Wok Chop

Awwww, Some Pity, I'm going to miss you!

I can only speak for myself, but you can never go wrong sharing baby and animal pictures with me. That little lady's gummy little smile! What a beautiful little doll! Happy, your mom saying, "I love you most" is one of the most touching anecdotes I've heard in a while. I can't even imagine how nice that must have sounded. Moving is so stressful, and I'm sorry that you've been hit with this.

Yeah, there are doctors who are like that, but I've also known doctors who are okay with it. I can only imagine his attitude was: "I've witnessed the horrors of war, so just get out of my face with your silly little moles." Missy, thanks for the recommendation! I am sure she'll check out her site soon. I, too, wonder if the medical community would have a different attitude if more men suffered from these things. I also hate how medical info is geared towards men, too. For example, when medical literature lists symptoms for various ailments, they always seem to be the symptoms males experience. Two examples that come to mind are heart attacks and ADHD. I'm sorry about your friend's baby. It just isn't fair that a sweet little baby has to come into this world only to suffer. I will definitely send positive thoughts for baby and her family.

Amen to everything you ladies have said! Wellfleet, while I agree that we need more women in health care, in my own experience, plenty of females are as bad as their male counterparts. I guess attitudes towards women are so woven into the fabric of society that most of us are guilty of perpetuating them to some degree. I am often guilty, myself. Also, when it comes to doctors, there is often ego involved. Many seem to have a god complex and are especially pissy if you don't happily lap up what they're serving. OR, if they can't easily and readily see what is wrong with you, then they put the onus on you. "You're fat. Lose weight...you're just depressed." Or if you make the mistake of googling in order to understand what is wrong with you then "you're a hypochondriac." When you are lucky enough to find the good physicians, like Sam's (burlsa) neurologist, you want to sing their praises from the rooftop. (And with docs like him, you aren't left to your own defenses/Google in an attempt to find out what's wrong with you because they do complete work-ups and take the time to explain things)

Nope. She prescribed Synthroid based on one blood test. My daughter has been dealing with autoimmune-like symptoms since 2009--shortly after a nasty case of mono. The first time lupus appeared on our radar was in 2011, after my daughter got a nasty "sunburn," which turned actually turned out to be a rash/hives. She mentioned this to the PA, who informed her that it was not photosensitivity, and that she just needed to wear more sunscreen. Later, when my daughter finally asked to see a rheumatologist, that's when the PA started in with the vitamin D nonsense. Fast forward 4-5 years, and the PA still denies there are autoimmune issues...even now that my daughter finally got her D levels into the normal range (and is now sicker than ever). Thank god for the neurologist, who knows she needs a rheumatologist, so HE has referred her to one.

The thing with burlsa's thyroid is that she only had elevated TSH on one test. Before that test, her levels were always within the normal range. In fact, just one week before that test, she had visited the ER and her TSH levels were normal. And despite the fact that she has not been taking the Synthroid, her levels are currently within the normal range. I feel it was irresponsible for her PA to throw her on such a potent drug based on one test. Then again, this is the same PCP who has been blaming all of my daughter's health problems on low Vitamin D and has steadfastly refused to send her to a rheumatologist (and because of the ACA, it's impossible to find PCPs who are accepting new patients, so we're kinda stuck in that regard).

It finally dawned on me who that drawing of Ben reminds me of: Handsome Squidward with prettier eyes!http://i.imgur.com/oqVyiRf.jpg

Okay, I hope it turns out to be a good thing (partially because of my ulterior motive of living vicariously through you). I have never met another person who has been blessed with regard to real estate. It's usually the opposite. So if there is ever a miracle, and I am able to purchase a home, YOU will have to come and help make it happen because, woe is me, I am unlucky in love, health and real estate...however, besides my crazy mother, I do pretty well in the family department (but she is a doozy).

Sew Sumi, I'm sorry you're having a rough time. I hope things start looking up for you very soon. Jyn, I am so sorry for the loss of your kitty. SomePity, I've been wondering about the house, and I'm sorry to hear that your offer was rejected. OMG, I guess I'm just a sorry person tonight, and for that reason I hope my "sorrys" don't come off as insincere. I meant every one them, and I am sending virtual hugs to each of you. ❤️❤️❤️

I am not sure what disagreement you are referring to. My post was in response to amitville saying she does not post much anymore because of the two specific posters she named in her post.

I'm still here. I've always been more of a lurker. I hope you will soon feel comfortable posting again. Besides the inevitable bad apples, this is a great group of people. And since I have popped out of my den (of iniquity!!!!!!!!), I wish everyone here a happy and healthy new year!

I am a freak because I keep my house cold. I also cannot tolerate humidity, so I run my AC way more than most people. I get hot easily when I am up and moving around, and when I'm lounging around, I like to keep a fleece throw blanket over my legs. Luckily, I am not married. It's just my daughters and me, and they are used to living in a cold house. I also love to crack the window open while I'm sleeping during the winter. I didn't know there were others like me.

There is a huge difference between a child being bullied by kids at school and an almost-30-year-old woman being "cyber bullied" because she is a desperate famewhore. Give me a break. Then again, based on her writing, she doesn't come off as very bright, or at the very least, she is very immature. If I didn't know better, I would think her blog was written by a teenaged girl. So, what exactly is she selling? I clicked on her link, but there is no website.

I'm enjoying all the cats and spirits conversations! I am a cat person. However, this is a one cat household because our kitty doesn't do well with other cats. Even at the shelter, she was the "house cat" who lived in the office/reception area. She isn't a cuddly cat, but she has other endearing qualities. She is extremely talkative, which I especially love. She had quite a traumatic existence before she became part of our family, so we enjoy spoiling her in every little way we can. I have had quite a few experiences with loved ones who have passed. A lot of them happen at this time of year because the holidays make me think of and miss everyone who is gone.

MarysWetBar, what a beautiful tribute from your son! I think my heart is going to explode.

I hope your kitty gets well soon! My kitty suffers from chronic UTIs/cystitis, and I always feel so bad for her. I also worry over her, too. As far as cats puking, the first time I ever heard it happening was in the middle of the night, and I freaked out. It sounds horrible! Now I'm used to it but it still wakes me up when it happens in the middle of the night.

A few people knew, but I never announced it "publically." I enlisted her help to bust The Troll, and as she read through old posts, she realized what a great little community we have here. BTW, I picked out a nice name for her when she was born, so the "Burlsa" thing is all hers. Kids these days! I appreciate your apology. Most of your responses were fine, but then that last one--it just came out of nowhere, and it was stunning. I figured that it had more to do with you than her, but since I was here dealing with her hitting bottom last night, I wasn't so concerned with how you were feeling. The poor kid felt very vulnerable and anxious about sharing so much, and then her worst fears came true. I didn't read her post, so I'm not sure what exactly was said. I do know that her neurologist has already ruled out MS and vasculitis. Her brain scans are fine but something is causing debilitating headaches and vision loss, so she is scared and frustrated. Her neurologist believes it is autoimmune-related, and anyone who is familiar with those types of diseases know they are often difficult to diagnose. All of that, on top of losing her sole source of income, has been too much for her to deal with right now, especially since she is so sick. She was probably just wanting a few words of encouragement; I don't think she was expecting on-going mental health support.

I will admit that I have to skip the sick or dying animals stories. My heart cannot take it because I love animals more than most humans. Sometimes I even cry when I see roadkill. I never used to be THIS bad, but we have an aging kitty who I love so much that I guess every critter I see makes me think of her.

So it was fine for "Wanderwoman" to dominate this forum for months with her made up bullshit--and even have the thread renamed for her fake kid--but shame on Burlsa for being at the lowest point of her life and daring to talk about it here. Real life support groups aren't an option for some folks with social anxiety, who are afraid of opening themselves up to be criticized by rude, judgmental people. Instead, she felt safe to post here because most posters here are pretty great and have made her feel welcome. Burlsa is my daughter, so yeah, I'm feeling pretty damn protective of her these days. I guess I should tell her to refrain from posting until she gives birth to conjoined twins who came out sideways at 26 weeks gestation and have arms coming out of their foreheads like a unicorn, and only Ben Carson can save them, but that will cost lots of money, so we'll need to set up a GoFundMe campaign.

SomePity, I am excited for you! I have never owned a home, so I happily live vicariously through others. If all goes well, I would love to see pictures. I love old homes, and I especially love Craftsman homes. Since I've had some job interviews, I have been looking at real estate listings and dreaming. I found an adorable old home that I have fallen in love with, so I am fantasizing about how I would fix it up. Old homes and pet stories! I have died and gone to Heaven.

Hello, my virtual beasties (best typo ever)! Today's interview went really well, at least *I* thought so. I think it helped that I wasn't being grilled by a prosecutor and assistant prosecutor! I was also much more confident because the job basically consists of researching vital records which, as an amateur genealogist, is right up my alley. I also realized that I tend to over-explain things, which I think is common. When you're nervous and there is silence, you tend to keep talking. So, today, I made sure to give a suitable answer to a question and then shut up. Twopper, do you want to go back to work, or do you feel like you *should* be working? If you don't want/need the money, and you are just looking for something meaningful to do, I agree that volunteer work is invaluable all around. Or if you are wanting to work specifically in the legal field, I think some part time paralegal work would be great. One attorney I knew had a paralegal who only came in to help when he had a big trial coming up. I, personally, would love working as a litigation paralegal. Unfortunately, there are two law schools where I live, as well as two different schools that have paralegal programs, so there is a lot of competition when it comes to jobs in the legal field.

I would not be able to watch a video of myself! EEK! That would lead to a type of anxiety from which there would be no return! But I understand what you are saying. Oh, and if I get a job offer, I'm going to expect a large celebratory gathering at your home, where there will be a nice spread laid out upon that wet bar you just HAAAAAD to have. We can all celebrate and spend 11 months writing a mission statement for the PTV Duggar forum family. No bare arms please. And no Kodi.

Thanks, everyone! I am feeling good about tomorrow's interview. It's not in the legal field, but I think it's something I would enjoy. Plus it pays well and the benefits are excellent. Pity, it's so nice to know that I am not alone. Well, that sounds bad because I'd rather you not suffer from this at all! But I think you get the picture!

fYes, I do have social anxiety. No one has told me I suck. I do not like to be the focus of attention and have trouble articulating my thoughts when I am put on the spot. These things are painful for me, and I do lament over it for days, weeks, months, ...and maybe years because sometimes the dumb things I have done in the past pop into my mind at random, and I feel that same embarrassment all over again. Thanks for the well wishes! As for tomorrow's interview, there are two open positions, so I'm hoping that increases my chances of getting hired.

Geez, I don't know because I suck at interviews! Lol I understand less stress versus the need to be out there contributing. My kids are grown, so my stress is all mental. My personality type makes it very difficult to talk about myself or open up to others beyond social niceties. I am always left feeling so vulnerable after an interview. I feel embarrassed long after the fact and wish I had never put myself out there in the first place. But then when I'm sitting around at home, I feel so empty, and I know that I am wasting my potential. I hate being this way.