I've been itching to get a new piercing for ages, and after searching BME for something that looked right for me I fell in love with the idea of a rook piercing. I've only got one other cartilage piercing, a helix that I did myself when I was 13 with a sewing needle, because my dad wouldn't take me to get it pierced (That'll teach 'im!). I also had a tragus that was done with a gun...really big mistake and it had to come out.
At A Glance Author SheepyDaisy Contact SheepyDaisy@bme.anon When A month ago Artist Dunno Studio Pagan Body Piercing Location North Shields I got it pierced on Good Friday, in my work lunch hour. I walked down to the shop, checked the price (20), went to get the cash out of the machine across the road, went back to the shop then chickened out and went back to work. I'd already asked my manageress if I was allowed to get it pierced, so she was laughing at me for being such a wuss. One of the girls I work with offered to come with me at this point so I decided to try again. I find it easier with a buddy, as I don't like looking scared in front of other people.
When I went in there were two guys just sitting around so I went to the one at the till and asked for my rook pierced. He said ok, they hadn't had anyone else in all day, and asked if I wanted a BCR or barbell, I asked him which would be better (healing wise) but he just shrugged his shoulders so I decided on a barbell. He took my payment and went to get prepared. I was left to wait until he called me through to the piercing room. My friend came in too, so she could laugh at me.
The room looked very clean and sterile with a dentist chair in the middle, and posters with various piercings and regulations on the walls. I lay in the chair and the guy double checked which side I wanted pierced and told me to turn my head to the side. He didn't use a clamp. He was really friendly and kept talking to me to try and calm my nerves, I guess. I did the take the deep breath in...and out thing. The needle wasn't painful, just a bit of a nip. The he put the barbell through, which only hurt when he was pulling my ear about to do it. Then he was trying to get the ball on with some sort of tool and I heard a ping. The ball flew across the room and hit my friend on the shoulder. He sighed and got up to look for the ball, complaining that was the worst thing about the equipment he was using. I found this rather worrying. My friend found the ball. Then he was like "Hmmph, I'll have to get another one now..." So I had to wait on the table for him to go get another ball.
There was a bit of tugging while he got that on, but after that it was painless. He didn't give me a mirror to show me my new piercing (strange) but talked me through the aftercare and gave me a sheet with the info on. And that was that. I was looking at it all afternoon, every time I passed a mirror. I loved it straight away.
My dad just tutted when he saw it, my little bro thinks it's absolutely disgusting and my nana says she wishes I wouldn't do unnatural things to my body. He he.
It wasn't until a week later that it started to hurt and it swelled up quite a lot. One morning I woke up and I couldn't find the lower ball when I went to clean it. I thought it must have fell off in my sleep. I spent half an hour looking for it, really panicking and was going to go back to the piercing shop as soon as it opened to get a replacement, but when I checked in the mirror at work the swelling had gone down enough for me to see it was still there after all...!
I took loads of paracetamol to kill the dull ache in my ear. I found soaking my cotton buds in warm water was more effective than the antiseptic solution I'd been recommended. And I held frozen peas wrapped in a tea towel to it for the swelling. The skin is peeling now (like with sunburn) I guess that's due to it swelling. My boyfriend gave it a real whack in his sleep, which left me crying into my pillow at three in the morning. He didn't even wake up. Grrr.
It healed really quick, and now it's fine. I think it's gorgeous. I'd totally do it again and now want my tongue done...