So, my story begins a good 3 years ago. When I was initially introduced to body modification, in the beginning I couldn't care less, but as my friends became more and more interested, I did too. It eventually go to the point, where all I would do is sit around and surf BME. Then, I went with two close friends to get their lips pierced. And when that needle rammed through my friends lip, and I heard her whimper, I knew I needed something too. I needed that. So then it began, the search for what I could get. Because at this time I was 12, and my parents barely acknowledged my lust for something foreign. At least to me. And my father, a business man through and through (at least, that's what I thought then. haha) was absolutely against facial piercings of any sort. And so was I, or at least, I was dead scared of seeing something coming at my face, that would eventually spike through it. So I settled for a nice little navel ring. I knew a few people who had it done, who all assured me it was painless. So, I was pretty comfortable with it.
At A Glance Author k8 Contact k8@bme.anon When Two years ago Artist Unknown. And then I began to research and research... and research. Until one day I went to my father, and convinced him that this was important to me, and that I needed it. And he ultimately warmed up to the idea, and helped me convince my impossible mother. She never really warmed up to the idea really, but she was willing to let me get it done. And I was ecstatic. Absolutely thrilled.But I knew I would wait still. And then it just so happened that my parents had no intention of making me wait, because right before the Easter weekend, my mom picked me up. And told me that this was it, we're going now, you're getting your belly button pierced. I almost wanted to tell her "No no, we're turning around, I'm not getting a needle through my stomach!" and I expect that she expected me to say it, and because I knew that expectation was there, I persevered through a most persistent fear, and told her that Yes, we were.
So I told her, the parlour I'd like to go to, is across the harbour, maybe half an hour away. But she had little fuel and said that we should just find some where near to home, seeing as there are at least 5 piercing parlours within 6 blocks to my home. But none of them had reputations to uphold. No one talked about them, or even went there, because essentially these were TATTOO parlours, and focused on that. And they were only there because a biker gang was housed in that area. I assume, anyhow, that that might be where they got a lot of their business. But my mother insisted we go to a nearby parlour, even to the point of lying to me about a non-existent tattoo. So, we marched up the staircase, and walked into a fairly nice looking place. A nice black couch to the right of the door to wait in, a small jewelry case in front of us, and a counter to the left. Pretty small, but, it actually appeared cleaner than the place I had my heart set on going. But, it turned out that my mother was short on cash and wou ld need to go to the bank.
So, we left. And now I would like to state that during this time, I hadn't even thought about food. I hadn't eaten for a few hours really. And sitting in the car as my mom got more money was unbelievably difficult. I had to call my sister to call my nerves, and of course, rub it in her face that I was 8 years younger than her and doing something she wouldn't have dared to do. And back we went, and in we went. And the piercing procedure was everything you hear about. I was far to nervous to take a proper account, but it went fine. She didn't change her gloves though, and that had always bothered me. She put on the clamps, which were fine. To tell the truth, before being pierced I had been sticking clothes pins on my stomach to see if it would hurt, but it didn't. Just pressure. Then, she told me to breath. And I did. And she stuck a needle through my stomach. That I could only feel, I didn't have the stomach, or the nerve to watch her to this. And, that's probably a good thing. If i had've been able to see w hen she was going to do it, I would've reached out a hand and stopped her. But, the pain was minimal. More than I expected, but that's normal for a first piercing. it was sharp that's all, the only other pain I'd really experienced was dull and throbbing. So it's a different sort of pain. At least for me. Then, the woman put the CBR in. I had asked for a barbell, but she told me that a CBR would make cleaning really simple, and that I would be able to get a barbell soon enough. Which I definitely appreciate. Then she walked off to get the bead for the CBR, without gloves, and even put it in without gloves.Which also always bothered me.
My mother and I left then, but I was having trouble. I was shaking, which at the time I didn't recognize as a bad thing, but now I'm sure that it was because I hadn't eaten before hand. I also didn't eat when I got home. I didn't eat much at all. And the next day I fainted down my front steps when I was going back up to my room. I felt nauseous. But fine, I ate then. And was absolutely fine. But, this was my very first piercing, and within 2 weeks, I hated that plain silver CBR that was in my stomach. I hated the way the bead was plain black. I needed something pretty. And I was going to Florida soon! Bikinis galore, I needed something that would be worth it to show off. So, a few days before leaving for Florida, I went into the same parlour for a 5 dollar ring change. And I brought my own ring. Now, my navel was no where near healed, which I knew, and I'm sure the woman changing my ring knew. But still, I got that old ring in my stomach within 5 minutes. And I don't remember her cleaning it either. But tha t's fine, I didn't get an infection then.
But, while I was away, I spent a good deal of money on barbells. I bought things with dangling cherries, I bought things with geckos. And I bought a beautifully coloured ring, which had a star on the bottom. A large star. And it was too short for my navel. But I didn't realize this. And two weeks later, I was home, but at my grandparents for the weekend. And I had that star barbell in my stomach. I stopped having to look at it every couple hours to make sure it was okay by this point, and stopped checking on it all together. Which was so dumb. So one day I looked down. And the star had become embedded in stomach. It had pulled up, into the hole, enlarging it to ridiculous proportions, and it was surrounded by a thick crust. I don't know how I didn't manage to NOTICE this, I can only guess it happened in my sleep. And I was dead scared to tell my parents, I didn't want them to think that it was a bad idea for me to have this piercing, I didn't want to have to get rid of it. But I did recognize the fact that it was badly infected.So, I ran to the bathroom, pulled the ring out of my stomach, and cleaned it for 10 minutes with ONLY soap and water. And put it back in. I had come away from home with only one ring, and this was it, and I wasn't letting my belly button grow over. So, I took special care to make sure that the end of that star never migrated back up in my stomach that weekend.
When I got home, I put in a more practical silver CBR, with a huge bead. And I got rid of the infection, eventually. The only real problem at this point was that now, my piercing was a good deal more shallow. but I decided, that it was fine, it was healthy, and despite the fact it's shallow, it's still in there. And, two and a half years later, it's still in there. It hasn't ripped out, and it hasn't gotten infected. =D I'm as satisfied with it as I was the day I got it. Though, I do keep a collection of very practical, yet pretty barbells now. I especially stay away from those dangly ones, I'm dead scared it'll get caught in my jeans and just rip out the barbell. It's shallow now anyway, and it's almost happened before. But, even if anything else does happen to it, I know that I'd repeirce it in an instant, even if it is through scar tissue. It's so pretty. And, even my ridiculously strict parents love it. They buy me rings. They show their friends. And now, I'm trying to convince them that I deserve a goo d ol fashioned monroe. =D So, good luck with your piercing, stay clean, and try to have a better experience than I had.