After two years of trying to talk my mom into letting me get my rook pierced, she finally gave in. First she gave into my navel, and after that she seemed not to care much. So, after bugging her for about a week to take me that following Saturday, she gave in. At first she was iffy about the whole situation, because she thought I was wanting my tragus pierced, and she thinks the tragus piercing is "tacky". Well, after printing her out a picture from BME, she saw what I really wanted and all she said was "Oh, I like that. Go for it!"
At A Glance Author Amber Contact Amber@bme.anon When A week ago Artist Adrian Location Dover, DE Saturday came, and it was also race weekend. The piercing shop I always went to was in North Dover, right in the middle of the race traffic. Hundreds of thousands of people in one little area is not fun trying to drive through. So, with many people telling me to check out this place Underground, which is closer and away from the race traffic (for the most part), I decided to go there. I heard a lot of good things about it, so why not?
I drove me and my mom to Underground. We went in, and was greeted and asked what we were there for. My mom said a piercing, and they handed us a consent form. While my mom was filling it out, the guy there (who, I forget his name... oops!) talked to me about what I wanted it. I told him I wanted my rook pierced and he asked if I wanted a 16G or a 14G. I told him 16G, only because I thought if I went to a 14G, the ring would be sitting on the edge. Then he led me back into the room and started getting the stuff ready. He told me that he didn't have any 16G CBR's, only rings with two balls on them, because the shipment wasn't coming in until Monday. It wasn't exactly what I wanted, but I could deal with it. I said fine, and then he held my tragus and said, "This is what you want, right?" and I said no... and pointed to my rook. He grabbed my rook and was like, "Oh... this thing?" At that point, I was freaked out because I thought he hadn't done one before. Come to find out, he was saying that because he got out a straight 16G needle, and was telling me he's never done a rook with a 16G, only a 14G. Then he proceeded to tell me that, along with the 16G CBR's not being in stock, was 16G curved needles. He went on about the plus side to 14G, which is stronger, he had a CBR for it, and once healed there would be a wider selection of jewelry to use. I told him I was fine with a 14G, I was just worried there wasn't enough room, and he said there was plenty of room. So he started getting out the other stuff (14G needle, the CBR, receiving tube, etc.)
I sat there preparing myself, thinking about what the "crunch" would really sound like. Of course, bugging my mom for two years about it, and right before I was able to get it done... two other people I know got theirs done. So much for wanting something no one else had, right? Doesn't matter. It's not as popular as the tragus has become. Well, my friends told me about the crunch, and I was wanting to hear/feel it. Not sure why, call me weird.
Anyway, he was done unpackaging everything, making sure everything is clean, etc. Then he pulled out the marker and began marking my ear. That took about five minutes, and then he told me to check to see if it's in a good place. No one ever told me how hard it is to really look at it, which I could barely see it in the mirror, but I figured if he took so long making sure the placement was perfect, it must be good. I said it's fine, and we began. I sat on the table (which was like a doctors table that you lay on, with the stool and everything) and waited for him to get everything situated. He held the receiving tube at the bottom, told me to breathe in and out, and on the out he pushed the needle through. It only went halfway through and about a second later he pushed the rest through. Honestly, it didn't hurt. The worst part was the fact that he was pushing my head down, and I was squinting, waiting for the pain... but it never really came. There wasn't really a crunch, either . I was disappointed. Not hearing the "crunch" or "pop", I wasn't sure if it was all the way through. I asked if he was, and he said "It sure is!" Next thing I know, he's pulling the rest of the needle through with the ring, and putting the ball on – none of which I really felt. I could feel something going on, but didn't know what, really. The weird part, maybe not weird because it's happened with all my piercings, as soon as it was done, I didn't feel it anymore. It seriously felt like it wasn't there.
He told me to hop up and check it out in the mirror. I did, and to my surprise, it was positioned PERFECTLY. I loved it! Then he went on about aftercare and all that jazz.
It has been about two days now and today it really didn't hurt. It moves side to side perfectly fine, I barely feel it. I do have a problem with rotating it, though... problem is, I can't. I was told that was to be expected, and to continue to clean and try and it eventually would. Sleeping really isn't a problem, but using the telephone is. It's my phone ear, and it sucks. Nothing I can't handle though, it just gets a little sore.
Anyway, my rook experience went great. It really isn't bad at all. If anyone is thinking about whether or not to get it, get it! The attention is great, and it looks great! I'm sure since you're reading this you're trying to decide if you want to get it, and on my part, I think you should! It's great!