Posts by Zachary Smith91

I don’t know if it’s just seasonal depression hitting me hard, but I feel absolutely miserable. I’ve been dealing with COVID lately, and now I just feel completely drained and pathetic.
The sun is blazing outside, my head is pounding like crazy, and honestly, I just want to crawl into a dark corner and hide... I know I need to find a way out of this funk, but I seriously have no clue where to start.

Thomas Cook said:It wasn't Lauc, it was the folks who called him out. Are you saying they're just panic-mongers who don't have a clue either?

It’s pretty wild how much we still don't know about certain diseases. I was just reading about how some illnesses can actually be triggered by things in our environment that we barely notice. It makes you think twice about what's going on around us. Just one of those things that stays on your mind.

I am not buying any of their stories.
That is exactly how the whole COVID mess started... a little bit of this, a little bit of that, until suddenly the whole world was being ravaged.
It's a hundred and one different versions of the truth.
And half of them don't even make sense!
Then you sit there listening to one group, then another, and everyone thinks they're such an expert.
Even the doctors—supposedly these top-tier specialists—are just talking in circles. One side says we shouldn't have vaccinated the population during a pandemic, the other says we didn't vaccinate enough, and meanwhile, the sickness just keeps ripping through and killing whoever it wants.
My husband is on vacation, and he’s already having to cut it short because two people in the house are sick.
Then there’s my boss, who had COVID last year in November and took three doses of the vaccine.
He hasn't even done a test yet, he's waiting on the PCR results, but he's been sitting there with a 102-degree fever for three days straight.
I just hope it isn't the flu... honestly, it's terrifying.
I told my husband, who got his shot and moved past it, that he might as well strap five masks to his face at this point.

Not yet... but I definitely have to next week.
That nasty rash finally cleared up from my legs after five months.
My knees still bruise here and there sometimes, but that usually lasts about ten minutes and then goes away.
I don't have a fever right now, but my nose is constantly stuffed up and I get this semi-productive cough every single morning and evening... honestly, in the mornings I feel like I'm almost choking... it goes on for a couple of days and then stops.
I'm going through an incredibly rough patch personally right now, so I could blame a lot of this on stress, but it feels like I caught COVID—or maybe I'm just manifesting it (kidding, mostly).
Either way, I really need to go in for some serious testing. Maybe that rash is linked to something blood-related? That's how it looks. Everything makes me feel like I went through COVID, but then again, I had this same awful cough for two months during this exact same time last spring, and it was actually way worse... I don't know... I'm just feeling lost and I'm pretty terrified that it might be something serious.

Linda Gray said:Maybe you should just go get an antibody test done to see if you actually had COVID, because that could have been what triggered this whole rash situation.

Yeah, you might be onto something there. I should probably look into that, so I'll make an appointment.

Since my bladder keeps getting inflamed and things are seriously stinging and hurting down there right now, my doctor told me to just take some antibiotics for ten days first, and then follow up... I asked her about getting blood work done, but she said just finish the course of meds first and then we'll see... ugh, whatever, I'll just take the pills and go from there.

So, look, with everything going on with the pandemic right now, actually seeing a doctor is such a massive headache. It’s not impossible, but man, it’s a struggle. I’ve been dealing with some health issues lately and I’m honestly lost on where to even turn... should I be looking into a private clinic or something?
Basically, back in November, my husband tested positive on one of those rapid antigen tests. He had a bit of a fever and a headache, but nothing crazy.
Right around then, I started getting this weird rash just on my legs.
And get this—that rash still flares up sometimes, usually in the evening. Then on April 5th, I hit a 100.4 fever. I felt terrible that day, but after that, things seemed fine... though I’ve been obsessively checking my temperature every single morning and night.
In the meantime, I did two more rapid COVID tests. Both came back negative. But then last night, out of nowhere, I was hit with these chills, total weakness, a low-grade fever of 99.5, and some coughing. This morning I woke up drenched in sweat, but I feel okay now, just a little headache.
To be fair, yesterday my joints were aching like crazy along with the fever.
The thing is, I have ankylosing spondylitis. It’s been dormant for years, but I can’t help thinking maybe I caught whatever he had back in November and I’m dealing with the aftermath (still got that rash...) or I just don't know what to do.
Is it possible for thyroid issues to cause these random spikes in temperature?
And yeah... I’ve always struggled with health anxiety and phobias. This whole pandemic era has felt like a literal horror movie for me, but then again, I know I probably can't just manifest a fever out of pure fear, right?
On top of all that, I had a bladder infection back in the fall that landed me in the ER... and now it's burning again. Where am I supposed to go?🤔

Nancy Moore37 said:My thyroid levels are fine. It's the panic attacks that trigger this shortness of breath—I honestly feel like I'm having a heart attack. Have you ever dealt with anything like that?

Sorry, just curious—do you normally deal with panic attacks?
Since I've been dealing with them for years now, the tachycardia and those weird heart palpitations almost always tag along with the panic. Obviously, you have to see a cardiologist to rule things out, but so often this stuff is purely psychological. Even when I'm just sitting there relaxing, my heart can start racing like crazy. Whenever my pulse spikes, a quick dose of an anti-anxiety med is usually the only thing that helps me settle down.
I mean... if that’s what you’re going through, then yeah, that could definitely be making everything else feel way worse.

Samuel Kim50 said:I don't know about all of you, but as someone who actually works in the hospitality industry, I can tell you firsthand that the entry-level kitchen staff—we're talking hourly wages, plus seniority and travel stipends—usually brings home somewhere around $1500. And then I have to listen to these old ladies complaining about low pay, when they clearly haven't considered what kind of salary they'd actually be pulling in if they were working as a head chef making $2000 per hour.🤔 What's a certainty in this business, though, is that you'll easily clock over 200 hours a week during the peak season, whereas in the winter, you're looking at an average of about 170.

Christian Miller14, if you're looking to land a gig with a top-tier private establishment, you won't find those openings posted on a job board. Most of the time, those positions are filled through word-of-mouth or personal connections; honestly, don't even bother looking for them in an ad. Besides, who actually hunts for work through classified ads these days?

So, if I'm reading this right, you're running your own private hospitality business. You probably own the place, right?
Does it really piss you off that much having to pay people?
Are you wishing they could just work for $667 without you even covering their commute?
Or maybe they should just work for scraps... I don't know, like eating the leftovers from customers? 🙄
Wow... yeah, people definitely ask for way too much. You've got a point though; here in America, people have become incredibly entitled. 😒

So, I headed into the clinic today because my shoulder has been absolutely killing me—apparently, I’ve got some calcification going on—and I was there to get a referral for a physical therapist.
Anyway... she does the whole exam, and then out of nowhere, she starts listening to my lungs and tells me she hears wheezing and that I have bronchitis.
I don't even cough! And yeah, okay, I am a smoker... but now I'm freaking out, why on earth am I being sent for an X-ray???🤔

Seriously though, I'm not coughing at all. I might deal with some mucus here and there, but nothing crazy, mostly just stuff from my sinuses acting up... since when do you send someone in for a specialized exam for bronchitis if they aren't even coughing???
I'm actually getting pretty scared here...

I don't even know where to start with this one. Honestly, I'm just sitting here staring at my screen, absolutely fuming. You see these things happen and you think, "Surely, it can't be this ridiculous," but then reality hits you right in the face. It’s just constant! Every single time I turn around, there's some new nonsense or some bureaucratic hurdle that makes me want to throw my laptop out the window. It feels like nothing works the way it's supposed to anymore, does it? It’s like we’re all just running in circles while the people in charge are playing a completely different game. Anyway, I'm rambling. I just needed to vent because if I didn't, I was going to lose my mind. kaže:
Look, here’s the real deal: I actually prefer this second job. I’ve already dipped my toes into that field, and honestly, the pay is better because it’s something I’m actually good at. But—and this is a huge "but"—it feels like a massive step backward in terms of social status. It has absolutely nothing to do with my degree. Back when I was doing it before—mostly because I didn't have any other choice at the time—people used to look at me with this patronizing pity. And now? Now that I actually have some experience and even more training under my belt? It’s going to be even worse. People are just going to look at me like I've completely lost the plot.

It’s honestly like if I were working a stable corporate job at JPMorgan Chase, right? And then out of nowhere, I decide, "You know what? I actually want to be a hairstylist because that’s what I genuinely love doing." But instead of people being supportive, my entire family and everyone in my social circle starts acting like I just committed some massive, life-ruining mistake. It’s infuriating! They can't see past the paycheck to understand actual passion.

Do you seriously think you can’t compare love to your career? I mean, come on. To me, hunting for "the one" and hunting for the perfect job feel like two sides of the exact same coin. You’re out there searching, building something from the ground up, trying to make it work. And look, every single choice we make—whether it’s picking a partner or signing a contract at a firm like Goldman Sachs—kind of narrows our world down. It’s limiting by design! But let’s be real: time is ticking, and your options aren't going to stay infinite forever. Eventually, the window closes, the choices shrink, and you’re forced to stop being so picky and just grab the best offer on the table, even if it isn't exactly the "dream" scenario you had in your head. Life doesn't wait for perfection.

Honestly, you could say love and work are pretty similar when you look at them through the lens of "the hunt," but man, there’s a massive catch. In the corporate world—and let's be real, we've all been there—you often find yourself grinding away at tasks that are soul-crushing and completely counterintuitive to who you actually are. But hey, that's just life, right? You clock in, you deal with the nonsense, and you do what you have to do just to pay the rent and keep the lights on in your apartment. It's survival. Love, though? That’s a whole different animal. It’s emotional; it’s the thing that actually gives life some kind of deeper meaning beyond just a paycheck. Unlike a job, you don't *need* a partner just to stay alive. You aren't going to starve if you're single. And honestly? Sometimes, being on your own is actually the better move. There’s a certain peace in just doing your own thing without the extra drama.
Look, when you look at it from that angle, there’s absolutely no comparison—they aren't even in the same league. But if we’re talking about the actual hunt, the pursuit of the truth or whatever, then yeah, you could say they're basically the same thing.

I honestly thought this second job was going to be a step up in terms of quality of life or whatever... but then you see this whole narrative being pushed—this idea that you’ve "made it" if you climb some social ladder or stack more cash. I don't know, man. It really just comes down to what actually matters to you. Is it about looking successful to everyone else at the office, or is it about how you actually feel when you clock out at the end of the day? Honestly, I can't decide which is worse: chasing status or just feeling empty.

Look, if you’re more concerned with keeping up appearances than actually moving forward, then sure—stay stuck in that dead-end job. If you prioritize fitting in with your little circle over your own damn potential, go ahead and take that position that perfectly matches your mediocre surroundings. It might not be what you actually want for yourself, but hey, if the approval of the crowd matters more to you than your own growth, you already know exactly what choice you're making.

Kenneth Howard7 said:I agree that experiencing failure is preferable to maintaining the status quo. However, I observe that most people view risk-taking as unnecessary; they seem to believe that satisfaction stems from within rather than from external circumstances. I know many people who are unhappy with their jobs at companies like Amazon or Google, yet they do nothing to change their situation; instead, they try to reshape themselves to fit better into those corporate frameworks. Perhaps I should have done the same? Perhaps the issue runs much deeper than simply changing my career path?

In my case, this isn't about a romantic relationship, but I think the idea of ending a relationship because of a third party describes my situation perfectly. Sometimes, you simply cannot become close enough to someone while maintaining your current "stable" connection, because the other person won't allow it. I believe it works similarly in the professional world. You can't just tell your boss, "Okay, I'm going to go try something else for a while and come back if I don't like it."

What are you actually afraid of here?
That you won't find fulfillment at the new job?
That you'll break the established patterns that feel "safe" to you?
You already know the new job is better, pays more, and offers more responsibility, right?
So what is this fear really...? Jobs and relationships are apples and oranges. Career is one sphere of life, and love and romance are a completely different sphere.

Sure, things can overlap—like deciding whether to choose Mark or Peter... I know Mark, but Peter is a total enigma... Mark represents stability, while Peter is something I don't even recognize.

But look, if we don't dare to change things, especially when the very fact that we *want* to change means something is wrong... playing around with the idea of not having the guts to move to a better, more interesting job is basically gambling with fate. It's essentially giving up on something better just because you're terrified of breaking your routine.

I am certain you would thrive at that other job and feel so much better.
Why won't you allow yourself this tiny little risk? In your case, it's actually a pretty small leap... you'd be doing a better job, learning something new, and adding a massive win to your resume. From a purely rational standpoint, there is only one right move.
Don't blow it... opportunities like this don't come around often.

Sophia Moore41 said:I had this nasty virus last week, and then on Saturday, the dizziness and nausea just hit me out of nowhere... and now it’s been three days straight of constant vertigo. It goes away if I just stay still and lie down, but the second I try to actually *do* anything, I feel like I'm going to collapse. If I even take a few steps, my head starts spinning and I get this overwhelming wave of weakness where I honestly think I might die. To make things worse, I moved to a different city on Sunday to start college, so I can't exactly just run to a doctor right now. I can't stand bright lights, and whenever I close a door or turn a key, it feels like someone is literally bashing my head in with a sledgehammer. Even the sound of my phone ringing stresses me out so much I can't even listen to it. What am I supposed to do?! Has anyone else dealt with stuff like this?!!?

I've been dealing with the exact same thing lately.
When I'm just chilling, everything is fine, but the moment I try to be productive, my head starts spinning.
Look, I deal with back issues, neck problems, low blood pressure, and panic disorder... so naturally, that fear just doubles everything.
Even after a virus, you can just be physically depleted... just generally weak. Or maybe you're just having a hard time adjusting to a whole new environment... and your subconscious is reacting to the stress.
I don't know... anything is possible. It could be something totally harmless, or it could be something else entirely.

Michael Diaz4 said:You've gotta soften things up. Eat fruit compotes, jams, preserves—honestly, prune juice is a total lifesaver for keeping things moving. And obviously, you have to be obsessive about hygiene. You MUST wash up thoroughly after every bathroom trip; honestly, just hopping in the shower is the best way to go. And yeah, if it's hemorrhoids... why haven't you tried a cream? Give Preparation H a shot; it’s actually pretty decent for when you're just starting out...

Thanks for the advice, I am! Seriously, I've been slathering on the Preparation H, but man, this morning was a nightmare because my stool was XXLarge again... I mean, it was basically impossible not to tear the wound wide open because everything is just so massive and hard as a rock😲... I made myself some compote with plums, figs, and apples... but I don't know, this is seriously exhausting. It feels like I'm going through actual labor every single time I have to use the bathroom.😠

Ugh, I’ve been dealing with this hemorrhoid mess for way too long... basically, about a year and a half ago, I went to see a specialist for a checkup and they told me I had first-degree hemorrhoids. But now... things have taken a turn. For the last few days, my stool has been incredibly hard, and I’m seeing this bright red, fresh blood on the toilet paper after I go. To be clear, there isn't any blood *in* the stool itself, it's just there when I wipe. It honestly feels like I'm passing a razor blade down there every single time I have to go. It calmed down for a couple of days, but today it's back to being rock hard and—you guessed it—blood on the paper again... I am seriously freaking out here. When I feel around, I can sense some thickening around the anus, more on the inside, but it just feels swollen and inflamed... is that definitely just hemorrhoids or could it be something else? How do you even tell the difference? I know deep down I need to fix my diet so things are softer, but I’ve developed this massive phobia of even going to the bathroom... which I guess is just making the whole cycle even worse.

Mark Nelson said:I have no idea how smart it is for him to blow up the marriage that produced his kids.
I'm really not in a position to judge.
Dennis Bailey2, I basically wrote everything I would’ve quoted in response to your post, so you might as well just read that instead of us going in circles with quotes and signatures.
Bottom line: feelings don't define who we are as people, but they absolutely dictate what we end up doing.
By that logic, he’d show some actual integrity if he stopped chasing other women before he even figured out how he felt about his wife—especially while they were still legally bound.

Hey, nobody is forcing anything; everyone’s entitled to their own take. Just because you have your opinion doesn't mean it's the gold standard for me or anyone else. Okay? Look, I’m all for a good debate, but I think most people forget that there are folks out there who are just more stable—people capable of making tough calls without spiraling. Some people are just built differently than others. Personally, I fall into that group that might be labeled "emotionally immature" for one reason or another, making it hard for me to stay steady when things get messy. That’s just the reality. As much as I might wish I were different, I'm not, and I'm probably never going to be. Lately, I've actually started accepting that this is my "handicap," my flaw, my thing... it's just who I am. And yeah, it would be absolutely wonderful if everyone possessed enough strength and resolve to be decisive, and then the world would truly be a beautiful place, but... well, it isn't. It never will be, for as long as humans are walking this earth... whether that's a blessing or a curse, depending on how you look at it.

Mark Nelson said:Alright, fine. Now I see it's actually true.
Honestly, I'd rather just ask how to fall in love with my wife all over again.

Look, love isn't some gym routine where you hit the weights and suddenly everything is back in shape. Love is something that just happens, stays for a while, and often—frequently—just vanishes. I don't get this whole idea of "bringing love back"... and honestly, what exactly are we trying to bring back? If it’s gone, it’s gone. Why torture yourself? You can try, sure, but... feelings are what they are. You can love the person you live with in plenty of different ways, but once you feel that spark for someone else, it means you just don't love your partner in that specific way that fulfills you anymore. Why is everyone so obsessed with forcing this "rekindling" thing anyway???
One day you're there, the next you're not... life is incredibly, totally fleeting, and I see zero point in making someone suffer by "trying to win back love." Love is either there or it isn't. There's no magic spell or fairy dust that's going to bring it back once it walks out the door and slams it shut.
Besides, what really ticks me off is how most people immediately label the person who stopped loving them as a "bad person." They almost never stop to ask what actually caused those feelings to die out in the first place. Love isn't a one-way street; it takes two individuals building it up or tearing it down together... damn it, sometimes it just doesn't work out.

Kenneth Castillo96 said:How does one actually say it—hey, yeah, I’m head over heels for you—without completely blowing their chance and making things awkward?

Look, there’s no manual for telling someone you’re in love with them. There really isn't. But man, there are a million fears attached to it—how to say it, how to phrase it, when the timing is actually right, or if a "right moment" even exists in this crazy world.
Most of us are terrified of just saying the words because we're scared of getting shut down hard. We're scared they'll laugh in our faces, or give us that blank, confused stare... and then we're left dealing with that crushing sense of shame or whatever you want to call it. Meanwhile, life just keeps moving, days fly by, and we're just sitting there stuck in our own heads, too afraid to breathe, too afraid to live, too afraid to speak... all because of that nagging "what if?"
I went through a massive romance and an even bigger heartbreak recently. I was brave enough to say "I love you," and I was even brave enough to be vulnerable—to basically practically beg for love, if you can believe it. But... it didn't go the way I wanted. And now? I just feel empty. Dull. Aimless. Honestly, I'm pretty terrified that my whole life lost its spark because of this. Maybe it hasn't, maybe it has... but I know I feel absolutely miserable, and I would give anything to just rewind the clock back to the very beginning.
I probably wouldn't have put myself out there so much if I were thinking straight... but hey, that's just me. That's just how I am.
The unfortunate truth about life is that you shouldn't always lay all your cards on the table immediately. Because once you do... everyone knows exactly what you're holding and exactly what they can expect from you.
I guess people just find the anticipation more fun—that little game of cat and mouse. Personally, I don't have the time or the energy for those games... and if you don't play along, you end up being the one who looks "clueless" or whatever.
Advice? I don't really have any. But it seems to me that playing games without boundaries usually hits harder than just being honest, open, and showing all your hand right away.

Sandra Taylor34 said:I had my surgery at the Medical Clinic with Dr. Peric.

So, what's the verdict on that clinic and the doctor? Is he actually any good?

Olivia Hayes89 said:It shouldn't be anything dangerous! It'll probably pass soon! And seriously, don't sweat it—those painless lumps are usually the ones you actually have to watch out for, while the ones that hurt aren't nearly as scary! 😉 Everything’s going to be fine, just make sure you get checked out regularly!

Thanks, I really hope so!

Olivia Hayes89 said:Basophils are just granulocytes, and they spike when you're dealing with inflammatory responses—especially stuff like allergies or asthma. And honestly? That lump in your groin is most likely just a swollen lymph node. Lymph nodes swell up whenever there's inflammation in the area!
Did they run a CRP test? Is that level elevated?

Yeah, I did. My CRP came back totally fine—just normal. It’s really just this intense ovulation I’m having. I actually went to see my gynecologist, and she described it as "brutal." We even did an ultrasound on that lymph node to check it out. The doctor thinks it might be caught between some tendons, and there seems to be some localized inflammation around it... so we're just going to keep an eye on it. The OBGYN mentioned it's possible that such a heavy ovulation cycle could cause that lymph node to flare up, but... yeah, we still need to monitor it.
Anyway, I don't have a fever, and I don't feel particularly sick. 🤷