Out of the loop

Last night Eric and I together tackled another pregnancy milestone: removing my belly button ring.

Had I simply taken it out a few months ago when my belly wasn't quite so, well, full, I'm sure this wouldn't have been a big production.

Waiting until you're not actually sure it is still possible to take it out guarantees that it will not be a non-event.

I can be stubborn, and a little proud. I know there's no medal for getting to the end of pregnancy without having to take your belly button ring out but somehow I got attached to the idea that it would be neat to do that.

So as the skin stretched and contorted around the belly button ring I assured myself and everyone else, even as they asked with increasing concern in their voices, that it was fine. All was well.

In the last few days, however, all was becoming less well. The skin around the piercing was really starting to look unhappy, and it was getting a little tender to the touch. The last thing I am interested in is some sort of hideous infection right there so last night I decided it was time to take it out. And suddenly, I wanted it out immediately. It couldn't come out fast enough.

The complicating factor was this: I have had it for 13 years now and I have never once taken it out. I had no idea how the ring actually opened up to come out.

I had this notion that the little ball in the ring was threaded on a little connector piece of the ring and if we spun it, it would open up.

That didn't work.

Eric fiddled with it a bit and managed to the get the little ball to come out, leaving a small (very small) gap in the ring. We had found the exit but the door was far, far too small to make our escape.

That was when Eric went to get the pliers.

Gently, very gently, Eric pried the ring open to create a space that was big enough to slide the ring out, and out it came. I then sprayed it with at least half a liter of bactine and asked it nicely to please not get infected.