I did come back. The feeling was taking hold. I knew I had to have more piercings. I had already decided what I wanted to do. It was my septum this time. This was to be my fourth piercing. I had easily overcome three so far and was so confident that I could do it again. I needed to have this. I needed my fix.
At A Glance Author aniorange Contact aniorange@bme.anon IAM aniorange When Five years ago Artist Original piercer Robert Studio Dogstar tatoo Location Durham, N.C. I headed to the same spot as always. I pulled up on 9th street and couldn't find any parking. I had to park in a nearby grocery store. It was a bit of a walk to Dogstar Tattoo. (Can you say foreshadowing?) I strolled inside, probably two or three in the afternoon as I usually do. Nothing is happening yet. Robert saw me and asked me, "What's up?" We exchanged greetings and I told him I was here to get my septum done. Robert put suitable jewelry in the autoclave and as usual, informed me he was to have a smoke before we started.
I decided this time to sit around patiently looking at the flash on the walls and though some portfolios. In the back of my mind I knew what was to come. That flash would be in my future, but not today.
It seemed like forever before Robert came back in. He went in the back, probably to check on the jewelry. He came back shortly to ask if I was ready. I headed on back to his usual booth.
I jumped up on the short table/bed thing that he had. Robert put his gloves on and got things ready. A few drops of this and a squeeze of that. I really do not know what he was using, but he made a few puddles on his workspace. I can't remember if he used some kind of tissue or little cups. He stuck the needle in one of the clearer puddles. He cleaned my septum up a bit. It smelt kind of like the smell of a hospital. He then got his appropriate clamps with the rubber bands on the end and clamped my septum. He got his needle and I believe a receiving tube. He positioned himself and asked, "Are you ready?" To which I replied, "Do it."
He pushed the needle though with one quick movement. I remember a sharp but quick pain. It nearly brought tears to my eyes, but it was too quickly followed by the rush. The rush that one gets when getting poked. It was a sense of accomplishment, of pride that I once again had survived being pierced. It was a certain invincibility. All of that happening in a split second. Robert put the jewelry in and snapped the ball into place on my captive bead ring. I felt the slight weight of my new jewelry. This was really the first time I had felt that. I could feel it pulling on my septum. It was awesome. The endorphins where kicking in. I felt great.
Robert seemed quite proud of his work. He was proud of how straight it was. After hearing that so was I. Robert had me come out to the lobby and wait while he got the camera. It looks like I was going to make his portfolio. Cool.
I paid for my new poke and said my goodbyes. I headed outside to walk back to my car. As soon as I stepped out the door, I could immediately feel the eyes. It seemed everyone was staring at me in shock. Ha! It felt great. I just smiled at everyone and kept on walking. I rather enjoyed the walk back to my car. The rather long walk. I was already showing my pride in my new addition.
Of course when I got to work that night I got the usual reactions, but for some reason they seemed a little stronger with my septum. People reacted more to my new septum then any other piercing to date.
It healed well. For the first couple of weeks I would get these random sharp pains that would only last a couple of seconds. Other than that healing was nothing. It swelled very little. I kept it clean with antibacterial soap. It healed up nicely and became quite strong. I got to where people would look at me and say, "That must have hurt." I would reply with, "No it feels fine." I would then grab my septum ring and start tugging on it at the same time. It didn't bother me at all. I guess I love to freak people out. I still do that till this day.
I kept this piercing for a couple of years. I moved from North Carolina to Oklahoma some time later. The job I transferred too did not appreciate my tastes in piercings. I was actually taken aside my second day at work and told by my manager, "I don't know what they let you get away with at the other store, but if you show up with that nose ring one more time you are out of here." I was amazed at my manager's reaction. I was quite taken back by how strongly this guy felt about my piercings. It was as if he saw me as some kind of devil. No big deal I guess. I had a retainer and would pop that in before work every night. I did however have this tendency to "let" my retainer drop down to where people could see it. I guess I just like to get a reaction out of the night managers when they noticed. Shame on me. They would just remind me I should not be wearing that to which I would apologize. I would say,"Oh, sorry I didn't know it slipped down." That was a lie.
I lost that job later because of some health issues. I kept trying to hide and keep the piercing, even though operations I needed. I learned to buy weed eater line and cut a small piece out and stuff it in the piercing so I would not be wearing anything metal. I even learned that the circular bar bell that I wore in it sometimes could be flipped up if I just took the balls off. I hid it from other jobs as well.
Over time however I got tired of all the trouble. I guess I was a little depressed from the health problems. I took it out. I later wished I hadn't. I left it out for a few months before I missed it so much I had to have it redone. My wife at the time wanted also to get pierced. I was taking her to get her labret redone. She missed it as well. It was a good drive to town to the only place in Oklahoma we trusted. Since we where going there anyway I decided it would be a good time to get my septum redone.
We got there and told the ladies behind the counter what we wanted, filled out the proper forms and paid in advance. This concept was a little new to me, paying in advance that is. We waited our turn to go back. They had a real nice waiting room, with nice long display cases and comfy sofas. It wasn't a long wait. My ex-wife and I headed back at the same time. She got her labret done and then it was my turn.
The piercer looked at my septum and saw that I have had it pierced before. I told him I had it done some years ago. He asked me how long I wore it and how long had it been since I took it out. I told him I wore it for at least two years. He took a closer look and told me that it was still open. It had just shrunk. He told me that he would not have to repierce it, just stretch it back open. He then added that would save me some money. I thought this sounded pretty cool. I didn't know what I was in for.
The piercer takes the unopened needle back and gets a 14 gauge taper and prepares everything. He cleans as usual and puts on his gloves. He changed gloves a few times as he was setting up. He told me to count to three and he would get started. I wasn't worried about the pain, I felt invincible remember? I was wrong. I had never had a stretch before. He pushed the taper though and it stung. It stung a lot more then getting it pierced. Wow. I told him I think I would have rather him repierce it than to do what he just did. It was done and over with though. He pushed the jewelry in and all was well. The pain was over.
I didn't think much about aftercare because he didn't pierce it, but the piercer told me otherwise. Clean it with antibacterial soap and sea salt soaks. Of course I asked, "Just for a stretch?" To which he replies. "Yes."
Off we headed back home. The experience this time was not the same. My nose was sore. The jewelry was tight. I tried to move it later that day but it would not budge. Not just side to side, but I could not even flip it up if I wanted to. This sort of thing went on for 3 days. It was a very new experience for me. My septum did swell and I could not budge the jewelry. I cleaned it and soaked it like I was supposed to. I thought after the soaks it would move a little. No. After day 3 however it began to loosen a little. It took 3 or 4 more days before it was "normal."
I was very happy with my reborn and very straight septum. I had also survived a stretch. It was something rather new to me. I decided I wanted to push it up to 12 gauge. No biggie right? I can do this myself. I went to one of the more popular mall type places to buy my jewelry. I don't know what I was thinking. I bought my 12 gauge jewelry and headed for the car. I was excited so I just pulled out my jewelry right there in the car and cut open the new jewelry and tried to poke it right in. Not so easy. It took a few tries but it went in. It was a little tight, but no big deal. I was happy.
Again my nose swelled a little. I kept it clean. For the first 2 or 3 days it wouldn't budge and my nose was quite sore. Things quickly got better after day 3.
Of course as the tale tends to go, I was not happy with my 12 gauge piercing. I wanted to go to ten. This time I went to another piercing shop in town. It was new and I wanted to check it out in case some day I wanted to get pierced there. I found some jewelry I liked and made the purchase. The shop then offered to install the jewelry. At first I was thinking naa, I can do it myself. The guy asked if I was sure, he said it was free of charge. I decided sure, why not. They waked me back to a little room and had me sit in a dentist chair. The piercer got some KY out; at least I think it was KY. He made a small puddle on his workstation and dipped the taper in. He took my current ring out and got ready. He didn't give me much warning as he crammed things though. Wow again. I didn't think it would be as tough as it was, again. I was a bit stunned. I though I could have done it myself, but as I thought about what just occurred; I realized I would not have been able to make this stretch myself. I also decided I was going to be happy with ten gauge for a while. Piercing is one thing. Stretching is another.
Healing went the same. It was tight and sore for about 3 days. I kept it clean and after the 3 days it was loosening up again. My septum was happy. The jewelry was happy. I was happy.
I have stayed at the 10 gauge for a year or so now. I am starting to think about going up one more stretch to 8 gauge. I don't want it to be too big, but after a while as anyone who is keen on stretching would tell you, it doesn't look so big after a while. I still feel rather invincible and still love my septum. I am hooked on piercings and tattoos and I have no regrets.