Written September 7th, 1999

My second body piercing. I was 17 years old. Once again isn't it illegal for a 17 year old to obtain a body piercing with out the consent of a parent? Yeah, but these people didn't care, and I wasn't telling anybody. I went to this piercing and tattoo shop in north Grand Rapids, Michigan.

The only research I did on finding a place to get pierced was how much it would cost me. I found a place that said it would be $45.00. I was calling from work so I had to wait until I got out of work that day. I took a girl that I worked with, jenny. We drove to the north side and searched and searched for this place and couldnt' find it. So we decided to drive back home, jenny had something she had to do. It was about 7 at that time. So I dropped her off and went back to my house and called the shop to get new directions since I couldn't find the shop on the first try. Opps my mistake, the road that they were on ended and picked up back on another street... guess I didn't go far enough. They said that the place closed at 8... I had about 40 minutes to get there, if I wanted to get it done that day. So I drove my ass off to get there before they closed... once I get something in my mind that I want to do, there is no stopping me. So I got there with about 10 minutes to spare, go me! I went in the place and I didn't feel right about it. I just figured it was butterflies because I was going to get pierced again... the excitement. It was a bit dirty in there. I told the guy behind the counter that I want to get my belly button pierced. He said no problem and got out a consent form. I signed the consent form and gave the guy my $45.00. I was led into a small room and he said I could sit in the chair. Meanwhile there was a small child and woman sitting in the room too. I guess it was his wife or something by the way he was talking to her. I kind of felt wierd that there was a kid in the room that they would let watch this. I tried to ignore it as much as I could while I sat back in the chair and he prepped my belly.

I remember him putting betadine on the area, but almost nothing after that, until I got up to leave. But I do remember the lady hovering over me the entire time, wierdo. He gave me instructions on how to take care of it. I writhed to get out of the chair, I didn't want my pants hitting my new piercing. I left my pants unbuttoned and tucked the corners into my pants and pulled my shirt down. I was really excited.... I got another piercing!

So I drove home and chilled there for the rest of the night and went to bed. I woke up in the morning and was in PAIN! I sleep in the fetal position and it causes my tummy to be all scrunched up. So when I woke up it pulled the skin flat again... ouchies. I quite obvdiously couldn't sleep on my stomach, as I sometimes do. I continued to put more neosporin on my tummy for a few weeks. It gradually got better. It took almost a full 2 months, give or take a few weeks, to completely heal. It was so cute.

I was pierced with a 14 guage cbr with a black hematite ball. I woke up one morning to find that the ball was missing. I do crafts and make jewelry and knew I had a bead that would fit it exactly so I dug a small pearlish bead out. I had to get to school quick though, so I just brought the bead with me. I had one of the girls at school put the bead in since I coudn't seem to get it in. I kept that cbr in until the summer of 1998, when I got a twisted barbell. Its very unique, I don't find many people with them in. I get people asking me sometimes if it is pierced twice, since there are 2 balls showing.

I got this piercing because it was just the thing to do at the time. Navel rings were a growing popularity and who am I to miss out on a popularity contest? *heh*
I barely know its there anymore. I don't pay much attention to it. It doesn't get infected. I occasionally clean it out with neosporin, it gets washed every day in the shower though, probably the reason it doesn't get infected.
Recently I bought a curved barbell that has a bigger ball on one end and a smaller ball on the other that I will wear ocasionally. I very rarely take my twisted barbell out though.