8/31/2011 Back When I Was 13……

……I sat at our table in the kitchen with one of my junior high school friends, holding two ice cubes on either side of my ear lobe. When my friend thought it was sufficiently numbed (stupid girl was WRONG!) she poked a sewing needle through my ear lobe with a long thread on it. When the needle was through she then took the thread at either end and pulled it back and forth through my newly pierced ear. I screamed. Its truly a wonder I ever got the other ear done. I shudder just thinking about it now.

When I first approached my mom about this she was ok with me getting my ears pierced. She did, however, warn me that it would be painful and that if my ears got infected I was not to come crying to her. Let me say here and now that my mother’s ears are NOT pierced.

I took good care of my new holes in my head, cleaning with peroxide every night and every morning. I never got infected.

I proudly wore my ladybug earrings, my fake ruby birthstone earrings and little pumpkins at Halloween. I was thrilled with the earring tree my grandmom gave me for Christmas with what I thought for sure were real diamond earrings. Grandmom loved me, just not that much. I would arrange my earrings on this earring tree by color, then by holiday, then by size, it was ever changing.

Then for some reason I lost interest. I stopped wearing earrings and discovered some time later that the holes had closed up.

My interest in earrings had come back in my early 20’s, I think I discovered Avon jewelry, and I wanted my pierced ears back! No way was I going to sit at the kitchen table again with two ice cubes though. Of course, by now, all the locals malls had kiosks in the middle of the aisles that sold jewelry and would pierce your ears for FREE when a pair of their more expensive earrings were bought. I had seen little tiny babies get their ears pierced this way and little toddlers and I thought to myself that this would be a simple way to get my holes reopened. Or so I thought.

The day for my re-piercing had arrived and I drove to mall and readily picked out the earrings I wanted to purchase. So far, so good. The young woman donned plastic gloves, swabbed my earlobes with alcohol and took notice of where the closed up holes were. She explained the procedure to me and I took a deep breath. With my new earring in the chamber, she lifted the gun up to the position and I screamed STOP! I had broken out in a sweat and felt dizzy. I told her I needed a minute and would let her know when I was ready again. Within minutes a young mother with a months old infant came to have the baby’s ears pierced. The girl explained she would have to wait as I was getting mine done but I quickly assured her that it would be OK to do the baby’s first as I was in no rush and had all day. The mother and baby left in no time at all and the child didn’t so much as whimper. Well alrighty then, I was ready!

I am such a wimp when it comes to pain. It took two more attempts before I finally let her get on with the business at hand. I could tell she was losing patience with me and I was afraid she would throw my money back at me and tell me to get out. Yeah, it hurt, but it was quick and I got through it.

I was working and had money to burn so my earring collection grew by leaps and bounds. I had graduated from an earring tree to a velvet lined, sterling silver earring box by this time.

And then for whatever reason I quit wearing them again. Once again the holes closed up. About ten years ago I had them reopened once again but the earring wearing didn’t last long that time either.

By now you are probably wondering why I’m telling you all this.

Valerie, my friend here in the FamCamp, has some of coolest looking earrings. It got me to thinking that maybe I would like to wear earrings yet again. I had tried clip-ons over the years but I really don’t like them. A couple of weeks back Valerie and I had even looked into getting my holes re-opened at a jewelry store for FREE if I bought a forty dollar pair of earrings. I balked at that.

Valerie had the great idea that SHE would re-open the holes in my ears. She assured me that there was no reason to be scared that she knew what she was doing and then I could go on an earring buying spree! Well, alrighty then!

So today is the day. I had to go into the house for a phone call and Valerie said that she, Dianne and Joy would get set up for me while I was gone. Set up for me????

When I came out of the house I was escorted to a chair that was set up in the shade and I got to see Valerie in her full ear piercing attire.

A lab coat of sorts?

I passed a picnic table with an array of tools displayed but I really didn’t pay too much attention. Maybe I should have!

Witch Doctor Roux Valerie suggested so that I didn’t end up with two holes in one ear lobe that it be best if maybe she just strapped me into the chair…..

She also suggested a mild relaxer since I seemed a bit nervous.

This was just a bit too real for me!

Long time readers know I HATE needles!

Nurse Dianne held the tools of the trade for Witch Doctor Roux Valerie.

She tried everyone for the best fit!

I think Witch Doctor Roux Valerie was getting carried away and was thinking she was supposed to perform a frontal lobotomy!

Holes finally opened it was time for earrings. Of course they had to sterilized first and there’s just nothing better than a cold Dr. Pepper for that!

Witch Doctor Roux Valerie, taking my pulse, making sure I made it through the ordeal.

Me, with my new earrings!

Actually, a couple of weeks ago, Val tried one of her earrings on me and with just a little push the earrings went right in. I hadn’t worn earrings in about ten years and for all intents and purposes the holes were still pretty much open! Wonders never cease!