Bolton said he wan't going to die in a rice paddy in a far off land, Cheney said he had better things to do.
Most Yale students opposed the Vietnam War, not W or Bolton. But they both passed to fight for their countries in a cause they supported by joining the National Guard.
Chickenhawks should not ever have the power to send other young men to die in misguided wars. What has been gained by all the dead US soldiers from the Iraq invasion, predicted to be such a glory by W and Bolton and Cheney et al.
I'm glad this soldier is "whole again". Chickenhawks have a hole in their characters.
24
In addition to the horrendous waste of life these wars create I am infuriated by the waste of resources. We risk falling into the pattern of previous failed empires. More money for war which should be used for education, for research, for development of new technology to help humanity. It is grotesque that, given the cost of these wars, America has so many starving people, so many homeless, so many without a basic education, so many without hope of advancement. These 'chickenhawks' want to reduce taxes for the 1% and reduce investment for the betterment of the 99%. We are creating a 2 tiered society which is destined to explode.
2
I'm glad this person was able to feel full and alive and well. Yet I couldn't read this without thinking of how the current President speaks ill of trans and transgender individuals in the armed forces, and continues to threaten trans service members health and wellness. I hope fervently that all people who take on the difficult, dangerous, and often traumatic task of military service are able to have to access to the healing and medical services they need to live full and complete lives.
13
When they privatize the VA no veteran will be able to afford this operation. But if our veterans beg on the internet they may go viral and generate enough money to have it done. At least a few of them anyway, the ones that look the best on video and who have a sense of humor. The rest can thank the voters of their country for taking away their VA, their healthcare, their social security, and their dignity because the voters know what's important. They know that government services must be smaller and bankers must make more money. And no rich person will ever serve their country in the new Republican America, just the way God intended. And as for wounded veterans, thanks for your service, but what have you done for me lately?
38
You can also thank the Electoral College for this travesty of a Presidency. They were in a position to do the right thing and ensure a lazy, bone-spurred TV personality didn't end up as President.
5
Thank you for the sensitivity wit which you reported this story. Wishing this young man a complete recovery . Please respect his privacy and leave him alone to live what I hope is a rich and rewarding life with a companion worthy of him.
24
I felt so good reading the story about this strong and determined man, but then - it's weird - I felt ashamed about feeling good about the outcome of something that should never have happened to the guy. Anyway, I hope he becomes a successful doctor and finds love; he deserves it.
36
This veteran has the spirit, attitude, and toughness necessary to lead a productive and happy life after his severe injuries. I wish him all the best, and applaud the kindness and generosity of the tissue donor's family.
29
Best wishes, fingers crossed for you. Keep your spirits up. Remember that you may be devastated by your loss, but someone can love you, unaffected by what you find important.
19
God bless him. I hope his surgery is successful. I can't imagine going through what he has.
15
This is a wonderful story. As others have commented, very moving. Both the courage of the recipient and the grace of the donor family. The stigma should disappear so others may benefit - and this story will help. God bless all involved. And bravo!
25
Thank you sir for sharing your story. Your physical and emotional bravery is extraordinary, exhibiting a maturity that many never achieve. It sounds like you have a good foundation to face any new physical and mental health challenges. I wish there was a way to contribute $$ to your recovery and not invade your privacy. Best of luck to you!
33
I'm so moved by this story. What a generous gift. What a courageous story. Thank you for your service. I'm so glad you chose to press on until you found the answer and the hope you were seeking. I wish you all the best for the future.
67
Thank you for sharing this brave soldier’s story, NYT. Thank you to the many medical professionals who donated their time and skill to help him. Thank you to this soldier for serving our country and embodying grace in the face of adversity. Thank you for this reminder of the sacrifices made and continuing to be made by our service members. No thanks to the politicians who spend billions on war and sacrifice our young for oil and murky goals only to forget them when they come home (until they’re needed for a political ad).
100
What a brave thing to do. Transplants carry so many risks, and he will have a long, difficult recovery. But I deeply hope it works out and restores the function he needs. Hopefully what they learn from his surgery can help other veterans with similar injuries. They deserve the very best medicine that our country has to offer. It's the least we can do to thank them for their service and sacrifice.
32
It brought tears to my eyes when I read what the donors family said in their statement to the soldier. It gives me hope that there are still such good people in this country, both the donors family and our vets.
175
well said
So man brilliant doctors who become stupid. For God's sake least let him have testes haven't any of you brilliant surgeons ever heard of a vasectomy?! Why give him drugs for the rest of his life for what MIGHT happen in a future.
24
That is a risk that cannot be taken. Vasectomies are reversible.
Joe Hall
This is a very complicated ethical matter for what is a rather new medical procedure. In time, the ethical issues of receiving testes for sperm and someones natural testosterone will be resolved as they were with invitro, egg and sperm donation, surrogate pregnancy, transgender hormone injections, etc.
Just be happy for the miracle of this surgery, for this gift to a brave American who has sacrificed so much for us. Be thankful for the great compassion and dignity of the donor's family and all the efforts by everyone involved to make this happen. The hospitals, medical personnel, ethic committees, so many far more than can be thanked.
7
I think it would greatly increase rejection. Not ethical, he did receive scrotum, artificial testes are available, not a cosmetic issue.
He might be having the donor's child and constantly exposed to cell material (perhaps dividing to make sperm, or just dying to rot) incompatible to his immune system--more tissue than necessary.
1
The organ donor should be allowed to decide whether his testicles can also be transplanted.
A blanket prohibition on such a donation seems harsh and arbitrary.
31
It seems perfectly sufficient to let have prosthectic testes. What value is gained by having the ability to produce another man's children. It could lead to odd claims to money and awkward circumstances for the donor's family.
4
What value? The value of a life of natural testosterone.
2
The modern world. They can fix this but can't fix Trump.
35
It is standard practice for health insurance companies not to cover procedures or drugs considered experimental. I would assume this surgery falls within that definition. Hopefully as the field progresses, a good evidence base will be built up and insurance companies will pick up coverage.
1
Really, have you no shame? In the midst of this astonishing article testifying to incredible skill and dedication by numerous medical staff, a donors wishes fulfilled after death, and the personal devastating loss, extensive painful injury and years of rehabilitation, and the enormous bravery of this man, you inject your pathological obsession and partisan politics.
Really, despicable. Unmoored, morally adrift.
4
In spite of the outrage posted by "close quarters", Mickey, I find your quip hilarious. When we have mastered the ability to transfer/change someone's personality to someone else, all of our hubris will come crashing down and the chaos will be much worse than what is currently going on in Washington.
1
From a woman who loves men and all their external endowments:
The lack of said appendage is not a dealbreaker. If you are kind, funny, intelligent, physically affectionate in other ways, can argue about the Prime Directive, can endure my various peccadillos, then that’s what matters in the long run.
344
AMEN! I couldn't agree more, love is about the whole person, not just sex.
8
I don't believe you
1
Roswell in El Paso, why did it take so long for someone to say this? Thank you.
10
Not covered by insurance... of course.
21
Send Trump to war!
I think he'll have second thoughts about becoming a warmonger,
and harming Americans who have to go to war!
24
George Bush gave us Iraq and Afghanistan - not Trump!
3
But he, Pompéi, Bolton and Bibi—with the definitely partisan urging of the young Saudi MBS—are planning for “regime change” in Iran, sooner if not later.
There is video of the criminal walrus Bolton earlier this year, addressing a group of the Mujahedin-e-Khalq in Paris, insisting that their next meeting will be celebrated in Tehran in 2019. That sounds like intent to be up to no good, at least to me.
5
Many blessings on this courageous young man. In the wake of such a devastating injury, he has turned his face to life and the future. I am sure he will attain any goal he sets for himself.
42
Let's not trivialize this man's ordeal, recovery, and courage in the service of geo-political mud-slinging. Kudos to this vet, and thanks to him and the NYT for sharing the story with us. Even sans penis, you are more of a man than most. Carry on.
227
I don't think anyone is trivializing his ordeal. These comments are overwhelmingly supportive.
10
Was the man injured in Iraq?So many dead and many, many more grievously wounded for an unnecessary, ill conceived and disastrously executed war. I am filled with rage when I read about articles like these about servicemen and women who trusted their leaders to know what they were doing in sending so many thousands into harm's way. The leaders, Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld, didn’t and their callous disregard of the human lives they were sacrificing is unforgivable. Thankfully medical advances can restore some measure of this brave man's functioning but I can’t help believing this should never have happened. There were no WMDs, we threw away human lives for a lie.
118
Upwards of a million Iraqi dead, another what, six million displaced...and still counting. The American President, just seen this weekend palling with his fellow Presidents at his mother's national funeral, thought it would be a good idea to slip in and steal that country's oil and call it payback for the entirely unrelated attack on NYC.
Bush didn't serve, Cheney didn't serve, Trump didn't serve, both Clinton's didn't serve, but they all thought it was a capital idea.
The world is onto us, folks. They've watched while America has fought war after vicious, imperialist war, not for good but for naked support of the oil industry, whose motive, like the evil SMERSH and SPECTRE in the James Bond comic adventures, is to destroy the earth. But unlike SMERSH, these villains are real and they’re winning.
The Kochs own the Republican Party, they deny climate change, and President Richie Rich is having fun at the controls. Can the lemmings stop themselves from jumping off the cliff?
7
Let's say for the sake of simplicity that I agree with you on the Iraq war being unnecessary. Even under that premise let me remind you that joining the army is still optional. It is really foolish for anyone to join the army to go to war and not expect to die or get injured. I mean, you can't blame others for your choice.
2
Good luck to the patient.
34
Incredible man. Very inspiring. Perhaps the most important thing in life is courage. This man has it in spades.
84
"How many men might need this type of transplant is not known. Data from the Defense Department show that more than 1,300 men sustained so-called genitourinary injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan, and that 31 percent of those injuries involved the penis."
1,300 in those two theaters of war alone! How many in Vietnam? How many I'm WWI, WWII, WWIII in the Civil war?
And surely someone somewhere at some time has studied the number of these men who have never married or whose spouses deserted them afterwards because of their injuries!
1
God bless this very brave and resilient man!
This article is a good one to recall when thinking of the human cost of stupid wars we start.
57
I hope this surgery works. This article (without humor or laughter) makes me proud to pay my taxes.
This is what taxes should be used for: making our fighting men and women whole mentally and physically.
This is the way you really thank the troops.
195
Actually - not to take anything away from this young man’s incredible resilience - the REAL way you support our troops is by not sending them off to fight a dirty, illegal war based on lies and propaganda.
17
Read carefully. Surgeons involved in this transplant worked for free. Johns Hopkins donated the associated costs--between $300,000 and $400,000.
But I agree that this would be an appropriate use of tax dollars.
3
What a resilient and inspiring man. Regardless of the surgical outcome, I hope he meets someone wonderful and they enjoy many years of good health and happiness together.
155
The technology is amazing and the reporting sensitive but most incredible is the dignity with which this man faces reality. May his courage guide the rest of us
364
Best wishes to all the heroes and senseless victims of America's endless military-industrial global nightmare from hell.
War is awful and generally avoidable.
236
Agree, as a Desert Storm era Vet.
Bush/Cheney should have declared victory in Afghanistan 6 weeks out...and never should have gone into Iraq a second time.
Horrible waste of lives...and money that could have been used here at home.
5
My sincere best wishes. AND, for members of the Media, leave him alone. He deserves great respect, and great privacy.
143
This is fascinating and horrifying. I didn’t know it was possible. I was not aware that nerves grow, an inch a month, into a transplant. I also had no idea how many (too many!) men suffered this injury in Iraq and Afghanistan. And I had never thought about the ethical quandary of transplanting testes. I am so sad that this man suffered through so much. I wish him well in his recovery and future endeavors. Medical school! That’s a wonderful goal. I hope he finds a loving partner.
Men and women are so different. Or is it male and female cultural norms? As a female I admit that I don’t fully understand the “loss of manhood” aspect of this. I think I would miss my legs much more than my gonads. I do understand wanting a functioning urethra, but rest is foreign to me. That’s not for lack of empathy, just puzzlement. My husband gets it, though.
84
It's okay, Peaches...it's a man thing.
Men are entitled to their own genitalia.
39
Every man who ever lived gets it. I would have guessed that every woman who loved a man would get it also, but maybe not. Maybe the gap between the sexes is bigger than I thought.
2
Under a similar heading as a women feels when she loses her breasts to cancer.
5
Makes you wonder who the donor was. God bless him.
25
Johns Hopkins and Mass General deserve commendation for pioneering this surgery in the United States. That said, this is an area in which VA hospitals should take the lead. And all the more reason VA hospitals need to be adequately funded across the board. Veterans - all of them - deserve no less.
137
Many blessings to our young American hero, and to his fine surgeons as well!
72
As someone who was in the military, I find the news of the transplant to be inspiring. However, I wish we would pull our troops from the Middle East so fewer of these surgeries occur. I have gone to Walter Reed National Military Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland many times and I was frankly horrified by the number of amputees and handicaps at that hospital. Numerous servicemen and women depressed from their horrendous injuries. We have been in the Middle East since at least when I was born in 1997, perhaps ever since 1990 during the First Gulf War. I wish we had a politician with the balls to say enough is enough and withdraw our troops from the Middle East. Maybe, just maybe, these transplants would not occur less because of less disfigurements caused by IEDs and weapons. One can only hope.
293
“I wish we had a politician with the balls to say enough is enough and withdraw our troops from the Middle East.” What we need is a politician with no balls. We need a woman in the White House.
97
We tried. The farmers said no.
9
A different man, a woman, heck, a Labrador retriever could be relied upon to take greater care of the nation’s young lives.
1
It's great to see somone getting this help.
However, the larger problem is the Americans are addicted to throwing away the lives of young people on wars that accomplish nothing.
Along with this first problem is the fact that in the near future, VA functions will be turned over to private corporations whose CEOs only care about the shareholders, not the patients.
261
An uplifting article. We owe this and so much more to the people who put their lives on the line to protect our freedoms.
33
And yet our president and GOP-led Congress do NOTHING to deserve such people. Our president couldn't be bothered to serve.
62
All the luck to the donor and may the procedure be available to many more. At the same time, it's clear that civilian insurance is unsuited for coverage of war injuries --as US politicians begin wars they should immediately allocate sufficeint funds for coverage for all of these procedures right then. That's what men and women in service deserve, and that's a bill that civilians should see.
48
I think you mean luck to "the recipient", not the donor.
8
Well now you are getting into philosophy. If, as the soldier in this story apparently felt, that the penis helps make the man, then I'll cheer the donor on - even if the rest of his body has been long-buried.
1