I had three new punches done today! We did both conches again, as well as my helix in my left ear. We were going to reopen the helix in my right year, but I decided stretching was the way to go. More on that later.
I knew I wanted to do something today, but I really didn’t want to work on the bird. I’ve been kind of anxious all week, I couldn’t find something I wanted to tattoo and be able to have finished, not being a work in progress. Instead I decided on some new jewelry.

This morning we had a nice brunch with my grandmother, aunt, dad and siblings. Then we came home, cleaned up the living room and a bit of the front room (which I need to finish). I talked with Sara, she’s having some troubles right now (I wish I could help them more, but shy of being mom… I just can’t).

Then Michael and I went out, bank, office store (we needed a new chair) Arby’s for late lunch/early dinner, and off to the shop!

Michael picked out jewelry. I had some for the conches, not the helix. Then he did his prep thing. I kept my cool. Kind of I didn’t have that massive anxiety/anticipation I usually do. I think it’s because I had an audience this time. He cleaned me up, marked off where he was gonna punch, and I double checked it. Then we tried to decide what order to go in. J suggested R conch L conch L helix R helix. I said no, I want to do all of one ear, that way I have to do the other.

Let me interject, this is not the first time I have done multiple (read: four) major piercings/punches in a single session, it’s just been about eight years.

I decided to do the left ear, then the right.

We punched the first conch, tapered it up to an 8G and got the jewelry in just fine. I was gripping the arm rests on the chair, but it didn’t go poorly at all, and it wasn’t awful. That crunching noise is the worst. H said it sounded like a hole punch! I never thought about it, but in retrospect, absolutely. I had some of my Dr. P and sat back for the next one.

Then we did the helix, which is the equivalent of a 4G, but my helix always opens up and it easily accommodates a 2G. This one was a problem. It didn’t want to go through. The punch went through the skin just fine and felt like it stopped at the cartilage. Michael really had to push it on through, it was not an enjoyable experience and it hurt like hell. It also bled, which I was expecting (my last helix punch bled like stuck pig too).

Then we moved over to the other side. I hesitated a bit, I needed a moment to collect myself. H said during the helix the color just drained out of my lips. I believe her. I drank some more Dr. P and settled back into the chair.

We did the next conch, no problems. The jewelry slid right in, it was a nice change from that helix!

I opted not to try and re-punch the helix in my right ear. I don’t know if it was a defective punch, or if it was just too old, or if I have some weird ass calcium deposit growing over my cartilage (that’s a joke people), but I did not want to repeat that experience. I had originally wanted to just punch it back open, it would have just been skin because we had already punched it eight or so years ago, but I didn’t trust the punch. Right now I can easily squeeze a 6G into it, I’d like to taper it up to a 4G, but I think I’ll wait a bit while my ears heal. Eventually it will go up to a 2G to match.

Then we went to the book store to pick up some goodies, and later on tonight I get to shower with my baby while he cleans my ears. Ah, gotta love tradition!

Right ear – 3/4″ lobe, 12G upper lobe, 10G tragus, 8G conch, 8G upper conch, 6ishG helix

Left ear – 3/4″ lobe, 12G upper lobe, 10G tragus, 8G conch, 8G upper conch, 2G helix