I finally graduated from the oppressive boarding school, as previously talked about in my Sternum experience (check my IAM for a link). Four years of surviving and I still had only one thing in my mind – I'm getting a piercing the moment I'm free. And by moment, I meant it quite literally, right after the end of year ceremonies ended, my parents and I grabbed my stuff, shoved it in the car, and drove straight to Victoria.
At A Glance Author Carson Contact tentaclerapelol@gmail.com IAM TentacleRape When A week ago Artist Vyky Studio Fleshworks Location Victoria, BC, Canada Since grade nine, the first year of me discovering them, I've found medusas amazingly gorgeous and elegant. I knew from then on I wanted one, but due to my school, I couldn't have one until I graduated. Flash forward to my grade 12 year, I decided I was getting it as soon after my school ended as possible. I had talked to Vyky (IAM: Inhale-Exhale) previously about getting it done, and decided to also get my venoms done the same day. Vyky's an awesome girl who currently works at Fleshworks in Victoria, though previously she lived in Edmonton and started her piercing there. I decided I wanted to get all three the week before school ended, as it was exam week so barely anyone would notice, so I talked to my mom, she shot it down hardcore. It was after or nothing. So I changed our plans, set a date for June 29th at around 6pm (the ceremonies typically end at about five, and takes an hour to get to Victoria) and got all giddy. Vyky ordered me in some neometal pressure fit threadless beads and a post for my downsize jewelry, as I guess she trusts me enough not to be stupid and put in a way to small post the day after I get it done, which I'd never do anyways, and a glass retainer for the healing period. All of this was 14g, the retainer was 7/16ths" and my final downsize post was 1/4", and I got a normal 2mm bead and two gorgeous 3mm emerald and amethyst cabochon beads. The tongue barbells she had at the shop.
Now, I'm not a beginner to piercings, currently my total is 16 (including retired piercings), and that includes stretched, large gauge, dermal punched and surface work piercings, so I knew how to take care of it and what to expect. I did talk to a bunch of people who had their medusas and venoms pierced before, so I was set. Skipping to a few days before the ordeal, I hit a brick wall, I'm sick, my tonsils have a nice happy face of puss on them (seriously, I have pictures, message me if you want to see it), and best of yet, my mom booked me a dentist appointment three days later. Guh. So because of the dentist appointment, as he'd be poking around my jaw, I scrapped the venoms for the time being, I'd just get them later. I kept the appointment for my medusa though, hoping I'd feel better and be healthier as the time came.
Praise Cthulhu, I did. My happy face went away, I didn't feel sick, and all I had left was a stuffed up nose. Still good to go. So closing ceremonies ended, it was boring, people got awards (I got two and a runner up for another), and my entire highschool education was over. I ran out of that place, saying a quick goodbye to some people I liked, and leaving. My dad took my stuff home, my mom took me to Vyky.
This was my second time meeting Vyky, the first time was my mom wanting to meet her to "approve of her" (ahahah) and I gave her a huge batch of home-made (and slightly burnt) vegan chocolate cupcakes, apparently they were good. We enter the shop, she gives me my downsize stuff, I give her some cash, and Zara (IAM: Miss Spook) appears with fresh alien antenna poking out of her cheeks. We all go into the piercing room (Vyky, Zara, my mom, and myself) and get everything set-up. Now, I'd never been pierced by Vyky before, and just went off of other people's word of mouth, but I can say, she's great at what she does. Her room is immaculate, her hygiene is amazing, and she's so tiny you just sit there staring at her cuteness the entire time. I could just hug her and never let go, unless I was crushing one of her piercings.
So, she cleans me off with some technicare, marks me up (which was easy as pie as I had a scar in the exact place she was going to put the dot) and I lay down. Now, I knew that the medusa was going to hurt a bit, but it didn't hurt as much as I thought it was going to. Don't get me wrong though, it hurt, my eyes started watering, but it wasn't a bitch like Vyky's apparently was. I could feel the layers of skin as the needle pushed through, it was really quite strange. Because I was so focused on the "ew this feels gross" factor, I didn't really notice when she put the retainer in. It was done, I stayed laying for a while, as I typically get lightheaded, Zara kept taking pictures the entire time, so I have some rad ones of me looking pretty sexy. I took a look, and fell in love. It looked amazing. Vyky said she was pleased and that I sat really well, I said (in my mind) that she gets more cupcakes for this.
So now, it's been two weeks. The first three days I was a duck, my lip swelled HUGE. The entire post was used up and slightly tight. Advil and water were my friends. I've seriously never drank that much water before, and had to pee so much. It was like I was pregnant, but minus the kicking fetus in my uterus. The next few days it calmed down, only swelling in the morning and at night.
Last night, the day before my medusa's two week birthday, I was cleaning it and I forgot to put the o-ring back on. I guess I made a weird face as my retainer slipped out and fell into a vortex. It was gone, nowhere in sight. I ripped my room apart, but stopped and ran to the bathroom with my jewelry case, rummaging through it trying to find a 14g post that's as long as my retainer. No luck. The longest I had was a 16g 5/16ths" neometal threadless post. It'd have to do. I slipped it in, popped the bead on, and prayed that it wouldn't embed overnight. Today I woke up to a perfectly fine medusa, no swelling, no anger, no embedded disc. I love how it looks with the bead on it, sucky it's 16g now, but I'll most likely stretch back up to 14g.
I love it though. It's definitely my favorite piercing by far, and I'd recommend it to anyone. The pain is worth it, just be careful with retainers. They're tricky devils.