Posts by Taylor Howard36

Who do I even need to talk to about getting a permanent ban?

So, I finally went out and bought some Levi's after basically a century—$193 was way too much for them. I wore them for all of an hour before they started digging into my backside like crazy. Total waste of cash. 😲

On a brighter note, I’ve picked up some Ralph Lauren lately (!!!🙄), and honestly? They fit like a dream and are incredibly comfy. $20 were such a steal during the clearance sales. 😉

None of my people have ever dealt with appendicitis—not one of them—but me? Yeah, I’ve been there. And I know exactly what triggered it, too: food, obviously, and not drinking nearly enough water. There were two specific times when I was just *so* hungry—like, starving—that I ended up eating way too fast and barely even chewing my bites properly. Both times, I ended up straight in the Emergency Room. The second time around, they actually had to go in and operate. 😳

Maybe I’ve still got a bit too much booze lingering in my system from the weekend—honestly, my head is spinning just thinking about it. 😁

I remember back in high school, I actually had the nerve to ask my doctor—you know, one of those blunt ones—why my levels were running so high. She just looked at me and goes, "Well, honey, that’s what people with diabetes or chronic alcoholism deal with." 😕

And obviously—and I mean, let's be real here—I am neither a diabetic nor an alcoholic.

mellowraven32 said:you have to understand that some lymph nodes are perfectly fine to feel by hand since they sit right under the skin—like on your neck or in the groin area. But, seriously, if one hits over 10 mm, go see a doctor because that’s a clear sign of inflammation.👍

I actually had no idea about that. 🙏

I really have to give a quick shout-out to the ENT specialist and the doctor over in the transfusion unit—they were genuinely wonderful people. Honestly, I can’t for the life of me recall their actual names, though... it feels like an absolute lifetime ago, back when I was just some kid in high school.

Around here, in my neck of the woods, finding a doctor who actually treats you with a shred of decency is practically a fantasy.

Lymph nodes can swell for a million different reasons—honestly, my medical journey was a complete circus. At first, everyone assumed it was some issue with my wisdom teeth, but once we ruled that out, they pivoted to suspecting a tooth root infection. Nope, not that either. Then, in a total curveball, I was sent over to Infectious Disease, only to find out there was nothing going on there. Finally, I ended up heading over to a major hospital in Chicago—specifically the ENT department. The doctor there actually had the nerve to ask if I kept cats or dogs at home, or if anyone in my family went hunting! To top it all off, I spent part of the day at the transfusion center, where the doctor gave me a full physical exam and basically laughed it off, saying it wasn't anything serious. She even joked, "Wait, did they really send you to a specialist in Chicago just for this?"
The one on my neck is just this tiny little bump—smaller than a grain of rice, really. But the one in my groin? That one’s about the size of a pea.
And before any of that madness started, of course, I had to go in for a biopsy. I have to be honest—having a needle shoved into your neck is absolutely not a fun time. 😲

But what happens if they just can't figure out the "why" behind it—like, if there's an underlying inflammation but they can't pinpoint the actual trigger?

Angela Wright said:Those lumps in your groin or armpits? They aren't just swollen hair follicles—they could be lymph nodes reacting to some kind of inflammation somewhere in your body. Honestly, I wouldn't spend too much time overthinking or debating what they might be if they're actually bothering you; I'd just go see my doctor. If there’s an underlying inflammatory issue, you need to find out what it is.

In my case, they never even figured out why... or from what... I went through countless tests and everything came back totally normal. My doctor even told me she's had two lumps in her neck for years and doesn't give them a second thought.😕
Personally, I'd be a whole lot happier and way less stressed if they'd just cut them out—I know some people get them surgically removed or at least biopsied via puncture.

So, I've actually gone and developed this little lump right in my groin area.

Kyle Long6 said:Can anyone recommend some kind of concentration supplement? I need something to help me focus while I'm cramming for finals—but please, nothing addictive or habit-forming... I just need my brain to actually cooperate for once.
thanks

Look, if you're looking for actual supplements to boost focus, don't expect a magic pill that works overnight—it’s definitely not like that. In my experience, it takes at least two or three months before you even notice a difference. I ended up taking Lecithin because my doctor suggested it, and honestly, she told me straight up that there isn't anything better on the market right now for memory and concentration. They run about $40 and you can just pick them up at any local CVS.

The pain finally stopped. 😍

My right arm is killing me—right in the crease by the elbow, where the veins are... I can actually feel this weird pressure deep in those vessels...

I know they say arm pain isn't anything to mess around with, because apparently, that’s how a heart attack starts! (?????) Is there any truth to that?

I'm honestly pretty freaked out here.

I’ve seriously got to get some studying done in this heat... 😱When am I even supposed to find the time?!? In the morning, late at night, or just staying up all night long?🙄

Things are looking up today—honestly, everything has finally settled down. There’s no more pain, no stinging, nothing at all. I even went ahead and put my rings back on! 🤣

I have to say, though, a little alcohol actually did wonders for me. 👍

gentlecanyon92 said:Honestly, your best bet right now would be to ditch the earrings to let things settle down... once they start causing trouble, trying to clean up the mess is way too late. 😁

You'll see... if things keep going downhill, you're better off without them.

Are you kidding me?😍 I just took them out a second ago. 😬
I cleaned both my nose piercings and my ears, too. 🙂

Yeah, I actually went with the exact same earrings this time.
I haven't cleaned anything yet—not my ears, not the piercings, nothing. I'm finally getting around to doing it now.

I haven’t worn earrings in years—seriously, ages. I finally decided to start wearing them again about three months ago, which was totally fine at first, but then I took a little break for a month or so. Well, I popped them back in the other day, and now both my piercing holes are bright red, super tender to the touch, and honestly? They look like I’ve got two tiny, angry red-and-black blemishes sitting right on my ears.
Now I’m stuck in this ridiculous dilemma—do I just put them back in tomorrow, or should I play it safe and wait for things to calm down? 😠

Is there a chance they could actually get infected? 😠

And if I decide to leave them out for a while to let the irritation die down, am I basically signing up to have my piercings close up entirely? Because if that happens, I'll be forced to go through the whole piercing process all over again. Am I thinking about this the right way? 😠

Not really. Just the occasional drink (though honestly, that’s pretty rare) and cigarettes (😠). 😬 😘