Good grief, you kids... 😁 you really have no idea what you're playing with. Back when I was working at this little diner, my boss used to spend hours around lunchtime trying to lure the local teenagers in. They all walked in thinking he was running some high-stakes game with hundreds of dollars on the line, but in reality, he was playing for pennies. 😁 Then they’d come up to me, acting all suspicious because they heard he was gambling—like it was some big deal. 🥳 It was nothing more than $6.75 change, but they never could see through the act. 🤣
Hey, I was wondering if anyone knows where I can find that JoJo thing... please don't tell me I have to go hunting through a Chinatown shop for it 😁 I'm looking for the exact location 😁
I don't think I could ever wrap my head around a 5,000-piece puzzle in my lifetime :Sirotica: 😁>
But I did spot a 1,000-piece one over at the Barnes & Noble in the mall—not some kid's thing, either, but actual art, like a Picasso or something similar 😁 seriously 😁> I imagine putting something like that together would be incredibly fascinating 😁>
I’m honestly stumped here... my Gmail keeps tossing them straight into the spam folder—maybe three a day? On my other account, I only really check it when it crosses my mind, and there are usually about ten sitting there waiting. In total, it's roughly 🥳
Benjamin Sanchez51 said:Where'd Andy, Ruzy, and the rest of the "candidates" disappear to? Did everyone just bail at once??? 😁
Anyway, I wanted to drop some actual wisdom about deciding whether or not to go through with the balloon procedure. Honestly, I went into it half-heartedly, just along with everything else I was doing. I kept telling myself—hey, I'll do the research, I can always back out later. Even that day I was sitting in the hospital, I wasn't even sure if I actually wanted the balloon or not. I was basically out of it for a few days after the procedure... it took until XX days before it finally clicked that I made the right call.
Actually, now that it's been a month and a half, I'm thinking it might be one of the BEST DECISIONS I've ever made! Because there's zero chance I could have dropped this weight on my own... and even if I only lose a tiny bit, it's still massive!! So, ladies, if you're hesitating and wondering "is it worth it" to lose those 10 or 20 pounds when you're carrying an extra 80 or 100... yeah, it's worth it!!! You're definitely going to shed those pounds, but more importantly, you're going to CHANGE YOUR HABITS and learn how to eat like a "normal" person.
After just 1.5 months, I'm seeing huge changes, and I can only imagine what things will look like in 6 months. And when I say change—I don't mean the scale—I mean habits, diet, my relationship with food, my appearance, myself, the whole world around me.... no diet out there can give you that.....!!!!
My message to all of you who are still "thinking about it"—JUST DO IT 👍
Karen Young17 follows along here regularly 😁 but she isn't looking for a gastric balloon—more likely a sleeve 😁 because, personally, I started out thinking about the balloon, but given my size, I've realized a sleeve or maybe even a band would be the smarter move. 🙂
Not necessarily... I actually deal with it myself 😁
It’s that sensation when your skin starts flaking—you know, right along your hairline, around your eyebrows, or near the bridge of your nose...
I used to try various ointments, but nothing really made much of a dent... lately, my doctor prescribed this specific cream (I can't recall the exact name offhand), and it's been decent enough...
The thing about seborrheic dermatitis is that you can't ever truly kick it for good... you apply the treatment, it clears up, then it resurfaces, you use it a few more times, it vanishes again... it just keeps going in circles.
Olivia Sullivan14 said:So, I let myself get absolutely eaten alive by mosquitoes recently—the kind of bites that swell up into those massive, angry red welts. Naturally, I couldn't help myself and scratched them until I actually broke the skin. I ended up using some Neosporin to help the wounds heal, which worked fine for the initial recovery, but now I’m left with these stubborn purple spots where the scabs used to be. They just won't budge. Has anyone else dealt with this kind of lingering discoloration, or does anyone have a suggestion for what might actually work to fade them?🤷
Honestly, I’m really hoping you aren't dealing with the exact same thing I am... My situation developed a bit differently—mostly a combination of puberty, acne on my upper arms, and my own nervous habits. I used to pick at those breakouts, and then I’d obsessively tear at the scabs once they formed—creating those tiny little micro-wounds. Now, years later, I’m left with these brownish-purple spots in those exact same areas. Honestly, I find myself wondering if I'll ever actually be able to get rid of them.
Benjamin Sanchez51 said:Listen ladies, if your BMI is between 35 and 40, you're looking at the balloon... and even then, if you're under 40, you've gotta have some other underlying issue—high cholesterol, PCOS, blood pressure spikes—just to get Medicare to cover it. You'll find a million different stories on these forums, but this is the only thing that actually matters. If you aren't sure what your BMI is, just Google it and figure it out.
As for choosing between a sleeve or a balloon, I think people toss the term "sleeve" around way too casually. It’s not just some general procedure; it's major surgery that causes a permanent SHIFT in how your body works, which comes with its own set of headaches. Vitamin deficiencies, early-onset osteoporosis, stuff like that...
From what I've seen with people I know, it isn't even a fix if you aren't ready to deal with the actual root issue. Weight is the SYMPTOM, not the CAUSE. You can get the sleeve, but if the cause is still there, you're just asking for more trouble. Did you know it's actually POSSIBLE TO GAIN WEIGHT EVEN AFTER A SLEEVE? Not to mention risking stomach perforations, internal bleeding, or worse...
I'm not trying to scare anyone, I just want to give you the full picture so you can make an informed choice if you're seriously considering it.
Personally, I went with the balloon because I don't want to permanently alter my biology and face unknown consequences ten or twenty years down the line. I'm trying to learn how to control my habits instead of turning myself into someone with physical limitations. Believe it or not, the stomach is a vital organ, and I personally have no interest in wrecking mine.
As for me, I chose the band precisely because I want to make a permanent change to my lifestyle.🙂
How much did I miss? Apparently, you get to the front of the line sooner if you show up early 🙂
The unemployment benefits from the state office stay the same even if you have a "sufficient" BMI—at least, that’s what my doctor told me while she was trying to nudge me toward a diet.
You just have to figure out when you’re actually most productive—whenever that window opens for you—and lean into it. I’m talking about dedicated blocks of time, maybe a few hours a day depending on your pace. But there’s a catch: you have to ditch the distractions. No smartphone, no TV, no constant phone calls, nothing that pulls your focus away. And if you need breaks to stay sane, take them. It's your schedule. Once you’ve actually put in the work, you’ll find you have plenty of time left over for a date, grabbing coffee with friends, or whatever else you feel like doing. I’m telling you, it really comes down to discipline. You set a plan and you stick to it—otherwise, you're just spinning your wheels.
I know, I know—easier said than done—but at least give it a shot.
I actually just saw a poster about this at my doctor's office the other day... and it got me thinking—it might actually be a pretty decent idea to let someone else have my organs when I'm gone. I'll definitely take a closer look next time I head in for an appointment.
It all depends on where you're registered for health insurance For instance, my permanent address is technically back in a small town outside of Cleveland, but my actual residence—and everything else, including my health insurance coverage—is based right here in Chicago.
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