When I turned 18, my first thought was "Yes! I'm free" meaning, I get to get my navel piercing. So, my ex-boyfriend and I went to a close by shop sat in his car in the parking space for 20 min. Why? I was scared. Really really scared. After talking to myself... ("Ok, I'm ready... NO! I'm too scared... I can do this... But it's going to hurt so bad... sigh OK! I think I'm ready..." ect) I went into the shop and waiting another 30 min for him to finish with his other customers. What's more frightening than finally getting the nerve to stick a needle through my flesh then to wait around for another 30 min to re-think everything? When it was finally my turn, I took a deep breath and lay down on the bed looking thing. The guy looked like he knew what he was doing. And everything was very sterile. I felt a sudden sharp pain and looked down... SO disappointed when I saw that it was only a clamp. Meaning, the needle was yet to come. Surprisingly... it didn't hurt all that bad.
Four months later, my current boyfriend and I were fooling around. And... as a result, he had kissed my belly button. You were SO NOT supposed to do that! But of course, my idiot piercer told me nothing about that, OR the aftercare. And when I came back with an oozing, red, itchy, sore belly button the nice man says: "Nothing to worry. It's just a new piercing, use dial soap 2x a day and put some Tea Tree Oil into the entry holes." Thank you so much! I say, and go to the store and buy a bottle of the oil.
Oh look, wow, I stumble upon ezboard's Navel Piercing Forum. I post and... cool I got replies. So... you're not supposed to use Tea Tree Oil, hmmmm surprise surprise. Thanks idiot piercer! And *gasp* the nasty mess on my stomach is an infection. NICE.... it was far too gone. It wasn't about to get better with dial soap, sea salt soaks, or the hot compressions. Doc, here I come!
It was awful, it itched... SO BAD! think... chicken pox times 10! And there was this yellowish, clear, watery discharge that soaked the front of my shirts. And stained! (Imagine english lit class... presentation... get up in front of the whole class with a yellow stain on the front of your shirt...!!!) So I head to the doc's mostly afraid of having to take out my piercing. And than more afraid that my belly button died. You see, my whole tummy was red (and itched) and the inside of my belly button was deep blue/purple. It looked like dead skin. I really thought that I had to surgically remove my belly button!!!
Of course when I got there the idiot doctor told me to take it out, and lectured me. Something like... "You teenagers!... do you think this is pretty... why must you mutilate your body..." ect. So I got a gift, a nice little orange tube filled with red capsules... antibiotics. Ugh, I had to take medicine... every 6 hours! There goes my sleep.
Ok idiot doctor, I took my meds... but... it doesn't look any better. AND.. it still itches! You suck! So when I go back for the check-up... I get another bottle of antibiotics. Ech, this one made me puke. Thanks again. (Mental thought: Should he be able to keep practicing medicine?) Finally a new doc, hey... she's nice. More meds... well, I couldn't avoid that. Oohhh, they're blue this time.
Ok, so the semi-happy ending? It doesn't itch, ooze or hurt. I got a nice discoloring on my stomach though... And... the happy ending!!!! *drum roll* I got it re-pierced! I missed having my navel ring so much... after a few months, I went back and got it done! I went back to the same place... to tell them what happened... (actually... to yell at them) and my piercer got fired! I was shocked to hear that. Supposedly... he wasn't very good at what he did. (well duh!) So the owner re-pierced me...with great care, by the way. And gave me his cell number incase anything went wrong. We talk now and then... which is great since he's tattooing my best friend.
Above picture: That's the discoloration that's still around. The doctor said that it may fade in another 6 months... but that's what she said last time......
Digital cam is broken... can't show off my new ring!!! I did get re-pierced with a ring this time.. So much easier to clean it!
