TATTOOS ... Help Me Understand Why You Got One or Why You Want One?

[Barbie08]

I guess I'm not a Bentley either. I have a small tribal sun on my lower back that can only be seen if I am wearing a bathing suit. I got mine to celebrate the first time that I beat Leukemia!

I was very sick. My first stay in the hospital was 86 days, 43 of that was spent in ICU. I had every complication imaginable. I had a mild heart attack, pneumonia, two types of staph infection, and I had to have a trek put in my throat so I could breathe. I had mouth ulcers that ran from my mouth into my stomach. I ran fevers of 106 and 108.

My tat is to remind me that my new beginning, because when you have cancer you can have a great life but it will never be the same as it was. I never thought I would be defending my tat on HCW. There are so many things in this world that I do not like, that I wish people would not do and if you do one of them I bet you would not life if I complained about it. I hope you have a better understanding of people's tats and I hope I do not make you sick if you see the sun on my back if we run into each other at the beach.

[melodyjg]

I guess I'm not a Bentley either. I have a small tribal sun on my lower back that can only be seen if I am wearing a bathing suit. I got mine to celebrate the first time that I beat Leukemia!

I was very sick. My first stay in the hospital was 86 days, 43 of that was spent in ICU. I had every complication imaginable. I had a mild heart attack, pneumonia, two types of staph infection, and I had to have a trek put in my throat so I could breathe. I had mouth ulcers that ran from my mouth into my stomach. I ran fevers of 106 and 108.

My tat is to remind me that my new beginning, because when you have cancer you can have a great life but it will never be the same as it was. I never thought I would be defending my tat on HCW. There are so many things in this world that I do not like, that I wish people would not do and if you do one of them I bet you would not life if I complained about it. I hope you have a better understanding of people's tats and I hope I do not make you sick if you see the sun on my back if we run into each other at the beach.

I don't think of it as a matter of defending, I think the OP poster was just curious as to the different reasons that a person gets tattoos and for you and I it was something in our lives that we wanted to remember that we got through and it was in my way of thinking a celebration of....Whew! I made it through I see my tattoo on my ankle and it reminds me of what I made it through and it makes me smile!

I would never try to reason as to why I got a tattoo....If you don't like it, don't look at it It's for me and my healing process of what I lived through.

[auntsashie]

I have 3 that I got before I became a wife and mother. My first is a sun/moon combination that is beautiful. My second is a shooting star. And my third and final is a sun coming out from behind a cloud. They are all covered unless you see me in swimwear. The 1 and 3 are on either side of my pelvic bone along my pantie line. The 2 is in the middle of those and slightly down so it is covered completely by panties or swimsuit.

I loved the first one and I think it is so pretty and the second followed my sun, moon, stars theme. The last one means the most though it represents a change in my life~the sun is me coming out of a dark, self-destructive place (the cloud). I am such a different person now than I was then. If you saw me and my dh, you would think he would have a tat but he doesn't. Most people are shocked to know that I have 1 not to mention 3. The first one I got a friend that has since passed away helped me decide to get it in the first place.

I don't regret them but would consider having them remove if they weren't covered up by clothes. I personally don't have anything against a sleeve or whatever anyone wants but I wouldn't do it. My friend is covered in tats of course he is a tat artist and did all of mine.

[brittanysmommy2007]

I have one, 3 small stars on my right hip, loved them for about 3 months, then surprise I was pregnant! my mom teases me all the time that now they are shooting stars because i have stretch marks to go with them....she hates tattoos...

i must say though, even though i have one, i go each way on my feelings about them. i like them, as long as they can be hidded when needed. i dont think people think when they run out at 18 and start getting tats everywhere how much it will effect them in the business world one day. im not a fan when i see girls with tattoos down their arms, i think man, when you are 80 will u still be glad u did that? my grandpa had a naked woman on his right lower arm that he got in the navy, and as he got old...she got old...

[cpaige]

I have 3 tattoos and will be getting 3 or 4 more. I designed all of mine, and will be designing the other ones as well. I refuse to walk into the shop and pick something that a thousand other people will have as well. All 3 of mine can be hidden if need be, even the one that is on the inside of my wrist. I have a bracelet that covers it perfectly, even brought the bracelet into the shop with me the day I got it done b/c the job I was working at had a no visible tattoos, policy. Once the bosses saw what it was though, I was told NOT to cover it up. It's for my Grandfather. If I have a pic of it, I will post it (just b/c).

I love them. Do I want to be covered in them? NO. Not a fan of that. 2 of my next ones will be for my Great Grandmother and a dear friend whom I lost. They, along w/ my Grandfather, were a huge part of my life and having a tattoo in memory of them is very healing for me.

Oh! And none of mine are on body parts that will sag!! LOL

[lovelace]

I want one for my beloved husand who I lost to bone cancer

[shelleyf]

I want one for my beloved husand who I lost to bone cancer

I think that is a great idea and I hope you get one. I know you loved your husband so much and you are such a sweetheart to want to get one in his memory. He was so blessed to have you.

[hotpostalchick]

I have 8 tatts - also have my nose pierced. Only one is not visible (on my back). Upper L arm - black/grey stars (I've always loved the night sky). Mid L arm - butterfly (freedom). L wrist - star with "Faith" written below (I believe you should always keep faith). Upper R arm - colorful stars. Mid R arm - fiery sun (I'm a Leo - sun sign and fiery woman). R wrist - heart w/ "Chloe'" written below (DD's name). L calf - gothic cross. I got a bit crazy because I was going thru a rebelious time in my life BUT I will be adding one more to celebrate my Grandmothers life........ Tattoo's are a personal decision and some will judge you when they see them. I believe you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. If someone chooses to judge me or not like me because of the art on my body, then that is their problem.

[hiding57]

I think they can be pretty, I've been told that if you get the right kind of ink they don't face. This from a friend who has had there for nine years so if they say so I guess they know.

I would love to get a visible one with chinese characters that say "Can't read chinese" but that's just me.

[thorrocks1]

I want to thank everyone who has responded to this point .. like I said in my original post, I want to have a better understanding as to why people get tattoos.


I remember when I was in college and "the boys" took a road trip to Canada to drink legally and they all came back to campus w/ tattoos .. one had a Panther on his arm (school mascot). He was the goalie for the hockey team. I wonder now how he feels about that being on his arm today. Another kid had a leprechaun on his rear end w/ the words Fighting Irish .. the only problem was the "r" in Irish was left out so it read Fighting Iish .. he never lived that down ..