Before I start this let me explain that I do not endorse or recommend being pierced in someone's home, unless you are fully aware of their credentials/experience. That said, let's get this experience underway shall we?
At A Glance Author marti Contact marti@bme.anon IAM .vie.amour.fin. When A month ago Artist Ashley Studio Michelle's Kitchen Location Toronto, ON I already had my center tongue piercing for almost two years. When I had gotten bored with it, I stretched it. I had it up to 6ga and now wanted something more. What more could I want? VENOMS! I did some research on BME and IAM to find out how to look after them and what possible side-effects were. When I was happy with the knowledge I began talking to my friend Michelle who I knew was apprenticing under her friend Ashley who is a very accomplished pierced for someone her age. After much thought I knew she was the one for the job.
It was June 10th 2003 and I was sitting at home on the computer chatting with a friend on IAM when the phone rang. I answered it, seeing on the call display that it was work calling. Michelle, one of my co-workers, was on the other line. She asked if I was doing anything that night and when I replied no, she asked if I was up for getting pierced. Of course I jumped at the thought. She and I had been planning to get my venoms done for about a month prior so this question was immediately met with a yes. I got my money and purse and was out the door to meet her at work. Once she got off and we drove to her place we sat and chatted for a bit, I think she wanted to make sure she wasn't rushing me into the piercing. About an hour after we got there Ashley, Michelle's friend and piercer, came over.
Ashley and Michelle had been working at a piercing studio in Toronto until a long time disagreement between Ashley and the owner went a little too far and they decided to leave. Since then Ashley had been going to school and doing some piercing work on the side.
Anyways, Ashley and I talked for a while about the piercings I wanted and the ones I already have (I had 8 at that point). She wanted to make sure I knew all about aftercare, etc. Which, after eight piercings, I of course was fully aware. Then we got down to business. Ashley, Michelle and I went into the kitchen and sterilized the counter and laid out plastic wrap, which in turn was sterilized as well. Then, I sat down and Ashley marked my tongue to where she thought the venoms would look best. I went to check it out and they were the exact places I had been hoping to be pierced. I sat back down and she gave me a cup of sea salt water and I had to swish the nasty stuff for about 2.5 minutes(she wanted me to swish for longer but I was going to puke). Then i sat back down, she re-marked my tongue and got out the clamp.
She clamped the right-side of my tongue, got everything lined up, made sure I was ready and then I felt the needle slide through my tongue. EVERYONE I had previously talked to had said that venoms hurt like an SOB when you get them pierced because you're going through muscle, this was not the case. It all just felt like when I had gotten my center tongue piercing done. She then got the barbell, slid it through, did up the beads and I jumped up and ran to see my piercing. It looked awesome! I sat back down and got ready for the next side. This side was going to be a bit trickier seeing as how we were out of straight barbells and were going to use a curved one(once again this was OUR decision I do not recommend you get yours done as I did). She got the clamp on, lined everything up, laughed a bit as she watched my poor tongue quiver from the other piercing, then slid the needle through. This one hurt only slightly more because I was already sensitive from the previous one. She got the barbell in and the beads on and I sat for a minute to let myself come back down from the adrenaline high. I looked in the mirror and LOVED my piercings!
The next few weeks consisted of sea salt soaks twice a day and after every meal. After a bit I bought some original Listerine, just because I preferred the taste over salt, to be used after every meal and when I wake up.
It has been almost a month and my piercings are doing wikkidly well. I ordered some shorter barbells from a girl I know on IAM and got to pick them up when I met her at BMEFEST 2003. I soaked them and put them in the next day and my tongue looks awesome.
I would recommend these cute piercings to anyone who thinks their poor, lonesome center tongue piercing needs some friends.