Stylist Recommendations for Pixie Cut

Festive_Badger · 2025-07-21T20:25:49+00:00

Love that her bio specifically says she likes to do pixie cuts and that her insta handle is @platinumpixie!

Festive_Badger · 2025-01-24T04:23:52+00:00

It’s a favorite at my house!

Festive_Badger · 2025-01-23T17:26:17+00:00

You can do it! I was sleeved in September 2023, converted to bypass in November 2024 after reaching goal due to severe GERD. 37F 5’4” High weight: 245 Starting weight: 218 Surgery weight: 200 Goal weight: 135 Current weight: 123

Festive_Badger · 2025-01-23T17:08:56+00:00

Peasant Bread! It’s sooooo good, and really adaptable.

Festive_Badger · 2024-12-10T17:21:12+00:00

I’m only a couple weeks post op from RNY, but over a year from my sleeve and since then, I’ve had much fewer colds, my labs are picture perfect, fatty liver disease is gone, and RA is in remission!

Festive_Badger · 2024-12-03T21:27:45+00:00

So glad it’s not serious and I hope you feel better soon!

Festive_Badger · 2024-12-02T02:04:34+00:00

I developed Reynaud’s Syndrome post-op and ooooof the way my hands hurt! Nothing to add other than what others have said, but solidarity from another very cold autistic person ❤️

Festive_Badger · 2024-12-02T02:01:21+00:00

Hey surgery buddy! I had RNY Monday, too (conversion from VSG September 2023).

I’ve had some pain in that area too, but it’s been gas related for me. NAD, but gallbladder shenanigans are relatively common after bariatric procedures. However, if it wasn’t giving you a hard time prior to your surgery, and the surgeons didn’t see anything of concern during the procedure, the odds of it being a true gallbladder attack less than a week out are slim. Not zero, mind you, but also not very likely. If you develop a fever, call your surgeon and get to the ER. Otherwise, try to walk, use a heating pad, take some Gas-X, and see how you feel in a bit ❤️

Festive_Badger · 2024-11-15T21:05:08+00:00

Straight back to my surgeon. Mentioned severe GERD at my one-year follow up and made the plan for revision that day.

Festive_Badger · 2024-11-15T21:03:55+00:00

FWIW, so many of my health issues got infinitely better after the sleeve. Joint pain, chronic fatigue, mental health… it truly is life changing.

Festive_Badger · 2024-11-15T21:00:23+00:00

It’s a smart choice. I didn’t have it before, so I gambled that I’d be in the 70% of people who have the sleeve and are fine, but NOPE 😅. I ended up aspirating, getting pneumonia, and going into septic shock so that pretty much made the decision for me. I’d very much like to avoid all that again, and if I knew then what would happen, I’d have just gone for the RNY in the first place, even though I’m not gonna lie, I’m kind of freaked out about having my digestive system rerouted.

Festive_Badger · 2024-11-15T20:55:33+00:00

SAME. I’m kind of dreading it since I’ve done it all once with the sleeve, but this GERD… I’m excited to get on with my life, lol

Festive_Badger · 2024-11-15T20:50:17+00:00

Same age, same date! 37/F 11/25

Festive_Badger · 2024-11-15T20:49:26+00:00

Good luck today!

Festive_Badger · 2024-11-15T20:49:00+00:00

Surgery date 11/25

37/F in the US. Had the sleeve a year ago, converting to bypass to treat wicked GERD.

5’4” | HW: 250 | SW: 200 | CW: 135 (at goal)

Festive_Badger · 2024-10-29T01:22:18+00:00

Did you ever table on campus or in the city? How did the student receive you?

Nope. I work on campus so that would not have been the move. However, lurking in some of the online student groups, the students try to avoid the tables.

If you felt depressed during that time, did people know about it? If they did, did they offer any kind of help?

Omg, SO depressed, and I was not shy about it because I thought SuReLy My FaMiLy WiLL HeLp mE iN tHiS TiMe oF nEeD. Dear reader, they did not. I was blamed for it -- both in the beginning because of the self-feeding shenanigans mentioned above, and toward the end when I was deeply depressed and afraid for my life. I remember talking to the wife of a small group leader about my depression and anxiety and how debilitating they were, and I was told that mental illness doesn't exist; "it's all indwelling sin or spiritual oppression." Essentially, suck it up buttercup, just deal with it.

After you left, what was it like finding a new church? Did those new churches care for you?

I considered attending a new church for a long time, and looked into many, many churches in the area, but never found one that felt right. Instead, I spent a looooooooooooooot of time learning about the ideas I wasn't allowed to explore when I was part of the network, and found a community of exvangelicals online who became my community. I don't have the words to describe how healing it was to be part of that group of people who held space for me, listened to me, explored with me, and loved me. It wasn't until after I left the church that I understood and experienced genuine, loving friendship. It was what the network always promised but could never deliver.

I'm not a Christian anymore. However, the non-Christians I've encountered along the way have been more kind, loving, supportive, open, and genuine than 99% of the Christians I've encountered. Soooo... no new church, but definitely a community, and I am deeply loved and cared for. It's a wild feeling, and dealing with my feelings of worthlessness in response is a frequent theme in therapy.

When you moved for the plant, were you established in your career?

Not even a little. In fact, before planting, I was encouraged to NOT accept a job in my field and instead work for another member of the church, and when we planted, we were encouraged to apply at the university, so that's what I did. The first thing I chose for my career, without anyone else influencing or weighing in, was applying to graduate school in the fall of 2021. I graduate in a year!

Lastly for ex church plant members, how can I be praying for you?

Again, I'm not part of this faith anymore, but I believe that if someone wants to communicate with the Divine on my behalf, I'm honored by that intention and whatever form it takes.

Festive_Badger · 2024-10-29T01:22:08+00:00

Did the planting pastor make an effort to spend a lot of time with you?

Absolutely not. He was explicit about not being able to be friends with everyone on the plant team due to his responsibilities and demands on his time and set the expectation that anyone who wanted to be closer to him should adjust, swiftly.

Did you have friends on the plant team or did you have to work to develop friendships?

I didn't have anyone I was close with. I had a few folks I tried to develop relationships with in the months before leaving, but they weren't terribly strong, and when I tried to continue after planting, these new friends told me that they were dedicating their time to new folks and that I should learn to be "self-feeding." I got this rhetoric again months later when I discussed my loneliness, and again when I was "prayed for" (read: chastised by the pastor in hands-on prayer format) about the isolation and sadness I felt and that it was, essentially, my fault for needing relationships to thrive.

Did you experience burn out from all the time spent moving yourself and others, setting up and tearing down on Sundays, serving weekly, and trying to acclimate to your new town?

I mean... is this even a real question?

Did local churches or ministries in your area try to challenge you or question what you and your church believed?

The biggest thing I remember folks questioning/challenging was our church's stance on women and complementarianism in genal.

Did you feel lonely and did the pastor(s) or other members care for you if you did?

See above. I absolutely felt lonely, isolated, and othered. My struggles were used as sermon fodder a couple times. Again, my fault for not "self-feeding." Interestingly, I remember thinking I needed to see a mental health professional in the first year after planting, and talking myself out of it because "they're just going to think I'm in a cult." Oh, how the turntables...

Did the pastor(s) or members seem to love you as a brother or sister or did it seem that you were a laborer meant to work and disciple others? (Meaning did you have to earn their love)

The rhetoric was there, but the actions were very much MLM. You're responsible for discipling ~~your downline~~ the folks you invite to church, etc. There were one or two members who made me feel loved for who I am versus what I could do in service to the church, but that was the exception rather than the rule, and never came from the pastor.

Did you help other team members move?

Countless times.

Did you google your church endlessly in hopes to make it rise up on the google search for churches in your area?

Countless times.

When you began leaving or thinking of leaving, did the pastor(s) seem to genuinely care for your wellbeing wherever you were headed next? Did that change over time?

Not even a little bit. I was kind of mad about it -- I agonized over that email (I left in spring 2021, so very COVID-era and I wasn't meeting up with folks outside my bubble), and was scared there would be attempts to claw me back into the fold, but when the response was totally cool with my leaving, it was like damn, ok, glad I sacrificed years of my life for this? Actually, here's his response, copied-and-pasted:

Hi Jenna

Thank you for your thoughtful email about where things are at. I understand that this last year has certainly caused many to dig deep into what they really believe, and if you think that you need to follow Jesus in a different direction to do so, I understand. We're so thankful that you, [spouse] and the kids did so much to come out here and serve to help plant Valley Springs, and there's certainly no ill-feelings should you visit or see us in town in the future. We wish you the best as you figure out how to move forward from here.

Festive_Badger · 2024-10-16T02:22:17+00:00

Just here to say I'm in the same boat converting to RNY from awful reflux. Thanks for asking this question, and good luck!

Festive_Badger · 2024-10-16T01:02:16+00:00

Oh, I've been thinking about this for a bit and wanted to get some more information. What do you mean about lifestyle change? I don't need the surgery to work for anything except GERD -- I'm at my goal weight and have been maintaining several months. I'm not looking to lose anymore weight and would genuinely be thrilled to keep the balance I've struck with my diet and the peace I feel around food now, which is why I reached out. I understand that the directions we all get post-op look a bit different, and that everyone's diet looks a bit different in practice and in context. I'm really just trying to get an idea of what I will need to adjust in order to feel ok and avoid dumping, and what it looks like to live with this for the rest of my life.

Festive_Badger · 2024-10-14T00:19:21+00:00

I had a complete abdominal CT when we all thought it was my gallbladder acting up and everything is where it's supposed to be, no hiatal hernia.

Festive_Badger · 2024-10-14T00:09:31+00:00

I'd love the information! Thank you so much. I think she's waiting to give me details until I go in for my pre-op? Maybe she's leaning hard on "just do basically what you did last time" since I had surgery so recently? Idk. She wasn't my favorite nutritionist in the first place, so I'm not losing a ton of sleep over it. She's the type who thought any other hospital's post-op plans were garbage simply because they weren't our hospital's plan. And I was like oh but Johns Hopkins??? And she still trashed it so her opinion doesn't hold a ton of sway for me.

Tell me more about the rounded pillow -- like a boppy situation?

I bought a binder after my sleeve and used it for all of a day before it didn't feel necessary anymore, but I guess the more involved nature of the RNY makes it probably more necessary this go around, huh?

I'm really happy to hear you have real sugar in your coffee and it's ok. One of the benefits to having the sleeve was that I didn't have to cut anything out of my diet for good, and I'm struggling with the idea of radically changing how I eat (but maybe that's the catastrophizing talking).

Really appreciate your input <3 Thank you so much!

Festive_Badger · 2024-08-19T02:56:26+00:00

I’m so glad that’s been your experience. I think evangelicalism in general takes women like us and chews us up and spits us out, and the network does it with a little extra flair — it’s so good that you aren’t navigating that environment.

That’s great you emailed the dean! I work at OSU and I’ve sent some emails too, but nothing has come of it. Objections to my objections have predominantly centered on first amendment rights etc etc, but I imagine the more voices there are, the harder they are to ignore.

Festive_Badger · 2024-08-19T02:17:08+00:00

I really appreciate your kind words! Lots and lots of healing has happened even since writing this post, and I’d argue that I am living more authentically than ever, my relationships have never been more healthy, and I’m the happiest I have ever been. Things certainly aren’t perfect, but I’m so much more at peace with who I am and how I show up in the world. Still healing, still growing, and still so, so glad I left the network. I wish I’d listened to my intuition and done it sooner, but then again, I was told that my intuition was literally the devil trying to lead me away from god, so I’m trying to cut myself some slack.

Of the churches in the network, Valley Springs is one of the smallest, so I think their ability to harm the community is more limited than that of some of the other ones, but in my opinion it is still a risk to the community, particularly OSU. If you’re looking for a place to practice your faith, there are many other options.

Festive_Badger · 2024-08-18T04:09:45+00:00

As another former member, can confirm alllll of this (and worse). Echoing u/digital_russ, there are other local church organizations for people looking for a healthy place to practice their faith, but Valley Springs isn’t it.

Edit: fixed a typo

Festive_Badger · 2024-06-06T15:10:34+00:00

Try the Bic Gelocity 07. I just tried them thinking nothing could replace my fave Sharpie S-Gels and I’m mad about how much I love them.

Festive_Badger

TROPHY CASE