Bumpy

It's been three weeks since the pink was added to my tattoo. It's been five weeks since The Beloved got his all in one sitting. His is a good 15" X 10" and at it's narrowest margins is much wider than mine at it's widest margins. His was healed perfectly within a week. Wound care instructions were aptly named. He didn't think of his as a new wound, even one that he's willingly gotten. I on the other hand continue to think of it as exactly that. A wound!

For round one I was only stabbed 52,000 times for the blue writing. The instructions were to remove the dressing after 2 hours and wash with antibacterial liquid soap, pat dry. Do this every four hours for the next four days, applying a thin coat of Aquaphor after each cleansing. After four days the scabbing should be minimal and then we were to apply Eucerin cream and rub it in well. The Beloved got his completely finished in one sitting, the same night I got round one. I know for a fact that he neglected his wound care because he flat refused to let me cleanse it after the first two times. I was diligent with mine, partly because I'm a nurse and partly because it hurt like a sonofagun and the warm water was soothing. Plus, I was absolutely fascinated with it!

So two weeks later we go back to the tattoo parlor and The Beloved gets the thumbs up that it has healed so quickly. I sit down to endure a full two hours of the pink ink stabbing. Midway through the H at the top right, I finally say that the blue didn't hurt nearly as bad as the pink does. Matt, the tattoo artist says, "Yeah. You didn't bleed as much that time either." Finally he decides to change out this brand new needle for another fresh out the package brand new needle. For a while it stops bleeding but it remains every bit as painful. Eventually it started bleeding heavily again, by the first letter of the second word. I was having visions of leaving and spending the rest of my life with a nonsensical half finished tattoo when Matt speaks up with a quiet voice but a straight face and says, "I don't know why it's hurting you so much. Are you having your period?"

My first thought was that this very young man, twenty or more years my junior, was sitting here calmly inquiring about my menstrual cycle with a straight face. Just as quickly, I appreciated the fact that he knew enough about his art to know that women are more sensitive to pain before and during their periods. "No. I already knew about that. Never do painful procedures like hot waxing right before or during your period." "Oh" he says. And we continue.

So it was no surprise to Matt when I popped into the parlor yesterday to inquire about what I thought surely must be an allergic reaction. All of the pink is bumpy and after three weeks, it still itches ferociously! He took one look at it and said that it was still scabbing, that I'm a slow healer, and pointed out the lighter, smoother areas where my shirt sleeve rubs. Even that area is still scabby, but eventually, all of it will look lighter in color. "It just takes time to heal, and you have delicate skin, so it's going to be longer." He pointed out the first bar in the F where the scab has fallen away and said not to worry. He said he's seen slow healers before, but that yes, it was taking me a bit longer considering that the lettering isn't that wide.

So while I'd hoped to post the completed work by now, here's what I've got so far!