From: erover@panix.com (Elizabeth Rover)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart
Subject: two new holes:)
Date: 12 Oct 92 21:18:49 GMT
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix & Internet, NYC

Well, I finally did it... after much internal debate, I am now the proud
wearer of two nipple rings. I know that my boyfriend Erik posted his
experiences here, and thought some of you might be interested in my tale.

Erik and I went to Gauntlet together last Saturday "just to look." He
decided almost immediately to adorn himself. I decided almost immediately
to wait until after I saw him go through it before I decided anything. 

Mark, the guy who pierced  both of us reminded me in manner and tone of
voice of a gynecologist (super calm, very soothing, and quite understanding
of feelings of awkwardness). The piercing room reminded me of a doctor's
office, quite clean and sterile with a few pictures on the walls. 

Erik sat on the table, closed his eyes, and as Mark told him, concentrated
on his breathing. I stood and held his left hand while his right nipple was
pierced, and then sat and held his right hand while Mark pierced his left.
Watching his reaction to the first piercing was what necessitated sitting
for the second. I was imagining, quite innaccurately, how I would feel in
the same situation.

Afterwards, we went and sat in the waiting are while I tried to decide what
to do. I had all sorts of questions running through my head: does it hurt?
how much? for how long? are the rings visible under shirts? can I wear a
bra? will I like how they look? and a whole bunch of others. It got to the
point where I knew that if I walked out of there without doing it I'd
regret it, even though I didn't know how I'd feel if I did do it. So, I
made an appointment for later that afternoon, and went shopping for
seamless bras.

I was continually impressed by how coherant and active Erik was able to be.
Despite the fact that *he* says he followed me around lifelessly, he was in
far better condition than I was later.

We went back for the moment of truth at 4:30.

As this post is getting kinda long, I'll skip the preliminaries...they were
the same as Erik's...suffice it to say that I'm writing Mark a thank-you
note.

I was told to breathe deeply, and to concentrate on my breathing. Mark said
he'd pierce on my exhale so that I would "breathe it all out." Erik sat
down and took my hand. I closed my eyes and breathed. I always took the
biggest inhale I could, to stave off the moment the needle would go
through. All I can remember of the pain is the prick of a thorn, and then
my entire body tensed up. My legs raised, my shoulder scrunched up, and I
concentrated only on exhaling and then on inhaling and then exhaling, ets.
I don't think I have ever breathed with such slow, controlled force.

After Mark had pierced the first one, Erik asked me if I wanted to look.
Truth is, I was so intent on the sensation and the breathing and how
separate I was feeling that I had forgotten there was anything to look at
:). After the second, *all* I could concentrate on was the sensation and
that I was supposed to keep breathing. 

After it was all over, I got up and began to put on my shirt. Mark
reccomended that I wear a bra as it would keep the rings from rubbing and
from moving around. I tried, but it hurt too much. I'm sure it didn't help
that I was about to get my period and so my breasts were bloated and
tender. 

As I was putting on my shirt, I started to feel a bit woozy and had to sit
down. Then I needed to sit on the table so I had something to lean back
against, then I had to lie down, then I had to drink some water, then some
gatorade. Even though Mark had commented after my second piercing that its
usually the women who are the most nervous but who handle it the best, I
did not feel I was handling it very well.

I finally managed to get dressed and make it back to the waiting room,
where I sat for 45 minutes before leaving to go home. On the way home, I
crossed my arms very gingerly under my breasts to keep them from bouncing.
Once home, I took a painkiller that I had left over from getting four
wisdom teeth pulled at the beginning of the summer, and went on to have a
truly delightful evening with Erik, curled up eating pizza and watching The
Little Mermaid.

I told my best friend about my piercings, and her reaction was that it
really made her wonder. She said that if someone told her that one of her
friends had done this, I would not be the first to come to mind, and so
what have the others done?



-- 
Liz Rover           "Le coeur a des raisons que la raison ne connait pas"
erover@panix.com    "The heart has reasons that the reason does not know"
Newsgroups: rec.arts.bodyart