Yesterday I got my cartilage done. All week I was excited and nervous! I already knew where I wanted it on my ear. Before I got it done, I was very nervous because I didn't know if it would hurt a lot or not. My mom was there to be my comforter while I was getting pierced. I was pierced with a needle, not a gun. The guns can shatter your ear and lengthen the healing process, which is typically 6-8 months. It can go longer though. It depends on how well you care for it and your body. It actually wasn't as bad as I thought. On a scale of 1-10, it was a 2. It didn't really hurt at all despite my ear bleeding a little. While the jewelry was put in, it hurt a little. Other than that, it was fine. My whole left ear was red though as my friend and I hung out together at the mall. It hurt bad. It felt hot and was throbbing. Eventually it felt better. 
Last night I had cleaned it with H2Ocean. I had some left over when I had gotten my 2nd row on my lobes pierced. It was tender as I cleaned it. It bleed a little too. I didn't twist the piercing because the piercer had told me not to because it can lengthen the healing time, plus it hurts Iikr hell. Q-tips work great for cleaning it! Really gets in the hard places that a cotton ball can't.
At night, I couldn't sleep on that side at all. It hurt too much. As a result, I had to sleep on my other side, which was uncomfortable. It hurt a lot all night and I didn't get much sleep. I was tossing and turning. I know that the next couple days will be rough during cleaning it and sleeping, but it was all worth it. I hope that it heals quickly and efficiently so that I will be able to change it to a new one. But for now, it must stay in until it's fully healed, which will seem like forever for me!
