I really believe that the URGES to get pierced tend to come from out of nowhere, hitting me like a sucker-punch from someone within the crowd, knocking me senseless - yet somehow intensely focused.
At A Glance Author daballsak Contact daballsak@hotmail.com IAM daballsak When Three months ago Artist Shelby Studio Hoops Bodyarts Location Kennewick, WA. It was a Monday morning, December 30th 2002, 1020 AM to be exact. I had been sitting around the house impatiently waiting for the fricken cable company to arrive and hook up my new high speed cable Internet service. Now naturally the dirtbags (plural - as they are all idiot dirtbags at the local cable office) had lied to me (again), this time promising that on this particular day and hour, I would have my high speed Internet service. Loosing money because I was not at work, I stormed out of the house in a rage and got my fat ass on the road hoping to perhaps cut my losses for the day. I pointed my car in the desired direction and hit the ol booster rockets, somewhat unintentionally, in order to speed my arrival at work. After a couple of miles or so driving at slightly less than the speed of sound, I realized that I was in no condition to perform any task however trivial, yet unfit to live with at home either. Absolutely livid, I decided to go to the local mall instead of w ork and screw off for a while, perhaps avoiding another one of my major meltdowns. Not that meltdowns are a real common occurrence for me, but as of late it seems like I've endured an endless parade of incompetent idiots of which I have had to the distinct pleasure of dealing with in my daily travels.
Pulling into the mall and walking into the Barnes and Noble store, I naturally gravitated to the magazine section for a look at the latest computer gadgets and gizmos. As I scanned over the magazine racks, the newest issue of XBM caught my attention right away. Could it be? Yes indeed, it was the March 03 issue of Xtreme Body Mod. What a score I thought! About then it hit me like that sucker punch - I must immediately buy this magazine, depart the store, and get on down to the local tat and piercing shop. It was time again I realized, for yet another piercing. On the way to the shop I reasoned (not that it really required any reasoning) that a piercing would be the perfect antidote for my fowl mood. Sort of like a shot to make you feel better, so to speak. If there is anything better for getting your mind off of the crap that pisses you off, other than a 10 ga. needle coming at ya, I wouldn't know what it would be.
I pulled into the shop parking lot, jumped out of the car and rushed for the door. Once inside, Shelby (What a sweetheart of a girl!) greeted me cheerfully as she always does. She explained to me that her jewelry shipment had arrived, and that the pieces that I wanted had arrived with it. What a bonus I remember thinking! I had pretty much given up on that jewelry order, and was thinking of getting something else that particular day. She asked if I was going to do one or two piercings, at which I automatically responded – both. As we walked to the piercing room, I actually began to rethink that response. Being on the receiving end of two 10 ga. needles at one sitting did NOT seem like the thing to do! Nervousness began to set in at this point, but I was determined to get through it. Probably about six weeks earlier, I had a single lateral Guiche done in a 10 ga. that was an extremely intense experience. On a pain scale of 1-10, it was about a 7, so naturally I was expecting the same or worse – times 2.
While starting to do the setup, Shelby asked if I wanted a gown to wear - at which I responded no. I don't know?! If your laying down on a table with your legs spread out in stirrups, jewels and all hangin and danglin, and your about to get the 10 ga. metal put to ya - a gown just seems trivial don't you think? When I had the very first Guiche done (about eight months ago) I used the gown provided, but it just got in the way and looked pretty stupid. Additionally, it made the whole thing feel like a hospital procedure rather than an experience. I kind of expected a food services person to walk through the door at that point, and offer me some food from the cafeteria. After that, I elected to skip the formalities and just drop the drawers.
As the Shelby completed the preliminaries, my pants came off and I mentally began preparing myself for the event. Shelby put the stirrups in place on the chair, and rolled down the paper barrier over the cushion. I hopped up on the thing and began sliding down closer to the end per her request. She then stepped on the up pedal sending me ever so gently higher into the air. Once at the desired level, Shelby sat on her stool and inspected the area of which this 10 ga. double whammy was to occur. She had started explaining that she was going to cleaning the area, when it occurred to her that this was about the 6th and 7th piercing that I was going to get. We both agreed that I pretty much knew how this all was going to go, so we could probably skip the formalities.
Everything did indeed precede as most piercing do... except for the pain levels. I am not sure what made these two Guiche piercing MORE painful than any of the others, but HOLLY BAT CRAP BATMAN - these hurt like a Son Of A Bitch! On a scale of 1-10, the first was about a 9.0, and the second was about an 8.5. The first one hurt bad enough that my left leg began to uncontrollably twitch while the needle was being inserted. This intern increased my stress level for the second piercing. I think that my main bitch the whole thing was the incredible burning sensation that I had not felt in previous experiences. Not only did the piercings seem to burn during needle penetration, but they burned for about an hour afterwards - although not nearly as bad. I reasoned that this was probably similar to what a nipple piercing would probably feel like, according to what I had been told. Thinking back about the whole thing afterwards, I realize that the actual pain lasted only about 5-7 seco nds, and the intense burning subsided pretty quickly. I swear though, that it was the longest 5-7 seconds that I can ever remember!
Now that I have made this sound like a painful experience from hell, let me convince you that it was a good experience, and that you should do it also. OK - I may not be able to do that, but let me say that no two are going to be the same. What I have found in my very limited amount of times getting pierced (five of eight being Guiche piercings), is that every one is an experience in itself. No two have ever been alike in pain, healing, or required aftercare. One thing is the same for all though, they are/were all cherished and remembered. I'd do each of them all again if I had to... and I probably will at some point.
Hey... Best of Luck!
DBS
daballsak@hotmail.com