TIFU by mangling myself while reaching for my laptop charger.

This happened a week ago yesterday, now that things are a bit more healed I feel like I can finally share the trauma. It is important to the context of this TIFU to know that I have been staying with my grandparents in a very tiny bungalow, my room is upstairs and lacks AC:

I was laying in bed two Sundays ago, about to settle in for a little Netflix while finishing up a phone call. My laptop was to my left, my charger to my right, and my battery was admittedly low. Trying not to break the flow of conversation while lounging on my back, I reached with my right hand to the side of my bed and pulled my charging cord up and across my chest. I needed a little more slack, so in a jerking manner pulled up, and that's when things went horribly awry.

It should be mentioned, it was a very warm night, so I was without pajamas, and I, prior to this moment, had had my nipples pierced for roughly six years.

The cord had gotten tucked under the far left ball during my initial reach, and the tug up had taken half my nipple with it. I made a hurried excuse to get off the phone and sat stunned for a moment. Like a rational being, I immediately googled "Ripped nipple piercing halfway out" to try to get a grasp on the situation.

My initial thought was, "oh fuck, I've just maimed my nipple", followed closely thereafter by, "oh fuck, I don't have insurance, does this need to be seen by a doctor?"

After determining that I did not require medical attention and that the piercing was not salvageable, I began trying to unthread the ball, with no luck. It was hot, I was sweating, my anxiety was rising, and I was starting to see spots. I decided to go downstairs to the bathroom (and air conditioning) to try again. Shirt pressed against my chest I sprinted the stairs and skirted into the bathroom. I noticed my grandmother was alone and awake in her bedroom as I darted for privacy.

Sitting on the edge of the tub I tried again to unthread the ball. It wouldn't budge. The room started to spin, I started to feel clammy.

So I gave up. I called out to my grandmother, asked her to come and help me.

Me: "I need your help"

Her: "For what?"

Me: "If you come here I will tell you but I can't yell it through the house."

She walks into the bathroom, suspicious of what's going on, closes the door.

Me: "Ok, you've seen me nude, so I assume you know I have my nipples pierced?"

Her: "Oh, God no! I don't look!"

Me: "Great, well this is an awkward way for you to find out; I just ripped out a piercing."

She was horrified but surprisingly understanding, she had me lay down on her bed and she very gently tried to loosen the ball, careful not to rip the piercing any further. We had little luck, the damn things wouldn't give and she couldn't get a grip. She left to get pliers. I panicked again.

I turned to the internet once more, fearful of winding up with a tit that sprayed milk towards third base, and found a few less industrial solutions: Latex gloves and lube at the top of the list (the latter really not preferred as this experience was traumatic enough already).

Latex gloves offered a viable route a mere moment before Grandma returned with her toolbox; we had plenty in stock due to Covid. They worked like an absolute charm, thank God, and one salt soak and a few bandages later I went to bed optimistic if a bit emotionally exhausted.

The next morning when I came downstairs for coffee I got a fantastically genuine, "How's your bosom?" and all I can say is that that was enough family bonding for a lifetime.

TL;DR Ripped my nipple piercing halfway out by catching it on my computer charger. Could not get the ball that secures the barbell unthreaded, and had to ask my grandmother for help.