I had been wanting a new piercing for quite some time, but I am a HUGE baby. I had my nose done, and I loved it, but I had to take it out because it got too irritated and I just didn't want to put up with it anymore. (Not to mention a huge bubble of gross fluid on your nose isn't exactly attractive.) I toyed with the idea of getting it redone, but I REALLY wanted a rook piercing. I am the worlds BIGGEST baby when it comes to piercings. I was almost in tears before she even took the needle out to pierce my nose. So, a rook was one of those "Man I wish I had the guts for that" piercings to me.
At A Glance Author anonymous Contact anonymous@bme.anon When Six months ago Artist Laura Studio Rising Sun I decided that I needed to get something pierced, whether I decided to bite the bullet on the rook piercing or not, so I headed down to the shop. They informed us that the piercer wasn't in that day, but because we'd waited around for quite some time they gave us each a 20% off card to use any time in the next year. (My friend that I went with still has his.) Needless to say, I was pretty bummed. I had finally dragged my ass to the shop, terrified as hell, but ready to go through with it, only to be told that I wouldn't be able to. It sucked.
A few days later I managed to muster up the courage to go back and give it another go. And luckily that day the piercer was there. So here's the generic part, fill out forms, etc. There was one blank left on the forms though, what was I getting? I told her that I didn't know what I wanted to get, and what I had in mind. She wanted me to have a sucker first while she cleaned everything up because she could tell I was really anxious and didn't want me going all faint on her. I sat there hoping she'd never come back to ask what I wanted. I was shaking and stressing out over it, and acting like a complete fool. Eventually, she came out, and I said "I'll do it." I had decided that it was now or never, and I wanted that rook piercing. So my friend and I stand up and make our way back to the piercing room. Then, she tells us he's not allowed to come in with me, and that he'd have to wait in the lobby. We were bummed, I was scared because he's always with me for piercings and I have never had to do it on my own before.
So, I sit down and she's getting everything ready, marked my ear, all of those general pre-piercing things. I had a look, she explained that she'd be putting a receiving tube under the cartilage, and showed me the jewelry she was using. This all went quick, then my nerves got the best of me. I did the "NO WAIT." a couple of times, I knew I wasn't relaxed enough for it, and that it would only be worse if I had let her do it when she was ready. I may well have fainted because I was all worked up. She then started talking about how she'd hate to have me walk out the door with no piercing, but having paid for all of the stuff she opened. (I was a little uneasy about the way she was rushing me, especially since there were no other customers in the shop.) She tried to explain that "If I could handle my nose, this would be nothing." I said JOKINGLY with a laugh that I didn't believe her, although truthfully I really didn't. Pain is personal, so how would she know, not to mention... I just had a feeling that this would hurt a lot more.
I tried to calm myself so I could just get it over with, and she asked me if I'd be happier with my "Boyfriend" with me. I said yes. So she went and got him, and he was allowed in the room with me. After he came in, within about 60 seconds I finally gave her the go ahead. It HURT. Just when I thought it might finally be over, she said "Now I am going to insert the jewelry." That also HURT. I bled and bled and bled and it would not clot, so here I am, wincing in pain, holding on to my "boyfriend's" hand for dear life, and shes pressing on my ear with a paper towel trying to stop the blood flow. NOT fun. When all was finally said and done, I was happy. Happy it was over. Happy I went through with it (even if I was the most irritating client of all time.) Then as I'm leaving she says to me, in a tone that I thought to be fairly rude, "Oh and just so you know.... when you say you don't believe me? This is what I do for a LIVING..." as though I offended her, so I explained that I was kidding, and she just kind of ignored me.
I've had the piercing for a long time now. Probably somewhere in the neighbourhood of six months, and It's still sensitive. It stopped hurting so I thought it'd be okay to sleep on it again. Bad idea, because of that it got irritated again and it's caused it to stay pretty sensitive.
Honestly, yes it hurt. It's basically the only piercing that I actually REMEMBER the pain of. I can't remember what it felt like to get my nostril pierced (And i've tried that three times now.) I can't remember what my navel felt like, or my two inverse navels (And let me tell you that was also a fairly interesting experience.) But I remember this. HOWEVER, I do strongly recommend that if you're thinking about it, do it. I ADORE it, and like I said I'm a huge baby, so it may not be half as bad for you as it was for me. If you want it bad enough, pain means nothing. I'm so happy and proud of myself for going through with it, and it's all worth it in the end.