FINALLY Got My Ear Pierced!
(First Published on BMEzine.com, Spring 2000)

I already didn't trust guns. First piercing experence was in a like girlie jewlery store with a gun. I watched like a 5 year old go before me and I was 12. Nearly passed out that time, they got infected and yucky & closed up the day I finally took the earings out and gave up.

Onto the real story.

I wanted an earring for my prom (I only like looking girly for stuff like this) I only had time to go after my Black Belt test (yes I passed, very proud of myself!) I wanted to treat myself to getting a "real piercing" as I called it. My mom was actucally quite against it because she thought only guys get pierced on one ear (she's VERY behind the times) I finally convinced her because it's not where "the gay people" get pierced which was better. (I have nothing against any sexual orientation, my mother does but please don't hate her for that!)

I had to convince my friend (who's older & a nurse, I brought her because I figured she might know the terms used when the piercer would explain procedures/products, and she did *phew*) to come with me and get pierced with me. We found some places up & down queen street but both of us were pretty strapped for cash & we were asking prices. I was starting to get nervous because of my first piercing (with a gun) got infected and the prices were higher than I expected, and I didn't want to waste the money (me no job).

Finally after checking like 5 places (with me getting VERY complainy because I hurt my ankle the day before at my test and walking is not good on a painful ankle) we went back to the first one (go figure) & got pierced. Nice clean place that didn't feel like we'd get pierced & shoved out the door. (Some other places had that feeling because of the number of people waiting)

Left ear, outer rim for both of us. I think it's a 14, but I'm not sure and we never actucally got to choose. It looked huge for the first day because I thought I would be pierced with a really tiny ring instead of the one I ended up with. I think the earrings were pretty standard there. Asked about new needles, waited while everything was autoclaved & looked at the tattoo designs on the walls (I want to get one later)

I went first but I wanted her to go first because she was older, and I was really nervous by this time. (friend was chicken and made me go, pointing out the fact I wanted it more than she did) & because of my hair getting in Greg's way I had to get pierced twice. The ring went on fine & stuff. It hurt a little bit but I pretended it didn't for the benifit of my friend who was watching me go first.

I again nearly passed out when he was explaining the aftercare (I felt very rude about that!) Sat down, calmed down, let the blood go back to my face, paid the guy & we were off.

On the way home I realized maybe we should have tipped him but were debating how you can tip a guy for a piercing. After a bit we figured maybe ear piercings were so "common" those really didn't NEED a tip but something more extreme/personal or tattoos would.

First 3 or 4 days hurt to turn the ring to clean but I did it anyways. First two nights had bleeding and I had difficulty sleeping because I usually sleep on my left side.

Was wrestling with my soap because me & my friend bought a 6 pack of anti-bacterical soap in bar form to get into my ear & out of my ear. Q-tips (arrg I was trying not to name brands!) worked for a little bit but I got lazy and just put the soap on with my fingers.

It's fine now, I'm still cleaning it and it sometimes squeeks while cleaning it because of the soap making my skin squeeky. I'm debating whether to stop cleaning it now (it's been almost 2 months from the day I write this) because it's been squeeking and that usually means the skin has healed in.

It's kinda weird!

No complaints, Gre-gory's a real cool guy & I'm planning on going back for another ring just under the one I have now. I just need a new victim *ahem* friend to come along with me! I think I've found that friend and I'm planning on going right before school starts up again.

I'm considering other piercings like my left outer rim again, the conch (I believe it's called), my tonuge, my lip, my eyebrow, both my nipples and my hood. Only I'm not sure if I want them for personal reasons or more to show off, so I'm waiting until I figure it out (which I strongly suggest others to do too because I don't think you want to have such a personal area get pierced before you realize what you've done)

Only problem is I live at home and my parents would kill me.

Later. I'll wait just a little later.

Thanks for reading!

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