Since I was a child I have been terrified of needles. I cannot count the numerous times I had to have my mom hold my hand in the doctor's office. When given the chance of one shot or medicine for ten days, I always choose the medicine. When I donated blood, I had to have them not tell me when the needle was going in or I would squirm and back out. To me needles were painful and that's why hated them. Which is why I thought I would never get a tattoo.
I have wanted one since I was 18, the same tattoo for four years. I almost got it once when I was 20 but due to the artist having a family emergency it was canceled. I felt so relieved, I was not prepared for it. However something happened the day before my tattoo, I was tired of being afraid. I was determined to get this meaningful piece of artwork on my body. I kept asking the lady at the front desk what this felt like. She said it just felt like a scratch. I asked her to compare it to a shot and she told me it didn't hurt as much as that. She explained that a shot goes through your skin and into a vein and a tattoo just goes into the first 2-3 layers to the epidermis. With this information, I felt confident I could do this. I told my mother I was getting a tattoo and she offered to come to my college town and sit there with me because she knew my fear of needles. Like the big girl adult, I told her no because I knew if she was there I would feel like I couldn't do it.
I got the call it was my turn (I was a walk-in) and I started feeling anxious, I couldn't believe it was time. When I got to the shop the artist had my ideas printed and I sat while he made the template. I fell in love when it was placed on my arm. I knew that the tattoo was going to be a temporary pain for a permanent reminder of something that meant a lot to me. The artist started and for like the first 5 seconds I couldn't feel a thing, that's because it wasn't on my skin yet, but once it reached my arm I told him I felt like a little bitch for being scared to do this. IT WAS NOTHING LIKE A SHOT OR WHAT IMAGINED IT WOULD FEEL LIKE.
Now I'm not going to lie and say it didn't hurt, it hurt. It was nothing like a shot though. It felt like you got scratched by a cat and then applied germ-x to it. Especially when there was shading, it places the artist went over where I was bleeding hurt the most, I did take one break but it was like two minutes in the same spot. My arm hurts more now that it's healing than it did while getting it. It took like 45 minutes and I couldn't believe I had waited so long to get a tattoo. I am not saying I'm addicted and want one again like next week. I'm just saying that when something I want on my body forever comes along, I won't be afraid anymore.
Tattoos are beautiful artwork that has a meaning to every person that gets one. If there is something you want on your body for forever, don't hesitate, your imagination is worse than reality trust me.
Here's to hoping I don't forget to not dry it with a towel, clean it with a loofa and not constantly get aquaphor in my hair.
