Okay, so I had wanted to get my navel pierced for a good long while. Probably about two or three years. But, I'm a lazy, lazy person. I live in surburbia and I went to high school in surburbia and it was just a hassle to get downtown. But since I've started CEGEP (yes our school system is weird), I'm always downtown seeing as that's where my school is.
At A Glance Author Andrea Contact Andrea@bme.anon Artist Chris Studio Adrenaline Location Montreal, Canada Well a couple weeks ago, my friend decided to go get her navel pierced. It was a Friday afternoon and I didn't feel like heading home quite yet, so I decided to go with her. So we hopped on the metro and got off at the next stop. We walked up the hill in a near snow squall, almost got run over by a truck, but we finally got there. My friend knew exactly what she wanted, and her friend who had come to visit us from another CEGEP wanted to have her barbell changed, so they went about their business and I just looked at all of their jewellery. They had a great selection and the lady (I think her name was Jen) serving us was sooo friendly.
So, my friend went into the piercing room. It was this huge glass room, separate from the tattooing places. It looked really clean. Plus, I got to watch from my nice comfy spot on their leather couches. And the piercer went about her business and my friend came out, and it looked awesome. She said it didn't hurt and that she didn't regret it at all.
And of course, this got me thinking. My birthday was coming up (I'm turning 18 on the March 21) and it could be a gift. But the thing was, I never thought my mom would go for it. She's really strict. So I went home. Ate dinner. My mom asked me what I did after school and I told her where we went and that my friend had gotten her belly button pierced. And I sort of slid the fact I wanted to get mine pierced into the conversation and my mom was like, "Great. Just wait until you have more money around your birthday." I think I was in shock for at least an hour.
So, I started the wait. That was two weeks ago. A friend owed me money for some text books that he had bought from me, so I figured once I got that, I'd be able to get myself pierced.
Didn't work out as planned. I didn't get my money when I was promised and I was totally disappointed. But, in the end, it would all be okay.
I decided I'd go to Adrenaline the day before Spring break. That was yesterday. Then, I'd have my money, and I'd have a couple days before I'd have to face school and GYM (ugh, rockclimbing!) again. And my friend wanted to get hers done too! AND, my friend who had gotten hers done a couple weeks earlier, had to go back for her two week check up.
So, there was going to be the three of us, a really good friend of mine, and this guy that I totally adore. Such a sweetie. He said he'd come for moral support. As long as he didn't have to hear me screaming for half an hour. I decided to skip history. We were learning about the 30 years' war and I already knew all about that (I was a history buff in high school). So all five of us hopped on the metro and set off.
Again, there was a crazy snow squall and it was COLD! Yes, I've lived in Montreal my whole life but it was soooooooo cold! My face was numb by the time we reached Adrenaline. So we went in, and me and my friend who were getting pierced, went to look at jewellery. I knew exactly what I wanted: a barbell with red gems set on both ends. My friend on the other hand, wasn't too sure and it took FOREVER for her to decide.
When she finally decided, I figured she should go first before she could and probably would talk herself out of it. She had her camera and everything ready to capture the moment. She had been really nervous going in, and I just sat on the couches with my two other friend and tried to help one of them solve his Rubix cube.
She came out, completely happy and totally pumped. But her piercing was bleeding, A LOT. She didn't seem worried. I was called in. I wasn't even nervous. My piercer, Chris, told me to lift up my shirt so he could mark my stomach. He cleaned it thoroughly first. He seemed to be really impressed with my belly button. Strange, but nice complement to receive. So he marked it, and had my friend check that said it was straight, and then onto the chair. He's going about his business, while I'm bitching about my philosophy class. He gives me the thumbs up sign and its over. It was not painful. The clamps didn't hurt at all. And the needle just felt like a weird pinch. I've shattered my ankle and had reconstructive surgery involving screws, so I think I might have an abnormally high tolerance for pain. Don't know.
So he calls my friend back in so he can explain the whole aftercare procedure. But before doing so, he checks hers to make sure the bleeding had stopped. And that's when he noticed the piercing was sort of crooked. He asked her if she wanted it redone and she said OF COURSE. So she sits back down, and he takes her barbell out and cleans up MORE blood. Finally, he goes about piercing her. Me and my friend were in the room talking to her making sure she wasn't going to faint. And that's when she felt some uncontrollable urge to look down at the needle, and we just about lost her there. But she held on.
Afterwards, she was okay. Thankfully. Hopefully, she won't be scarred for life. Poor girl. So nervous, and nothing was going her way. We were given aftercare procedure which seemed simple enough and Chris went to go ring up the bills. Prior to doing so, he gave us about twelve lollipops to split between the five of us! He was so nice!
So I went to show my friends outside and they all approved. I was really happy with it. And even happier that everyone else also thought it looked good. I hugged my friend and thanked him for waiting for nearly two hours.
We paid, and set off. Two of my friends headed home, and the rest went back to school. Me and my friend really wanted to show our belly buttons off! So we ran into school from the metro, and at that point we all got seperated. I went to the MUN room, and ran into one of my closest friends. I showed him and he really liked it. Everyone else did too. I was SO giddy and up.
In terms of pain, I haven't really felt any. I let it rest last night and it was fine. Slept fine. Woke up, showered, cleaned it, it was fine. I've elbowed myself in the stomach a few times which hasn't felt so great, but it's manageable. I was surprised because it's not red in the slightest.
Overall, I am totally happy with the results. I don't regret spending the money (it came to $103.52 Canadian, including piercing, barbell and care package) for quality service and products. I know I'll take care of it because I'm not one to skip out on responsibility, and I'm looking forward to going back to school to show it off.
I recommend that if it's something YOU want, go for it. But only if you won't regret your actions at a later date and time. If you feel comfortable with the idea, then go for it. If you take care of it, I doubt you'll regret it.
::Andrea::