Talk about a post getting off topic 
I donāt know if itās a Canada/US thing, but here itās called a LEEP and itās not quite as bad as they make it sound, although I agree, the anticipation sucks. I had one almost 30 years ago and itās supposed to be outpatient. I had a MINOR incident with mine which they then checked me into the hospital, just for overnight, but I proceeded to check myself out because I wanted chicken, lol (the ignorance of youth). But even so, I was fine and Iām sure technology has come a long way in 30 years!
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@ladycrooks Sorry you have to get this invasive test, but also glad you are getting it done. I have to get a non-invasive test for lung cancer every year because I am in a super high risk group (both parents and I smoked for almost 50 years). The first time I was supposed to get it done I procrastinated for about 4 months out of fear. That test came back negative and so has every test since then, so most of the fear has gone away. I still celebrate when I get a negative result and breathe a sigh of relief.
Also glad your boyfriend is willing to offer to get his colonoscopy done if you get your test done. Sounds like a win-win, though both are invasive tests.
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Happy Year of The Tiger !!!
Courage and bravery - Resilience and strength in times of trouble.
(thatās a surgical mask flying free from his face!)
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Ok, so I realize Iām still essentially a newbie, I only quit smoking and started vaping full time about 8-9 months ago, but this made me laughā¦.my neighbor quit smoking and started vaping at the same time and she asks me to make her juice. She never has a request, she just tells me āmake whateverā. She I just make her whatever Iām mixing for me, but most of the time she tells me āI didnāt like that, so I gave it to my daughterā. She rarely tells me that she liked something. So I keep trying and trying. Weeeellllllll, yesterday, I had some time on my hands so I hung out for a bit when I took her some ejuice. She preceded to load up a pod, take a drag (RIGHT after filling) and tell me, ānope, donāt like this eitherā. So I asked herā¦āum Val, is that always how you decideā. She told me yes. So I then explained to her that the reason she hates EVERYTHING is because sheās vaping burnt cotton, lol. No one ever told her, and I guess I just assumed she knew since she started vaping a couple weeks before me. So, long story short (too late). Now she actually waits for the coils to saturate so she can tastes actual juice before she forms an opinion 
But it did make me laugh because Iām over here trying to figure out what Iām doing wrong!
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LOL I had something similar happen with a friend of mine awhile back. Drove me crazy when he told me they all tasted the same and he didnāt like any of them. I gave him an RDA and taught him to make his own coils, and now heās good.
Oh yeah, he was also using a burnt coil head that was over a year old. 
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So what does she think now of your juice?
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Thatās whatās it is called here in the US too. Iāve had it done.
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I donāt see that happening any time soon. She wanted to āgraduateā from pod mods so I gave her a tank that uses factory coils. She brought it back because all the juice leaked out and she did know what she did wrong. So I cleaned it up, put a new coil, filled itā¦no leaking. I took it back, she asked āyou fixed it?ā I told her, āno, I just put it together rightā. We both laughed. I honestly donāt know what she did to it
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I was referring to āwhat has made you smileā as the post being off topic not the procedure and not that it really matters but itās technically LEEP (loop electrosurgical excision procedure)
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I hope your neighbor realizes what a good friend you are to take the time to model, suggest and teach.
Some people forget that they had to ālearn to smokeā and that it also times a bit of time to ālearn to vapeā, which includes things we now take for granted. Things like correct assembly, clean/replace coils/cotton, and general maintenance (which we didnāt have to worry about with cigarettes). Iām glad the folks at the first vape shop I bought from took the time to explain things to me. What is amazing is that the things some folks think are inconveniences are the things I enjoy as part of the āritualā of vaping. I like cleaning my tanks, changing my coils, changing/charging batteries and stuff like that. The āritualā adds to my vape experience. That is also why I fully enjoy traditional wet shaving with double edge safety razors, various soups and brushes. There are some mindful rituals to some things that help make them special. For me, quicker and easier is not always better. After more than 8 years of vaping (and being tobacco free) I still enjoy the entire experienceā¦including for the past year+ mixing my own juiceā¦thanks to folks like you in this forum/community.
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I wish I wouldāve had the same experience. When I tried vaping years ago the kid at the vape shop could barely be bothered to help me. What little āhelpā he did give was his assurance that I needed an ego pen and 18mg juice since I smoked a pack a day. True, but that pack a day were Capri lights! So as you can image, it wasnāt very enjoyable. I could literally feel my lips going numb and it went straight in the trash! I remember that, so I try to help my neighbor whenever I can. Whenever Iām shopping, I order stuff for her too and put it in my vape closet and wait until she needs it or sheās ready for the next step (not that Iām an expert). Plus, she lives off her social security and works like 12 hours a week but insists on paying me, so I make sure she never knows how much things really cost, āyes, of course Iām sure $30 is enough to cover both those pod mod and all those coils and tanks, and Iāll be back with your ejuice in a minuteā Pay in forward, right Itās not that I have all kinds of money, itās just that sheās in her late 70s, so itās easier for me to work some extra hours than it is for her.
I also agree about the āritual of vapingā, I like to sit and practice building coils, I find it soothing, Iām still pretty new but @SessionDrummer gave some tips on wire. I keep ordering different RDAs to see what I like best, but Iām enjoying the journey
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I got the day off due to weather conditions (I work for a transportation company) so I was able to see the opening ceremonies of the Winter Olympics. The commentators remarks were pretty interesting, too. It also gives me the time to package some juice I wanted to send to a friend. So far, today is working out pretty well 
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Iām on team juice mixing, but have boycotted the China games.
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Yeah, I can understand that. I like to see the opening ceremony to get the feel of the whole thing. What was interesting to me were the political commentaries by the US announcers. Oh and Putin dozing off in his seat until he heard the word, Ukraine, and his eyes flickered 
I also found the slogan they chose pretty interesting, too:
Of course, my slogan to them (their government) is: Leave Hong Kong Alone! More interesting were the interviews on radio with the Chinese people and how they feel about relations with the US and the rest of the Western world. As you can imagine, they are quite different from their leaders.
ETA: Well, donāt fret. Next one will be in Paris. Tu aimes?
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Keto is real !!! I have 2 friends who dropped a ton of weight from it. Iāve pretty much been a a normal weight most my life but I felt like I had some extra tummy fat (maybe 5-10 lbs) that I could get rid of. I walk, bike, jog, do yoga, weights, bands, yada yada, but that pocket of fat wouldnāt go away until I ate more keto-like. Within 2 weeks my belly flattened out and I could see the results of all the exercise I put in. It was very rewarding and all I did was cut in half my carb intake and boosted my protein and fat. I would always buy low fat this and that and that was all wrong I finally learned. In the beginning I added MCT oil to my diet to help process fat but I donāt really need it anymore. My body learned to do it itself by modifying my diet.
Generally speaking to allā¦
I just want to add that if you need to lose a lot of weight youāre probably going to want to cut out more than just 50% carbs. Some people go totally carb free but you also have to be careful of entering a state of ketosis. Do your homework. Talk to your doc, if need be.
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I have been slacking in the exercise department of my weight loss endeavor because I have been concentrating on my hubs recovery from back surgery.
However, I have still been losing weight! Iām still watching what and mostly HOW MUCH I eat. I am trying to be as active as I can and it seems to be working! 
Since July, 2021, I have lost a total of 46 pounds!! Iām so proud of myself. Itās been hard, especially with a stack of Girl Scout Cookies in front of me! 
Iāve lost 10 inches off my waistline and hips. Iāve shrunk down from a size 24 in womenās jeans to a womenās size 18 or missezā size 19!
I look better and I feel amazing! I started working on losing weight when my scale read 272 lbs. I was appalled and dismayed at my complacency! How could I have let myself get this big!
Iām only 5ā6ā!! Iāve always been athletic and weighed more than I appear but WOW!! Iām now down to 226!
My goal is 160. Thatās like 40 lbs more than the recommended BMI from the WHO but even my doctor looked at me and said āYeah, thereās no way! With your buildā¦ youād have to starve yourself and lose muscle to get that low.ā I told her my goal and she agreed that it is a much better/attainable/healthier weight to reach for.
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WOW !!! Congratulations @Wombatred26 Thatās incredible. I just wanted to say that flex bands are very affordable and EFFECTIVE. They are not ājust for girlsā. MOF, professional weight lifters use them all the time. Free weights and resistance bands both have unique pros and cons. Check them out!
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Thank you @muth! I actually have some resistance bands that my nutritionist at the VA sent me. Sheās on maternity leave at the moment. I let them know that with whatās going on, I would have to press pause on their program as I canāt focus on it as completely as necessary.
By the time everything gets back to normal at home, she should be back. Everyone there is so supportive. Without their guidance, I donāt think Iād have gotten this far so quicklyā¦ or at all, honestly!
It feels great to know my seat belt isnāt extended nearly all the way. To put on my old jeans out of mindless habit and look down in surprise to see them dangling off my hips! To be able to fit into shirts I havenāt worn in 8-10 years! To not wonder if people are looking at me in disapproval because my butt is hanging out when I bend overā¦ (it never happened because I was so self conscious about it and always checked my pants:shirt ratio over my rear end lol)
Thank you for the congratulations. It means a lot!
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I canāt say enough. It is no small feat what youāve accomplished. I have plenty of friends with weight problems including a doctor. Itās not enough to just have the knowledge, you need the determination to change your lifestyle. BUT once you do youāre golden because youāll never want to go back to that old way of living again. Not after feeling so good. Really, again, Iām so happy for you. Youāre a winner!
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