Before I begin I'd like to state that I had 13 other piercings (ears, nose and tongue) before I had my navel done, and that only my tongue had been done professionally. The others had been done by my boifriend, Justin, with a piercer stud. Needless to say I thought that I could handle a belly piercing done with a needle after 'going under the stud' so many times.
At A Glance Author Samantha Contact gloombunny@hotmail.com When A month ago Artist Bryan (although I wouldn't consider him an artist in ANY way Studio my kitchen Location Apple Valley, Mn Justin had lived with this kid, Bryan, for about two weeks a while before we moved in together. Bryan had needles, clamps, CBRs, along with several other random tools and items. I had wanted him to pierce my navel since I had learned he did piercings. That had been nearly a year ago. Bryan had to be in town for a wedding at the Renaissance Festival, so we let him stay with us for the weekend. I talked to him before he came and asked him to bring his piercing supplies so that we could do my navel. He agreed and suggested I order some jewelry from camsupply.com. I ordered a curved barbell but it didn't arrive in time and still hasn't come.
I was watching the Fifth Element and waiting for Bryan to get off his ass and pierce me. Finally, the movie ends I've had enough. I tell them that I'm going to do it myself. I start messing with some gloves and realize I can hardly repierce my own ear when part of it seals up, how the hell am I going to get a needle through myself? I tell Justin that I can't do it and maybe he should, when Mr. Needs to be Center of Attention at all Times is amazingly ready to do it, and acts like he had been all night.
Now Bryan had ordered everything off of the internet, he had never had any training & doubt he's read more than a paragraph on piercings in his entire life. He had done all of maybe 10 piercings which consisted mainly of ears, and none were bellies. To top it off Justin told me numerous times not to let "an idiot like Bryan" pierce me. Yet I did anyway, because I wanted it for too long already, didn't feel like dishing out $50 and a tip, but mostly because he simply had the needles. I'm sure you've established by now that I'm an idiot. Yup.
So here's how it went... finally... I sit down in my kitchen chair after Bryan assures me everything is set up and ready to go. Justin comes out and holds my hand (there's always hand holding in these things), I hold my shirt up with my other hand. Bryan clamps me and I cannot believe how much it hurt because I had been pinching my belly and not feeling anything (not that that means much) and my tongue clamp wasn't anything more than discomfort. I now think that he had closed the clamps all the way shut! He leaves the clamps on there and gets the needle ready. I'm like, "What the hell Bryan I thought you had everything ready?!" I don't remember him replying, but soon enough he's trying to get a needle through me. At this point I am holding both of Justin's hands, staring straight over Bryan's head at the wall and breathing like I'm in labor.
I wish someone had videotaped this catastrophy! I swear off ever giving birth and Bryan STOPS to laugh and ask why. "Because it hurts you idiot!" Justin and I yell in unison. I go back to my breathing and finally say, "STOP!!" He says it's through. "The hoop?" I ask. "No, the needle." he replies. Then he messed with the hoop and puts some KY jelly on it. He goes to put it through my navel and realizes the opening is too small. He then stretches the hoop and puts it through. This is also painful!
I stand up and look into a mirror. At first I'm horrified because there looks like there isn't enough skin through it. Bryan explains that it's because my skin is still a little mashed together from the clamp and tries to fix it a little. I agree it looks better but go on worrying. I wanted to pick a colored ball for it but he just puts a black one on. I'm actually really happy with the CBR but want to change it to that barbell when I can.
Afterward I had asked Justin why it had taken so long because I was too busy staring at a wall instead of my own tummy being punctured. He gets a little angry saying that Bryan had been wiggling and twisting to get the needle through instead of just sticking it straight through! I cringe and look at my reddened belly. He went on to tell me that he had left the needle just sticking through me as he got the hoop ready. I knew he had been getting the hoop ready after he'd already pierced me, but I just hadn't given it much thought. I vow never to let the kid get close to me with so much as a thumb tack from now on.
It's been about 4 weeks and it's just now finally beginning to get over being infected! I was cleaning it with bactine and now use anti-bacterial liquid softsoap. Although I would never do it again without a professional, I'm glad I have it.