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Cara Allen
01-26-2008, 07:09 AM
This happened over the past holidays, and it's more somewhat interesting than informative....

After reading the ear piercing thread, I decided that it was time for me, and planned that I would get my ears pierced over my two week vacation. I would have some time for healing, and might be able to get them replaced with invisible studs before returning to work. (BTW, they have these now... they look like thin flesh colored nylon fishing hooks, but no barb, just a small, flat square, about the size of a matchhead.)

So, I went into the local piercing and tattoo parlor. My daughter was referred there by her friends who get piercings. She went there and was very impressed with the cleanliness. Anyone who does piercings in Michigan must be certified. They use autoclaves, etc. When I asked her where she went, she asked why. I told her that I wanted my ears pierced. When she asked why I would do that, I told her that I thought I was old enough, now... She said, "Cool," and went back to her knitting.

So I went to this place, laid my money down. The piercing guy was a biker, so we hit it off pretty good right away (I ride, too.) We were standing outside, having a smoke while the autoclave did it's thing, and he told me that his wife of 17 years was hit by a car, crossing the street in front of his shop, just one month ago. She was hit twice as he watched, and killed instantly. The driver that caused it was coming out of the bar parking lot across the street, and fled the scene... I was shocked... We talked for a bit about this, and I related my heartfelt sympathies. I couldn't even get my arms around this revelation...

After a bit, we went inside and I got into this dental chair. He is messing about, trying to get the positions for the holes just right...calling in his associate to double check his marks. The tools arrive, they're spread out. He finallizes his marks, and goes around the chair one more time to check. As he is walking around the chair, he yells out "Whoa..." staggers, falls to the floor, and has a grande mal seisure!

There were two other guys in the shop, and I yelled for them to come over immediately...I told them that he was having an epileptic seisure... we moved the guy away from the wall and made sure he was not swallowing his tongue. I called 911, and an ambulance was there, in minutes, if not seconds. One of the guys said that he has had this before, but it's been a year or more... The rest was pretty fuzzy... I got a readmit, for some time in the future, and have yet to get the piercing done because I cannot get the time to pull this off again with my job. I went in the next day to find out if he was ok, but the place was closed. Not their regular business hours. I feel so badly for this guy. Just about the time you think your life is difficult, you hear a story like this.

Best laid plans... From my perspective, it took no small courage to go there, work out the timing so it would minimize things for my job, etc... So, do you think it's a divine message??? Talk about overkill (smiles.)

Christina Louise
01-26-2008, 07:22 AM
From the perspective of being an onlooker: one of the people in a house I shared suffered from epilepsy and had seizures quite often. The first time it's quite unsettling for you and you fear the worst for them. After a few times you realise that it's just a horrid part of their life that they have to live with and feel grateful that's it doesn't befall you.

But you got the courage to go and get your ears done then and nothing has changed for you so go for it!!!! NOW!!!!!

Annie D
01-26-2008, 07:30 AM
No! The divine message is that you were needed to where you were at the time that you were. Chances are that if you were not there that he could have been seriously affected. As you tell the story, I think that the other reason that you were intended to be there was to listen to his story about his wife and give compassion and understanding. Some of the other patrons who frequent his shop may not be the type to do what you could do.

Don't give up on your attempts to do what you want. Ask your daughter to go with you and when someone at work asks about your piercings, tell them that your daughter talked you into it. Whether you have regular metal studs or the plastic inserts, someone at work will notice the holes. If you are concerned about someone seeing the holes, then maybe then you should reconsider.

Good luck and God bless you!

Katrina
01-26-2008, 07:52 AM
One of my ex-relatives had seisures all the time...they totally ruined his life. He finally had enough of them and "cured" himself. What a tragic event...his 5 year old daughter was one of the first people to find the body. He had used a shotgun I think.

Priscilla Ann
01-26-2008, 09:34 AM
A divine message? Yes, but I don't think the message has anything to do with ear piercing.

Cara Allen
01-26-2008, 09:43 AM
Thanks, you guys. Maybe the purpose was to have me there at the right time... Damn...

Thank you!

kerrianna
01-26-2008, 09:45 AM
I think the divine part was that you were there to help, honey. :hugs:

I hope he's going to be okay.

I think when you get the ears done you will think about this guy and every time you put your gorgeous earrings in you will have compassion and that is a gift that you have been given. I hope you always treaure it and realize this is more reason for you to get it done, and I hope you go back and get the same guy to do it for you. :hugs:

MarciManseau
01-26-2008, 09:47 AM
I don't know what it's like in other areas, but here in NY many places that sell earrings will pierce your ears for free. I had mine done in a mall when I was 16, and there was no charge because i bought a pair of earrings too.


Hugs, Marci :hugs:

morgan51
01-26-2008, 09:53 AM
hope this doesn't deter you from your orignal plans you were just in the best place for him and thats a, there are no mistakes only experiences. Morgan

Cai
01-26-2008, 11:08 AM
I don't know what it's like in other areas, but here in NY many places that sell earrings will pierce your ears for free. I had mine done in a mall when I was 16, and there was no charge because i bought a pair of earrings too.


Hugs, Marci :hugs:
ACK! NO!!!! Don't go to a mall booth! Those people use a piercing gun, and usually the training consists of a video. A tattoo and piercing parlor is absolutely the way to go.

Cara, I'm glad you were there to help him. Imagine if he'd been alone when it happened?

veronicagirl
01-26-2008, 11:58 AM
Buy a 1-time self piercing STERILE "gun" from ebay and do it yourself. Easy, clean and cheap. That's how I did mine.

Bobby Anne
01-26-2008, 12:28 PM
If you had gone to the Mall your ears would be pierced by now!
Next thing you'll want is a tattoo.

docrobbysherry
01-26-2008, 12:32 PM
I've been trying to come up with a good reason NOT to get my ears pierced. U have given me the best excuse possible! Not having them done could save lives!
RS

Cara Allen
01-27-2008, 07:44 AM
Thanks again to all with the nice responses. I will get it done, and at the same place.

Caution about the guns that you can buy about anywhere. They punch a hole, and it is about impossible to tell where it's going... whether it's i n the right place, etc. We did that for my daughter when she was younger. It cam out in the wrong spot. It eventually elongated, then the lobe split in two parts. We had to pay thousands (!! no insurance coverage) for a plastic surgeon to fix her ear lobe. When she decided to do it again, we insisted on a professional piercing, and she wound up where I went. No problems, since!

Angie G
01-27-2008, 08:04 AM
No just bad luck, Especially for that poor guy. But don't give up I had mine done last year and love it all the nice earrings I can wear. and I was on cloud 9 for a few days over that one :hugs:
Angie

Charleen
01-27-2008, 08:30 AM
I feel everything happens for a reason. You were there to help the guy. If you weren't going to get your ears pierced, you woudn't have been there.
I got mine done over a year and a half ago, and LOVE it!

Katelyn
01-27-2008, 08:59 AM
Wow! What a story. I do agree with Anne D. You were at the right place at the right time. There's no doubt about that. as for using retainers, I use those. I just got my ears pierced too just after New Years at Claire's. (I had no problems). I bought some 18 guage retainers to replace the earrings at another place. 2 days after I got my ears pierced, I attempted to put the retainers in. They were too big. I returned and got nose piercing retainers (smaller) and they worked perfectly. Bottom line is, as long as you're very careful and use the anticeptic, you can get your ears pierced on friday evening and have the retainers in on sunday night. Just make sure everything is steril.

Cara Allen
01-27-2008, 04:44 PM
as for using retainers, I use those. I just got my ears pierced too just after New Years at Claire's. (I had no problems). I bought some 18 guage retainers to replace the earrings at another place. 2 days after I got my ears pierced, I attempted to put the retainers in. They were too big. I returned and got nose piercing retainers (smaller) and they worked perfectly. Bottom line is, as long as you're very careful and use the anticeptic, you can get your ears pierced on friday evening and have the retainers in on sunday night. Just make sure everything is steril.

Thanks very much, Clarissa! Tell me, has anyone noticed the retainers? Still using them? Are they the little flesh toned, flat faced ones? Possibly have a pic?