About the piercing......

I honestly cant imagine trying to explain the piercing to the parents. I suspect my parents may have a cow- but mom taking it better than dad. I know im old enough to make my own decisions and decide what want to do to my body, but i cant shake off my "need to please" instinct.

I have wanted a piercing for awhile but it has never been possible (living at home, visiting family members). I needed a window of time (about 2 months) to let the piercing settle before i can even think of taking it off when meeting certain sensitive individuals (including patients-medical school).

I knew i was gonna be in Camden that day. I knew i had the a month and a half of summer and a month at clinical skills left. I had some money.

The friend i was with was not convinced i was gonna do it. She even egged me on for fun (in all fairness, she really thought i was gonna chicken out, like i usually do). But there was an odd wind blowing from the east perhaps?

I had thought about it for ages. Location, what side effects the piercing might have.....I decided to anyway-because i wanted to. If i didnt do it now, there wont be another opportunity. Such a window of time where i could get away with it, even for a little while.

Even as i was looking for the right shop i didnt know where i wanted it done, but i decided when i entered the shop- yeah, a midline labret it is. Right there, under my pendulous lower lip where daddy always said something could live and be safe from rain and shine.

I came in the room, and sat on couch, much like a dentist chair. I look around, excited and a little apprehensive. My piercer marked the spot under my lip with a purple pen, but it was too low, so i had her make another purple spot slightly higher. Happy, i sat down again and she gave me some mouth wash for a rinse and spit. She changed her gloves, and i admired the black gloves they had in the studio- waaay cool, i gotta get some like that when i have my own surgery. I was trying to make small talk when the realization struck- im gonna have a lady stick a big-ass needle into my lip. My voice quivered as i asked her if it was gonna hurt. She didnt look at me when she replied,"it just stings a little bit." Ok, i thought, no biggie, you're here, let's not embarrasse ourselves by running out.

My friend stood about 2 feet away, looking much more excited than i am. No picture- but she's witness.

I was freaking out internally when my piercer stood in front of me and told me to relax. She came even closer- i was admiring her tattoos around the top of her chest, near her neck. Its was a pretty design of flowers and writing in black, yellow and blue. I looked down, and inadvertly looked into her shirt- she sported a skin to skin piercing on her chest, a straight rod, with a bright blue gem at one end. She told me to relax my lip, pulled on it slightly and told me to take a deep breath.

Well, the piercing itself took all of one and a half seconds. It didnt hurt all that much- she told me to take a deep breath in, i knew it was coming, but when the needle went through my lip i was taken by surprise. The needle going in was so fast, i didnt even have a chance to let the breath i held go. The pain, a slight sting, an automated wince and I started breathing again. Then that rush, the numbness and the slight feeling of shock- what the hell did i just let this woman do to me? I didnt move, and she asked me if it hurt. I said,"no, actually, im numb now" which was true.

Numb, with a hollow needle stuck through the base of my lip. She took the base and put in on the inside of my lip, and pulled the hollow needle out and screwed the ball on in front.I looked in the mirror- somehow, it hadnt registered properly that i had a piercing. I asked her about the aftercare- all stuff she told me before, but kinda went over my head because my internal parliment was in session. I clutched my receipt, said thanks again and walked out......Not really sure what i was feeling- excited, powerful, worried, sore......a bit of everything, really.

I was careless- i didnt actually see her take a new needle or an autoclave. I worry now, but the damage is done.That reminds me, i gotta go for blood tests in a few months, just so im sure. Suddenly my careful side rears it perfectly coiffed head to glares & huffs at my impulsive side's stupidity. All my sides are slighty scared. I'll do it before i go to firms, octoberish. I'll write in my calendar now, just gimme a minute.

So, i walked around- still numb, and with the wierd feeling of metal in my mouth. If i let my lips relax and go slack, you can hardly see the little metal ball under my lip. When i talk and smile it become clearly visible. I couldnt resist looking into a mirror at every opportunity. It feels different having this bit of metal in my mouth. It touches my teeth and gums, and has me slightly worried about gum and teeth erosion. But we'll see how it goes.

I freaked out proper when i got home- my friend was trying to reasssure me, telling i dont look like a man, the stud does not make me more ugly and to sleep on it and see how i feel about it in the morning. I felt better about in the next day- it looks like it belongs. It's still a novelty, but i feel protective of it now-it's healing clean.