Lauryn's Thoughts on her Tattoo ...

Hello fellow readers,
     So I did something recently. It is something I have always wanted to do for myself. I got a tattoo. I didn't really tell many people I was going to do it because I really didn't care what people thought about me getting one. I didn't need a thousand different people giving me their opinions because, frankly, it was none of their business. Really, the only person whose opinion mattered was mine. It was going on my body. I didn't even tell my fiance until the day I was going.
     First of all, I want to be clear, do NOT get a tattoo unless you know what you want. It could be personal, have some sort of meaning behind it. Tattooing a cheeseburger on your ass because you love McDonald's is questionable. This leads me to my second thing. Remember that this is a form of body modification. A tattoo is permanent. Now you can get them removed, but it is expensive and involves lasers. So when I say, permanent, I mean it doesn't wash off like the temporary ones you get at the store, or fade away in a few weeks like henna. Also, the third thing to consider is money. Tattoos are expensive. The minimum cost that I have found is $50 and that's for something small like a music note or a smiley face. So if you are going to do it then make sure that you can afford it and know what you are getting.
     I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted to get. Right away I knew that I wanted to get something that had to do with Autism.  Autism is a big part of my life. There are several members of my family who have some sort of Autism Spectrum Disorder. I also have friends on the spectrum and now my career is focused on bettering the lives of adults on the spectrum. I also wanted to say that while Autism is a big part of my life, it is only one part of me. I am not just someone who is Autistic. I am a woman, a fiance, a performer, a college grad, a writer; I am me! All of these pieces make up me. I believe that everyone is one giant puzzle made up of several different pieces that make them the unique individual that they really are. I also enjoy and have a knack for puzzles. I can complete a thousand-piece one in a matter of a couple days. Sometimes I can look at a piece and know right where it goes. It completely baffles my mother.
     Therefore, I came to the conclusion that I was going to get a puzzle piece and it was going to be purple. Not only is purple one of my favorite colors but it is the color for LJFC and the YOU fit center. So I talked to several people including a friend of mine who has done tattoos before. I drew up several designs with some wording around it and met with my artist.  What started out to be a teeny purple puzzle piece on the back of my neck ended up as a big puzzle piece with a bunch of smaller pieces inside and one colored purple with the words “one small piece” below it.
     The process took about an hour. It didn't hurt as much as I thought it would, really it was more of an annoying feeling. I think it helped to have my best friend (who had a couple done already) go with me. It also helped that there was this weird show called “Narcos” playing in the background where they would randomly talk in Spanish which for some reason made us giggle. The artist was also extremely thorough with me about how to properly care for it and what to use which made me feel more relaxed.
    For me, it was extremely important to do it in the month of April, not only because I was going to get my tax refund, but because April is Autism Awareness Month. I figured what better way to show my pride than to get the tattoo that I had been desiring for so long.
       What I am trying to say about this whole experience is simple, think it through. Consider all of your options. Think really hard about what you want on your body because it is permanent. Research your artists and parlors, you can probably find it all online. Afterwards, listen to your artist and follow proper care for it or it could get all gross and infected which is not what you want. Basically, use unscented soap on the area and apply some healing cream like Aquafor 3 times a day. Also let it breathe. Wear loose fitting clothing around it for a while so it can have air.
       And thats all she wrote, folks! If you decide to get a tattoo, congratulations! And if not, congratulations too. YOU need to be the one to decide what goes on your body. Be careful and be safe and be smart.