Well, this project started a couple years ago. I've got a good friend who's father came to visit him at college. Turns out that he brought along a new toy - his PA. So, this is the first guy I ever met that I knew had pierced is penis. Had to talk him up and figure out why. I left with two impressions. The first was that he "must" have been try'n to compensate for some serious issues or performance problems - of course, I think this was a pretty presumptuous and narrow-minded assessment (I learn and I grow). The second was actually formed into a statement that there wasn't enough money in the world or a woman beautiful enough to persuade me to poke my pecker - the "I'll never" phrase is almost always foreshadowing in my life.
At A Glance Author satyroman Contact satyroman@pobox.com When It just happened Artist Timothy Young Studio Sacred Heart Studio Location Houston, TX A year or so later I started spending a lot of time with a lady who's roommate was apprenticing as a piercer. We became friends and I volunteered to let her poke my nipples - something I'd always wanted done. Well, her trainer poked one and she poked the other, but that is another experience. The nipples only really matter because they became the source of excess jewelry as I swapped from barbells to CBRs for healing and eventually started stretching. I'd been piercing with gold because I knew my body handled it better than anything else I'd tried. So, my investment was significant. Well, when I pulled the 14g curved barbell (most expensive piece to be abandoned at that point), I sighed and made a comment to my piercer that the barbell had just joined the little box of money I can't spend. Then I asked her where else it might be appropriately placed. She asked if I'd ever considered a penis piercing. I replied: HELL NO, thought for a moment and then asked how I mig ht go about learning about penis piercings. That's when I was directed to BME, and I'm still here.
Over time, I decided the idea of a 3 piece frenum ladder appealed to me. So, I began discussing the project with her over time. Meanwhile, I'd discovered that my body had a strong preference for that funny colored titanium and would reward me with happier piercings (couldn't afford to keep sizing up in gold, did online research and decided to experiment with Ti even if they only had silly colors - just my opinion on the color thing). Well, I finally broke down and had the shop try to order 3 Ti barbells w/o coloring - no problem, we scheduled for the next week. Eight weeks later, the shop was still jewelryless and I took my deposit back because the anxiety had become completely unbearable.
Moved to Houston a few months ago and soon afterward I opened the yellow pages and decided to visit a couple studios. Well, I really, really liked the first studio I visited, so I experimented. A week later I had polished titanium CBRs for my ears and matching circular barbells for my nipples - the jewelry existed and I was thrilled. And, 3 of 4 of the insertions were stretches, so I got a sample of Tim's bedside manner. Damn if he wasn't a male - see I really felt that I'd be more comfortable with a female working on my genitals (I'm uncomfortable coughing for a male doctor). But his demeanor wore me down and I decided to figure out how to get through the trials of being "handled" by a man. Well, I wore the new rings for a few weeks to see how my body liked the quality and how the finish stood up. Then, I started saving money until I could order my frenum ladder. Frequent visits to BME woke the creative part of my brain, so 2 of the 3 pieces were custom bent - those weren't used, but I did use the regular barbell (LOL). The custom bending slowed things down such that the jewelry wasn't there the next week.
Since I was already intimately familiar with the effects of my anxiety surrounding this project I decided to distract myself by looking at as many pierced penises as I could stomach. That was last Friday. So, I looked and I read, and I popped the $7.99 for an extreme2 membership so I could look even more. Well, I'd met plenty of folks with PAs and plenty of ladies who's men had PAs - they came highly recommended from both fronts. But, for various reasons I've maintained some issues with the idea of a bar permanently fixed in the exit of my penis - that's just a Me thing and I'm not knocking the idea or folks that love'm. Noticed that everyone with a PA loves it?
Well, on reading, I learned more and more about the dolphin piercing. But, everyone that had'm had used a pre-existing PA hole. That was disappointing. But, I fell deeper and deeper into the idea of crisscrossed dolphin and frenum piece. And, I thought about how I might get a dolphin w/o healing a PA first. I'd seen all sorts of different tools at the shops I've visited and started to think that maybe it was possible, and I started to consider healing a PA if I really, really had to do it on the road to my dolphin.
So, about 8pm, I jumped on my motorcycle and cruised to the studio with word of good and bad news. Told Tim we were still going to do a project, but I wanted to change the parameters. This was disappointing to both of us because the custom bent jewelry I was abandoning was very, very cool (already getting new ideas about what I can do with it *sly g*). I still wanted my frenum, but I wanted to wrap it with a CBR dolphin, and that I really wanted to do it in a single sitting (too much testosterone???). Well, some discussion, a little begging, some freehand drawings later: Tim decided that he could probably achieve what I wanted, and that the CBR would be added to Monday's order. On the way out I noticed that the young lady that works the counter in the evenings is beautiful, and wondered if she was single. Nothing to do with the story but 100% true *s*.
So, I went out Saturday and recruited a lady friend to accompany me for my project. I figured that as long as someone I knew was with me, I could get over the man-handling anxiety. I picked a lady because I figured it would be cruel to ask any of my male friends to feel the pain with me - you know how we have those instinctive reflexes even when it is someone else's genitals that are being put at risk. Besides, only my brother even knows and he'd have said NO. She agreed, so I was as prepared as I could get.
The night before I decided what I'd wear, and made a list of busy work I could do the next morning to distract myself until it was time to go. I have one spotless kitchen right now *s*. I picked baggy jeans and a pair of synthetic, reversible basketball shorts as boxers because I generally dislike being confined and the shorts had no seams because they are reversible. I did stick a Speedo in my back pocket 'cause so many folks have suggested that they were more comfortable when held in place during early healing.
I'd also laid off alcohol and caffeine all week (it's now Thursday), and extra hydrated myself.
I met my familiar face at a delightfully tacky wings joint where I had a bowl of great chili and copious quantities of water, while I fed her beer to make sure she'd stay calm. I left my motorcycle at the joint and joined her in the passenger seat for the rest of the trip to the studio. I didn't want Tim worrying about me getting home on the motorcycle after the procedure, but I really did want to at least attempt to ride home (too much testosterone???).
Our timing was great since we arrived just as some minors were leaving with their parents - cool parents definitely exist. And, we fit right into cue. The other Tim (also a piercer) was there and he asked if he could view and photograph the procedure (yes, they are coming to BME soon). My response was: good thing 'cause I deliberately slept in, but missed the chance to borrow my brother's digital camera - shoot away.
A couple minutes later, I was wearing a terry cloth skirt (towel around waist) and sitting in one of the procedure chairs with both Tims and my friend there to keep me company. Regular cleaning, marking and approving stuff. When everything was as planned as it could get, Tim did the frenum and installed the jewelry. We hadn't discussed it, but he pierced at 12 and stretched to 10 to keep the blood out of the way. He had also gotten me a internally threaded bar out of the kindness of his heart - I wanted one, but didn't know they were available in 10g titanium so hadn't even asked. Me and my endorphins decided that my penis was looking pretty sexy with it's new Ti ornament. And, if I quit then, I'd still have braved poking my penis. That's the other reason for bringing a female to keep me calm - no way was I chickening out (too much testosterone???).
Next thing I know there is a tray full of what looks like hundreds of tools. Really just: long 12g and short 12g needles and various tapers and Oh Crap the receiving tubes are scary. Well, I'd never been sounded before, and I'd never seen my urethra stretch anywhere near the size of those receiving tubes. Heck, I barely noticed the needles. Tim briefs me on the planned procedure and updates me as it is modified. We were treading new ground here. We'd start with the deep PA, so in went the tube. Talk about idle chatter with my companion - I don't even know if I was making sense, but I was definitely talking it up and working the toe curling. He'd warned me that when he found his mark, it was time. I had a deep PA hole before I knew it. That's when I asked him (out of curiosity of course) if that CBR was big enough for a deep PA. We both knew I was joking, but only I knew how close to serious I was. The next steps promised to be much more intense.
Tim used a 10g taper to hold the deep PA placement open while simultaneously keeping the blood to a minimum. Receiving tube number two was even scarier because it had to share space with the taper. Luckily it only had to reach the PA placement. Since Tim wasn't excited about giving me an O-ring so I could wear the taper as a Deep PA, we moved on and next thing I knew I had all kinds of metal sticking out of my urethra with new holes for both a Deep PA and a PA.
Folks the next part is why you shouldn't try this at home, and why you shouldn't try this without plenty of experience. Tim carefully joined the tapers by feel - INSIDE my urethra. The piercings were stretched, while the tapers were being redirected, and it was done by feel. I had a front row seat for what was going on inside, but Tim only handling the tapers. I knew the instant they were joined and it was all I could do to resist jumping off the chair to give him a high five. If a taper had slipped out, we'd have failed or the whole ordeal would have been extended while things were set up for another try. He did this while also navigating around a freshly installed frenum - needless, I was impressed.
Overall, very little bleeding. I'll credit 3 factors for the lack of serious bleeding (PAs are notorious for blood folks). First and foremost was Tim's planning and preparation - blood control was considered and included as part of the plan at every step. Second, Tim has skills. And Third, I historically clot well and had the sense to give up alcohol and caffeine for a few days - credit BME and QOD for that pearl. I'm deliberately not discussing pain. If it is a concern: don't bother with this procedure. What I will say is that I'd forgotten the frenum by the time I had a deep PA, and I'd forgotten that by the time I had both dolphin holes placed. I'd clearly forgotten the joining of the tapers when I had to override my desire to jump up and high five Tim. If you are still fixated on the pain and want a nearly scientific judgement, take a look at the survey on the institute of piercing sciences website for their generalizations. I'll say that my personal piercing experiences do not follow their generalized order of intensity though. If your curious about how much it hurts - have it done - the pain will stop.
In fact, I've experienced no pain since the jewelry was inserted. I definitely know it's there, but it doesn't hurt. Amazingly my dogs haven't even approached the area - they are famous for greeting folks with a paw to the groin - but somehow they are carefully rising to place paws where I can support them with my forearms - gotta love the animal kingdom - they are so much more sensitive to their environments. Yes, no pain means that it hasn't even burned while urinating - did I mention that I am deliberately over hydrating. Believe me folks pissing frequently and painlessly has got to beat welling tears a couple times a day 'cause you are avoiding fluids and concentrating your urine - but, I wouldn't know *smile*.
So, I was too high on myself to really pay attention to aftercare, but as I read it this morning they have some really cool twists on aftercare. They are basically an ecologically aware shop and it is reflected in their aftercare. I also was delighted to discover that the aftercare supplies were included with the piercings, and I'm looking forward to trying the soap they provided - it's hemp based which sits right with my sensibilities. First rule of aftercare was leave it alone for 24 hours, so first cleaning happens before I go to sleep. I did do a salt soak at the 24 hour mark, but that is because my body always responds so well, and hanging my penis in luke warm water is relaxing - easiest soak ever (LOL).
So, my accomplice, having seen my penis for the first time only a few minutes earlier and having watched it changed dramatically, drove me back to the delightfully tacky spot where there just happened to be a calendar signing in progress. On the way she made a revealing comment. She is tatoo'd, but Sacred Heart actually embarrassed her as to her choice because of the cleanliness of the environment and the personable nature of the staff. She asked for my help selecting a shop if she was ever inclined to modify herself again. We were joined by Tim the photographer for my procedure. And, the three of us shared a picture of Shiner while I scarfed down a salad - I was literally starving by the time we got there.
Well, that's the story of piercings numbers 5 and 6. I'll do two more sometime in the future and I've got some ideas. Those custom bent rings are really cool, and would make really nice lorum placements - we'll see. And, maybe I'll stretch my ears too - the delightfully tacky servers really seemed to enjoy Tim's. Not a good enough excuse, but it's a start (too much testosterone???). Tim took 14 pictures of the procedure which he's emailing me as soon as they are transferred and touched up - you'll find them on BME in the near future.
Yes, I rode the motorcycle home. And, no I am not lying when I say that I have had no discomfort since leaving the shop. Maybe because I do a little over 1000 miles in the saddle every month, so it's a good saddle, but probably because the entire procedure was accomplished with a minimum of trauma. And, I definitely had an erection in my sleep - woke me up since I'm accustomed to causing them deliberately morning and night, but not because it hurt.
The story isn't over yet. I've still got to heal these, try them out and experiment with jewelry. But, I'm confident about healing them - with due caution of course. Just pisses me off that every female on the planet had a little extra sparkle in her eye today (LOL). I'll figure out how to masturbate again sometime in the coming weeks - my technique's gonna have to change, that much I know. And, sooner or later, I look forward to jumping back on the experience curve - hopefully the slide hasn't been too dramatic. But, things are definitely different now.
Big thanks, to Tim, Tim and Diane at Sacred Heart for facilitating this little dream of mine. Hope they can put up with this curmudgeon through this healing and all of my future piercings while I live here in the states. Special thanks to BME, its contributors and particularly to those who ventured there before me for supplying my inspiration. Also, special shout out to my apprentice turned senior piercer in College Station (Carissa at Poke'n'U) for her gentle touch and evil suggestions - I'll be visiting soon.
Folks: do like Bond and Never say Never - or you might end up with extra balls like me *s*.