After much (gut-churning) speculation and internal debate, I have come to the following conclusions about Shaun's Nullo posting.

After the initial shock of revulsion at the sheer physical violation, I realized that the thing that bothered me more was the relationship angle.

I've also not discounted the possibility that it's a piece of creative fiction - call me a skeptic, but although I can buy the castration scene, the penectomy I just don't think could have gone down like that. I don't see how one person, working under non-sterile conditions, without the capability to administer general anaesthesia or a blood tranfusion, could have done that ... operation ... and for there still be a patient alive to tell the tale. I don't buy it.

And if you have incontrovertible proof that it did happen as stated, kindly keep it to yourself.