My Eventful 30th Birthday

Ok, I can finally sit down and tell this story. Everyone that needed to know (parents, boss) now know ... I didn't want them finding out via my blog. Respectful, I know. :)

So, here goes. I turned 30 on Monday, June 1. It was harder than I had expected. I cried ... a lot. It wasn't that I just sat down and cried about it, but lots of things made me cry that day and it was only because I was on the edge. Marcus and I had planned a night out together while my mother-in-law kept the boys overnight. The next day we planned to head to Shipshewana to the flea market.

So, for about a month or so now I've talked about getting my nose pierced. I've thought that they (little studs) are so cute and that I wanted one. So, Marcus told me that he would take me for my birthday. YIPPEEEEEE! We drop the boys off at Carolyn's and head to the tattoo shop called, "House of Pain." Yes, that should have been a red flag, I know. We walk in and I cheerfully say, "Hi. I am here to get my nose pierced!" The tattoo guy looks up and says, "REALLY?" Yep, that should have been another red flag. So, off we go into the room. Now, I was feeling pretty pumped at this point. I sat down in the chair (it was an old fashioned shoe polisher chair ... odd I thought). Marcus was there with me and I assume he was going to watch - however the guy is terrified of needles, go figure! So, Mike (tattoo guy) and I are just talking and BAM! He does it. He sticks about a 4 inch need through my nose. YEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCH! Now, I've given birth to two children WITHOUT drugs ... that's nothin'! Holy cow that hurt! He stops for a sec to make sure all is ok and then I hear, "Um, man, she's getting a little white." Sure enough ... I was passing out. Marcus has been with me long enough to know how to bring me back after passing out (yep, it's kind of a habit for me). The next thing I really remember is the smell of that ever too familiar smelling salts. The first thing I asked for was drink of water. The other tattoo guy came back with a cup of water and I took a sip. It must have escaped my mind that I still had a needle through my nose, because when I took a sip of the water, I hit the needle and that sent me back into a bit of a panic. I went to take another drink and I just poured it all down the front of me! So now, I am in pain, I have a needle in my nose, a soaked shirt and three men hoovering over me. And we haven't completed the task at hand. ARG! Oh, and I forgot to mention that SOMEWHERE in all of this the tattoo guy says to Marcus, "Um, maybe this wasn't her brightest idea!!!" Yeah, red flad #3! So, on we go. The first stud I had picked out didn't fit me ... I guess my cartilage is too think. Huh, who'd have thought. So, they get what was called a nose bone. Yep, this sounded pleasant ... NOT! He got the nose bone in and then had to use needle-nosed (appropriately named) pliers to pinch the nose bone shut. UGH! That was equally as painful as the needle itself. Ok, nose bone is in, all looks well, but I am still a bit white. Here's the pic of me just finished. Still white and if you look closely at the right side of my shirt (my right) you can see where it's wet. So, we just sit there and talk with the guys for about 10 minutes before getting up to pay and heading out for an enjoyable dinner. Ohhhhh if the story could end right there. We head to one of my favorite restaurants in Warsaw. I sit down and order one of the most expensive items on the menu ... HEY ... is was MY birthday! By this time, my head was pounding so I popped 3 Tylenols. Our food came, I took 2 bites of my steak and 3 bites of fries. Then I started to shiver ... remember, my shirt is wet! I also start feeling weird so I tell Marcus to finish eating, but I must go outside. I found a bench and looked like a drunk sitting there. Several people stopped to make sure I was ok, all I could do was grumble and pray that they were also admiring my new bling that has caused all of this! Marcus finishes up, has my meal boxed up and we head home. The second I walk into the house I vomit what little food was actually in my stomach. I take an anti-nausea pill that I had left over from this and went to bed. I was in bed, alone, sick, with no kids at home at 8:30 on my 30th birthday night. Swell (oh, bad word choice!) Oh, and here's a pic of the nose. Cute, right?

Tuesday I woke up feeling great ... even the nose! It hurt to yawn or open my mouth real wide, weird, right? But other than that I was great. We got up and went to breakfast, Shipshewana and dinner. We had a wonderful 15 hour date! Just what I needed.

Wed - Saturday were normal days. I had noticed that the nose bone was even with my skin and the tattoo guy told me that was normal. WELL ... by Saturday night I realized that new skin had now grown OVER the nose bone. I am guessing that is not normal. It was about midnight when I noticed so I got a needle, removed that new skin and pulled out the nose bone a little ... a little too much. I couldn't push it back in. Marcus tried but I got all tingly and didn't want to pass out again, so we removed it. I was/am bummed. We could have returned to the tattoo shop, but at the time the thought of them threading that needle back through made me ill. Now I wish I had. Yep, you read that right. I really miss it! And I know my boss wasn't thrilled (nor were the parents) but I could have had a clear one during times with them and they'd never see it again! Humph. So, if y'all know someone that would numb it for me before hand, let me know. I know some will say if you can't take the pain then you can't get one ... but come on people! I went through it and then some!

So - I've officially found something that hurts WAY more than turning 30 and a week and a half later, I am considering (ish) doing it again. Can anyone say MID-LIFE CRISIS?????????