All right, we'll go ahead and start this thing off. All right, thank you and welcome to another episode of the Carolina Otaku Podcast, and I am here with my co-host.

Lexi.

Like I said, thank you for joining us again. As you can see, I am not in my regular location. No, this is not a green screen behind me. This is actually a green screen behind me. This is actually a. This is actually a. This is actually real, like this is a real chair that I'm touching right now, and all this is real. Um, this is the house that I grew up in.

Uh, I am back home and uh, uh, it's not bad, you know draining weed is legal here, yeah and um, it's not too bad, not too bad at all, um, but I think this episode, uh, you guys will enjoy it. Um, so the way that we usually start these things off is we see what we've been up to since we last talked. So, lexi, what have you been up to?

nothing, just playing 76 like too damn much. Um yeah, like I have it on xbox and I also have it on my pc and they I've been playing both of them and so like it gets confusing. Sometimes I'm like wait, especially I'm looking at my inventory, I'm like wait, why didn't I have this? And I gotta realize, oh, it's on my xbox account or oh, it's on my pc account. So I don't know that, not much I'm doing the same.

um, um. I, you know, like I said, drove back to my hometown and I'm here for about three weeks and I've been. I brought the steam deck with me, brought a TV with me. Uh yeah, if you guys need a, just a little heads up, If you don't have the legs or the the, the stand or the stand or the feet to your TV anymore, go to Walmart. They have a mount that substitutes for the legs and it works really well. It's only $20. It's nice, not bad. I've been playing Fallout 76 also.

He doesn't play with me though. Because he doesn't like playing with me, it's OK.

Even. It's not even that. It's just OK. What I found out today is that, being in the the armor suit, our armor is a fucking cheat code. It's a it is. It's a cheat code through the whole game you get, you get the armor. You don't even have to have like a helmet, as long as you have like the armor right and you have, like I don't know if you go do like a um, not like a raid, but one of those um event thingies and wait, have you been doing the invasion event?

yeah yeah, that's what I've been doing, like every hour yep, and you get, and you get so much shit.

You get so much legendary shit, right you get if you have the armor and you have a. Um, you get like a something that takes like five the five millimeter, almost like a. It's usually like a, something that takes like five the five millimeter, almost like a. It's usually like a mini gun or something like that, you're good. I have like 4,000 bullets of that in my stash already.

Hold up, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. I need you to share that with me, cause I need that.

Thank you, I think I got like two grand left, I got you. I think I got like two grand left, I got you. Um, but I'm just like you're going, you're knocking down, you're going through like robots and stuff. Easy, I mean easy, as long as you keep up with your um, your health. Easy money, the the ones that not like the, the robots that are that walk like this, but like the ones that are skinnier.

The assault drones.

Yes, those things are usually horrible to face.

To kill.

Yeah, if you're not in the suit, you can't. You can't use like an alien weapon and you really can't use like a regular. You can't use a pipe gun and you can't use like a regular. Like shotguns work, okay, but you gotta have the armor for them, because they have like this laser that comes out of their eye and that should hit you. And then you have the ones that them, because they have like this laser that comes out of their eye and that should hit you. And then you have the ones that have like the hands and they try to clamp you into into it. Man, I'm just like going through stuff, like it's like nothing, doing that. Um, yeah, that's that's what I've been really like, uh, playing, I might get back into Diablo 2. I heard that they've done a lot of new stuff this season.

Yeah, so I might give that a try also. But yeah, man, fallout is just. It runs well on the Steam Deck. I have it hooked up to the TV. Have it hooked up to the tv? Uh, I would recommend not. Don't use the bluetooth on the steam deck to connect your controller. If you have a dock, hook it up to the back, like get a usb type c and hook it up to the back because it's going to be laggy if you use the bluetooth.

So I'll recommend that, but other than that it runs it does really good because I do the exact same thing like I'll play 76, like when I'm not in here. I'll play it like I'm laying down, like I don't plug it up to my tv, I just use it, uh, handheld, and it runs really well, like I haven't had any issues.

You got it covered.

Yes, I did, I got the yeah, it's the Gryffindor one, and then it is the oh man.

I was like you got it covered. I need to get one of those.

This one's like $200.

Yeah.

It doesn't take a long time to like put it on, but it is a little bit difficult. Uh, at least putting on the, the top part, that piece isn't that bad. But like, uh, you don't have to take off, like your old, like the old color cover you had, you can just leave it on, just just throw it on top.

Yeah, I feel like I'm doing an advertisement, but I've had this chair for so long that it's great. I would always recommend getting a. What is it called Secret?

Secret. What Secret labs?

Yeah, secret lab chairs. I would always recommend getting one of those. I've had a verti gear, yeah, but the secret lab chair is probably the best one that I've had. Yeah, they're.

They're really good, like I, this is the second one that I've owned. I have another one when they first like came out. Um, that like still works and like I can use it, but the only thing about it the hydraulics is like giving out in it and with me being short, I just like it just stays in the garage.

But yeah, they're amazing um, but yeah, I mean, other than that, really nothing else, uh, other than that really nothing else. Nothing else is really. I haven't really been doing anything else, so we kind of have a couple topics for you guys. First, I'm going to ask Lexi to say the proper name of the of the surgery. What's the proper name of the of the surgery? What's the proper name of it?

oh, he wants to talk about uh gash or bypass surgery there you go, there you go, um.

So I thought about it. I know that, um, lexi did get it and I have a friend that also got it also and I like, from the beginning I saw her go through the process of having to do it. So, and I know other people are probably maybe like teetering on the thought of doing it, but also I know some people might be scared to do it. So we're going to talk about that. But before we uh get into that, I just thought about something that really pisses me off. So if I'm on vacation and you log into slack and you look at my calendar and on my Slack account it says vacation and there's a palm tree beside that shit, that means don't message me.

That means don't contact me at all.

Yeah, don't message me. Don't email me. If you have an open ticket with me, cool, you can respond to that. I will see that ticket when I get back. Do not go on Slack and be like okay, yeah, I see this, he's grayed out.

I'm going to ignore it.

Yeah, I'm going to send him a message anyway. Right the fuck. Look, I had to send a battery to south africa and um, a laptop battery and the the uh, the employee was asking for their bitlocker recovery code so they can actually get into it and be able to change the battery and all that stuff. Because, whatever, and I was, uh, out grocery shopping and I got the message and I saw it and I was like motherfucker. So I had to call my uh, I had to send a message to my other colleague and be like hey, can you do this for me? And he was like yeah, okay, so don't hit. After that he was like don't answer anymore slacks. He was like do not answer any more slacks. He was like you're on vacation, don't answer any more of these shits. Let these shits go like fuck, yeah, fuck those people, they'll be fine. Yeah, um, so that was just something that pissed me the fuck off, go ahead no, that happens to me too.

But like what's your job title for those who do not know, so they know what part of tech you're in ah, I'm a system administrator for a crypto company.

Sorry, there you go, guys, because, like I know, not everybody that listens to us is in tech or don't know all the different parts or in sectors of tech, so like it would be nice for them to know. But, um no, like I've had that happen to me before as well as you, just like I, I know you see the big red. Stop, stop, like do not message me, okay, and you still want to mess with me?

I'm like I'm not replying, like I'll look at it yeah and I'm gonna wait to reply till I get back to work, because why are you messaging me when there's a whole? I have a whole other team that you can message when I am out the office. So please don't message me, right, because I'm gonna look at it like I. I at least you didn't walk back into a shit show like I did when I went on vacation in january for my birthday like I come back and they're like oh yeah, so you're losing your supervisor and somebody on the team is getting fired because we're doing layoffs.

So like it was like what, come again, say what jesus oh, okay, um, and my manager was like yeah, I didn't want to message you this while you're on vacation, so I just waited till you got back jesus christ man.

Yeah, look, it's when I I work with people who their customer like customer support is non-stop. That's monday through sunday. I get that because you know people use the application whenever. But there are people that like people that only work in customer success and they are sending emails in on like a saturday at like 4 pm. What the fuck? Are you doing on a saturday at 4 pm where you're just like you know what. I need access to this application right now.

Dude, go do something, go take a nap or something like look, I know somebody like that like okay, so like there is a, he's a success manager. I get it, but I swear, every time it's late hours he wants to be like hey, can you help me with this, or I fucked up this. Can you fix me with this, or I fucked up this. Can you fix this for me? Like, what are you doing? Why are you still working?

Exactly.

Do you not have a life outside of work?

It blows my mind Like it's like this shit can actually wait till Monday, like it really can wait till Monday at the worst time because this happened recently is during, like, thanksgiving or Christmas. Right, the company that I work for is international company, so we have people in different countries and all that stuff. Right, thanksgiving isn't everywhere Christmas, though every country has christmas. Right, if you don't celebrate it, you got that shit off, so don't, that's the worst shit. And then and then the. The other worst shit that I that I notice is that if people really want shit done, right, it's really not this, but it's always, it always happens to be this. They always put urgent in front of it, right, but then when you read it, you're like this shit ain't urgent this isn't urgent.

This is only urgent because this is something that you want done right, it's not needed, it's just something that you want done so in order for you to get this done in a quicker manner, for a faster pace for you. You put urgent in front of it and then you're like, oh yeah, I need access to zoom. Get your ass out of here. Get your ass out of here. You need access to zoom, like it's already within your actor. You need full access, ain't nothing but a click of a button, like you can still go on. It's. It's a bunch of bullshit. Like I said, I was just thinking about this and but he brings up a good point.

It it happens and then, and then when you work with there's, there's something different. Um, and if you work with, there's something different. And if you work for, like, an international company and stuff like that, you notice that, based on the country, different countries have different attitudes when it comes to their work.

So yeah, so great point. And then, when I almost forgot about it until you said something just now, so, like, where I work my part-time job, there's a lot of indian, like people that work on the same team with us. Yeah, and so, yeah, they, they are like that. They'll be like this is urgent, this is, it's not, it can wait. I remember it was Sunday, it was sleep. I don't clock in until like 12. They're like 8 o'clock in the morning. Hey, are you on shift? Hey?

Nicka no.

No, I'm not. Instead of asking who else is working, like like the typical way that people do it, he's like he gets in my dms and so it's like hey, are you? Hey, I need to like get this done. And then he proceeds to call me and I'm just like yeah, he's putting that pressure no, because I wasn't even there. I didn't like.

You're doing all this for nothing and I'm just looking at it, because I'm definitely not clocking in early to help you with this, and it wasn't even an urgent matter. It was what was it that he needed done it? It was like something really small. I'm just like what the fuck?

Yeah.

It's not like when I have a war room and something's down and I need like this is urgent Get your ass up. I need you to fuck whatever you were doing and get online Like it's not like that, it was like wait.

Yeah, you like, relax, dude, like you know, pull your finger out your ass and, like you know, come on, it's. It's man like you. You got to work with different attitudes and different types of personalities, wherever you are, whatever position that you're in, whatever field you're in, whatever, and you just got to get acclimated to that shit and sometimes you just gotta say no, no, you can wait, motherfucker, you can wait, like I'm not. No, you can wait, you know. I mean, so it's just the way that, um, it's just the way some shit goes for real, for real, jesus, oh shit.

There was something else that came into my head too. Oh, when you, uh, when I me driving up here, um, whenever I do any type of driving, like over two to three hours, uh, I'm a person that leaves early in the morning and then I still want to get to my destination. Honestly, honestly, I don't. I don't have children, but I feel like a dad. I'm like, hey, all right, we got to get everything packed up. We need to get everything at the door, like. We need to have either everything at the door so we can take it out, or we need, sir, get everything at the door, like we need to have either everything at the door so we can take it out, or we need sir.

Sir, you get up incredibly early. I didn't even get back to the airbnb before you left to go back home and, like I know, I got back home like two or three o'clock oh, early, yes yes yeah, I went into.

Yeah, I did leave early and I think I got back home like around like 8.

We haven't even got up yet.

Yeah.

We were just like.

Yeah, like around 8. Yeah, I was gone and you know what's crazy On that trip back up because I had to go, I had to, I went to, had to drive to north carolina and then I slept. I had the day there, but then I had to wake up the next day and come here to go get the dog.

Yep. So I, uh, I will say, probably one of the cleanest bathrooms that I ever had to go that I ever went to was that a uh, what is that shit called loves, loves, truck stop. Clean bathroom, beautifully clean bathroom. I was like, oh my gosh, this shit. I walked in and I was like, oh my gosh, this shit. I walked in and I was like, wow, this is clean. Oh shit, alright, it was nice. But yeah, I'm a person that wakes up early, likes to make sure I have gas in the car the day before, full tank, and I'm going. You know what I mean. I'm on the move With my truck. I'm able to get from here, from North Carolina, to Maryland on a full tank.

Easy.

Easy and I'm rolling Like cruise control between North Carolina to like Richmond, and then Richmond gets a little bit iffy because I'm here in Northern Virginia and that's when traffic usually happens. Alright, so in Richmond, oh god, oh, my goodness. Uh, I know I'm in Richmond when I see that stupid Manitoba not Manitoba, is it Manitoba? It's something that looks like a cigarette and it's a statue. It's a. It's a statue in richmond and it looks like a cigarette and it holds.

it has a whole bunch of cigarette brands on it I don't know, because I've never been to that part of virginia really yeah, even though like, like, even though my, like, one of my exes is from that area. Like no, I've never been. I've been to like Williamsburg.

And like yeah, but it's written Downtown Richmond is near water it stinks because I think it's like sulfur and that's about it. You ain't really miss it, but, like I said, I am happy to be back here.

It's nice, got to see my cousin today and, um, yeah, yeah, it was good to see her. So it's always good to see her for sure, for sure, um, but let's go ahead and get into this topic. Like I said, lexi has gone through getting the gastric bypass and, like I said, I have a friend who I was kind of like in the beginning, there with them when they were getting it, and at the end too, like in the beginning there with them when they were getting it and at the end too, and it was just what she was telling me the process that she has to go through.

It's a lot.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, and tell me if I'm wrong, but I don't think. A lot of people think like this, but you just can't. It's not like you get the surgery and just weight just starts to drop. It's not instant, you don't have to. I don't know if some people think it's like, all right, I'm going to get this surgery and the weight's just going to fall the fuck off because in the beginning you do drop.

You'll start dropping weight quickly, but it's not like a magic pill or anything of that nature. You still have to do work with it Now. I also am on Mondoro too now, so we could talk about that too, because that's been the buzzword that everybody thinks it's another magic pill.

I have no clue what that is. Okay, well, we'll talk about that too. So, yeah, okay, cool, um, so let's just start, I guess. What was the? What was the big push for you to I mean to start thinking about doing it like what? What made you say?

like what made me do it yeah, yeah um, so at the time I was in the process of doing it, um, several things actually contribute to me actually having it done. So, back in I believe, actually 2014 or no, it was 14, 2014, I got diagnosed with type two diabetes. You know, I was super young at the time, I was in my twenties, early twenties, and so, yeah, you know, I lost weight, um, after finding out that was a type two diabetic like 80 something pounds. And then, um, I got with my ex fiance and then I started gaining weight again and like at the point, yeah, we were engaged, we were talking about like kids and things like that, so I wanted to be able to do that, you know, and like I have a kid, you gotta walk around and like do stuff. I wanted to be able to do that and not be like every time like you know. So that was like a big thing for me, um, to get it done yeah, gotcha, gotcha okay and I guess did okay.

So when you, when you start doing the, where did you start research wise when it came to it?

so research wise for me it was so a little small fact about me my favorite show is my 600-lb Life. I know really weird, but it's my favorite show. So I will watch that and watch them have their surgery and going through that particular process. I also, before I even met my ex-fiance and all that stuff, I was looking into doing it. I even, like, met my ex-fiance and all this I was looking into doing it and then, like I had, went to like this one place in town that was like doing like seminars about it and like I didn't go with it at that time because like their list of requirements was way, way worse than like the other place in town.

So I didn't know the other place in town at the time. But when I got to the other place, I was looking at like their list and I was like, oh okay, this is way, way more easier than like the other place. So, yeah, so like internet, like there's a form um for it I can't remember the name of it, but there was a lot of people in there that were talking about it and so just like that combination of things, like, like I said, my show, um going, you know, to seminars and then like the internet, so yeah, gotcha, gotcha, okay, okay, all right was.

Did you? Were you able, I guess were you able to I don't know this might sound weird were you able to shop around to find, like the? I don't know if this makes sense, but were you able to shop around and find like the most comfortable, like, I guess, doctor or surgeon to?

you don't necessarily have to go to like one. Okay, let me. Let me roll this back really quick. So it really is going to depend on how you're going to go about the process. So if you're self pay like you're just going to pay it out of pocket, you go to whoever you feel that's gonna, you know, give you the best results and gonna like give you that support afterwards, because with self-pay.

They don't necessarily have like a list of requirements that people who are using like insurance do. So, for instance, like your self-pay, you can self-pay and you can get it like the if the daughter doesn't have their own like requirements and you're probably getting it really quickly versus someone who's doing like insurance. So I did mine through insurance. So I had to go to surgeons that my insurance would take, um, but luckily in town, like I said, there was two here that you you know did it and, like I said, I didn't go to the first one, to the second one. But I really didn't necessarily like look for other places in my state but I did know that I could go to where my insurance take. But with insurance, when you're doing that, each insurance is a little bit different. They have their own list of requirements for you to be able to get surgery. For mine I had to do six months of nutritional classes. They had to see six months of my weight at the time.

It's a lot when you're doing through insurance. Some companies are three months of classes and waits. Some require like six months of classes and then like a physician's referral and like a whole bunch of other stuff. Like there's a lot of stuff you have to do just to get the surgery. It's not like unless you're paying for it. Some people do just to get the surgery. It's not like unless you're paying for it. Some people do go to mexico. I like heard stories of people going and, uh, like boogie uh from youtube is gone. Um, there's a lot of like influencers that have gone and and done it but, like, like I said for me, I knew my interest would pay, so I just went through insurance. It was here and if I need something happens which did later on down down the line I have a surgeon I can go back to. So that's why I did it here.

Um, did you consider like if okay, did you consider going to mexico at all?

or you were just like hell, no yeah, I did consider if my insurance was not going to pay for it. Yeah, cause it's a lot cheaper down there. But I I ended up not doing it, so Gotcha, gotcha With, with, with my, with my friend.

I think one of the big things that I remember was like she when she first started going through that process.

it was liquid it was liquid, yeah, liquid like like applesauce and fucking soup and like and it was just like you eating, eating and consuming stuff like that, you're going to drop weight, and this is before the surgery. You're going to drop weight because you're eating a certain way anyway, right, so you're going to lose a couple pounds before you get the surgery. Yeah, a lot of fruits and, like I said, a lot of like liquids and stuff.

Yes, so her process was similar in her mind. So, like mine, it was two weeks before they had us drinking like optifast shakes twice a day and like optifast bars um, you can like vice versa whatever and they would eat like a small meal at dinner and that was to shrink the liver. So you know it doesn't get hit when they're doing all that. Um, I don't remember I I did drop weight during this that time, but I also was working out, so I was gaining muscle, so I didn't drop that much, but I still was able to have my surgery. Because she was like oh wait, you're dropping, you're gaining muscle. So, yeah, obviously you're doing what you're supposed to because you go to the gym, so, anyways, and then after, yeah, after you have surgery, you're on clear liquids. You're on clear liquids, um, and I hate like, even when I'm in the hospital they do it. Now they'll give me clear liquids for a couple days and they're like, oh well, you're.

And I'm like, yeah, my stomach's fine, please give me the actual food, like, not liquids please, when you say clear liquids, you're like, I mean, you can do like if you take like the boulon cues.

You can do like if you take the boulon cues and you can do that. Some people do like bone broths, but like power aids, like the clear ones, things like that you can do. I think it just happened in 2017, so I think it was like two weeks of that and then you go to the next stage, which was like soft food, kind of like applesauce and yogurts and things of that nature.

Damn, that's crazy. What? Okay, so with, so you get, you go through the process, you get the surgery Was there within, like within the time after the surgery and you know, after the surgery was there a time where you, uh, what was the feeling, I guess, like before getting the surgery into the surgery and after the surgery, like what was that? What was that feeling? Cause I I'm pretty sure it all wasn't the same shit.

So I remember um feeling, because I'm pretty sure it all wasn't the same shit. So so I remember um, so, right before having surgery, it's, it's, it's nerve, it's nerve-wracking, yeah, especially if that was my first like surgery ever, like I've never had. Well, technically, I had like for me to hazard I did have to have the endoscopy when I had to go down and like, look at my stomach and everything, but not necessarily like they're cutting me open. This was like my first major surgery. And so, um, yeah, it's nerve-wracking because you're like you can die, die. It's a serious like option, you know like it can happen. And so I remember they're like I forgot what she asked. She's like do you want something for anxiety? I was like yes, yes, please. So that was that. And so, like I don't remember being on recovery or any of that, I just remember the willing me in. They told me to count back. I count back, I'm out.

I wake up, I am in my like room where I am, and my fiance at the time was there like beside me or whatever, and like I asked him how long I was out and all that stuff. So and that, like you wake up, you're, you're, you're going to be in pain. It's not like a painless thing, even though they did do it like microscopically. So I don't have like a big cut in my stomach. I do have like small, six small incisions on my stomach, stomach, um, and so, uh, yeah, you're gonna be in pain for a bit, yeah, and then they kind of like they get you up, just like walk and stuff so you don't develop blood clots and things of that nature. So that was after. And then, like, when you get home, you have the and like you can't eat a lot. So like even now I still struggle with it, like I my, my eyes will see something and like I will get it, and I know I'm not going to finish it. It's like fucking stomach is talking again. Stop it.

Yeah.

It happens. But like coming home and just like realizing you can't eat, like, or if you eat, it's like very small, like you get full, you can't really enjoy the food. Like you have to learn how to like I'm an emotional eater, so you can't do that like right. And so I remember I came home and like I wasn't hungry but I'm like I'm used to eating. Like you want to eat, you can't, and it's just like bop, it's like it's call it. Um god, I forgot. Like food noise. Yeah, so you gotta get used to that.

Um, I remember as soon as I couldn't eat, I guess I was gonna watch other people eat. So around this time this is where I met like two. Yeah, I started watching two competitive eaters on youtube. Uh, beard meets food and uh, I think it's eric electric or something like that. He does weird food challenges. But yeah, I started watching them like all the time because I was out of work for six weeks after having it, so like I was just watching them eat. It's like it's the substitute because I can't eat, so like that's how I coped with that.

So yeah, so what was the? Do you remember the first like real meal that you had when you were able to like okay?

I don't know, that was like seven years ago, yeah okay, um, wow, wow it's.

I've seen you eat before and you do eat very, very light. You're not leaving a restaurant without something packed up, hands down. You're not leaving a restaurant without anything packed up.

He's not lying.

Yeah, if do you. Man, this might be a personal question, but do you remember the, the? I guess the cost of getting a surgery just not like a ballpark doesn't have to be exact yeah, so insurance covered most of it.

I think it was like, yeah, I think it was like all together with, like the visits, the referrals, the psychiatrist, the doctor referral I had to have the cardiologist. I had to go see um, look at the endoscopy. I had to have all that stuff. I came out of pocket I oh, and the optifac shake you have to pay for those. Insurance doesn't pay for those.

I had to pay for those, yes, yes I think, yes, I think it was like almost a ban for me to like have that for the time for you. I had to like yeah yeah yeah, yeah, it's like almost a ban, um. And then for like the co-pays and all that stuff, I probably paid maybe a little bit over two, no, a little under two for everything to have surgery $2,000? But for insurance they had to pay like $55,000. Yeah.

Damn, yeah, yeah, damn, damn, okay, shit wow these might not be prices today, like this is 2017, so Jesus, what $1,000 for a shake is crazy yeah, not like for one shape, but like for the whole, like time period.

Yeah, it was like yeah yeah, wow, if, um, if you, if you had to. Well, let me ask you this if you had to do it over again, you would do it right?

yeah, I would do it again, um, even like the, because I guess you're not going to ask, but like I did have complications with it, like three years after that, because I had to have emergency surgery because my uh, one of my pouches, because I have bypass so I don't have a like actual full stomach, I have a pouch that in my intestines have been rerouted and so like between those two there was like a hole and so like stuff was getting into my body and like they had to go in and emergency repair that and fix that.

Like, yeah, but um, other than that I really haven't had much complications with it, knock on wood, um, yeah, so yes, I would do it again. Like I like because of that surgery I don't have to take insulin um, anymore. Like only time I, when I go to the hospital, that is on my medical records that I'm a diabetic, so they automatically like oh, let's give her insulin. Like, yeah, and like because my blood sugar usually elevated, why? Because I'm sick and my body's just like yeah, so that's the only time. And then, like, days later they're like oh wait, your levels are normal. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah.

Let's take you off of it. Yeah.

I will say um, my friend, one of the biggest things that I know that she was happy about was being able to do more, being able to walk more. You know, um, and I think I, I do think like one of the like just a mental, a mental thing is, would, like I I've known I known her when she was, you know, big, also know her now, when she is slimmer. And I think one of the one of the things that she kind of brought up was would would people still like me? Like because they didn't know, they didn't know me how I was? Yeah, right, I think you know where I'm going with this. You didn't know how I was before.

But you're like now in this new way, right, but because I'm in this new way, would you have even considered, or even before, yeah, who looked my way? You know what I mean and and that that was that was something that I remember her bringing up and I'm just like, I'm just like you did this. You. You wanted to do this for you because you knew that this was something that you wanted to do, and you wanted to do this for you because you knew that this was something that you wanted to do and you wanted to change. You wanted to change your life. You didn't want to stay stagnant, you didn't want to be in pain anymore and it was a decision that you made for the better, right, and I mean she's traveling more and just doing a whole bunch of shit. You know what I mean and I and I respect that to the biggest fear beforehand, going into it, like what.

Dying. Yeah, that was a that was.

That's, that's a big one. The big one, that's a big one. Did you do you have to sign something beforehand, like, all right, if you do this, this, there is the possibility of yes they make you sign all that.

Not just that, they also so, like, besides the classes that I had to take, you also have, like, depending on insurance and some doctors, um, you have to get a psych evaluation. I think actually some require like two, three psych evaluations. You also have to see like I had to see a cardiologist to make sure that my heart was going to be able to take it. Like I had to get a doctor recommendation from, like, my primary. Like they do all these rigorous tests on you just to make sure that you are going to be okay and fit to have surgery and um, yeah, it's a lot to to go through, but, like they, they tell you like the numbers it's a very small number people that have died from it, but it is a possibility. I think the second biggest fear for me is, like complications. What if something just does not go right and I have a complication?

so that was the two big things for me yeah, okay, wow, jesus, do you think that, um, if you had to, if somebody was like, hey, I want to do this, I know it's out there, do you?

I mean, anybody can do research, you know, watch youtube videos and and stuff like that, but I guess, what do you think like talking to somebody personally that has it, that has gotten it done is the best option in trying to get a better understanding about it yeah, I mean, that is always a good thing to do, but you also got to understand that their journey is not going to be your journey as well, and I think a lot of people fail to understand.

That is like my journey and the things I've done are not going to be the same thing that you're going to go through and you're going to face Um, and then also just make sure your research was like there's different options now, like like I was saying earlier, like now there are weight loss, like drugs that you could inject once a week, but you know, with those, those are lifelong.

Like I said, I'm on my drug because I am a type 2 diabetic and, like during COVID, I gained a lot of weight because everybody was stuck inside and, like you know, I was going through a lot during that time. So, like I went from, I think I think in the course of 2020, right before I met Afro I went from 220 to around 260 when I met him and then I started taking like Ozepet, which is for diabetes and everything, and then I started taking like Ozepe, which is for diabetes and everything, and then I dropped to about one, back down to 220. And then that was like in June of 2022. Yeah, two. And then I started taking mondoro um, and then from there I've got 220 down to like I hover around like 160, 170, and yeah, that's where I am now.

Like wow, so yeah damn okay now I'm like the smallest I've ever been and, like I've always been, like heavy.

Yeah.

Like, since I was like a kid, like three, so like me, being this small is very weird for me. And then like, because I still, like, sometimes feel like I am 300 plus pounds and I am not 300 plus pounds anymore. So, like, you still have the like, the negative, like talks or whatever, from time to time. Um, it doesn't change overnight, it's gotta keep going to process it's. It's a lot of hard work.

Um, what's the? What's the when it came to the weight loss and stuff like that. What was the most exciting? Like you don't have to take the insulin anymore, but what else was like oh shit. Like you, oh shit.

A whole new world opens up to you and you're just like oh shit so yeah, so like there's a few things, but like the main thing for me, as, like a kid, I would go to like theme parks, so like disney world, um carowinds, um six flags, like sea world, all those places that like you go, you ride or whatever well, I had got to the point where I could not fit into the roller coasters anymore and like I love roller coasters, so like I can't. So like when I can get on a ride now and not have that hesitation in my mind of being like, am I going to be able to fit in this motherfucking seat? That was a big one for me. Another thing was flying. I think the first time I flew was 2019. It was a little bit heavier, but now I'm this small, I'm like, oh, I'm gonna airplane. See, it's not not a big deal, it's fine, um what about uh clothing?

has clothing has? Has it opened up like a whole new, just like spectrum of clothing for you?

yeah, well, yeah, like I can wear like brands, like I've always wanted to wear and that I could not wear like, but Victoria's Secret, I can wear that now I can go into like Hollister and American Eagle and like just, and I can go into like stores now and just buy clothes that fit and like I don't have to worry about them having my size because they're going to have my size. So that was a big thing for me, but like I I'm one of those people I do have like the loose skin or whatever and yada, yada, yada. So, like I I don't know if I'm going to get like ss skin removal surgery, but I may and like if I do, yeah, that's going to even open up more doors for me to be able to wear more stuff, but it's been nice nice, that's awesome.

That's fucking awesome, jesus, like I said, I know that there's probably a lot of people that are probably contemplating doing it and it's probably. I know tons of people watch my 600 pound life and all that stuff. Yeah, I'd one. Okay, one of the one of the funniest ones was it was, it was like it was his brother and sister and it was, and they were black and his brother and sister and the sister got up on the scale and the doctor said sit the way. And the brother said damn, and he was big himself, but it was because he said it the way he said it damn

yeah, he was like damn, it's like nigga, fuck. You like, you're about to get on this scale next, what are you talking about? That shit was hilarious, hilarious. Oh my gosh. Nah, that was funny. Um, but, like I said, I've seen people that have gotten it and they look like a totally different person after, after they get it done and after, like you know, a couple of months go by and you're just like, wow, that's, that's, that's great, it's a really I don't know. I were freaked the fuck out before I got it, because I like, if this was my first surgery, yeah, ever gotten the fuck out because I got it, because I like, if this was my first surgery that I've ever gotten, I would freak the fuck out because I've never gotten this surgery before.

So you notice how I felt. I was like freaking the fuck out, like that's my first major surgery ever in my life and like somebody tells you to count down from 10 and I'm like why?

and then you don't even get out. You're like, oh man, can you picture somebody waking up like that shit wasn't funny? Nigga, that shit wasn't funny. I know I had to be put to sleep, but I mean, damn, don't tell me like that would freak me out. Like somebody just telling me to count down from 10 and I'm just out, fuck, that that's it. I freaked me out. Um Jesus, damn, that's wild. That is wild yep, yep but that's like I said.

It's um, I'm happy that you feel better, I'm happy that you like the outcome from it and, hey, you don't gotta be on insulin, yep, so that's fucking amazing um yep so that's fucking amazing.

Jesus, that's fucking great. There was something else in my head that I think I just fucking lost it. Fuck, ah, fuck, for real I did. But yeah, you guys, like I said, this was something that came into my head. I want to say, yesterday I was, I was literally laying in the bed upstairs and, by the way, my room is not my room anymore.

There's a whole bunch of like, um, dream catchers in my room, a whole bunch of like girl power posters and stuff in my room. It's a twin size bed. Um, it's definitely a difference. When you go from that king size bed and you're like you have your laptop over there, that's, you're like, damn, that's far, that's so far. You're like, damn, that's far, that's so far. And then you're landing a twin. You're landing a twin and you're just like, damn, my ass is almost off this bed. If I roll over once, the bed is comfortable as hell, I'm not going to knock that. The bed is comfortable as hell. I roll over one time I'm falling and cracking my head on the side of this dresser or this nice stand, and that's not gonna be a good sight. Um, but uh, yeah, but you guys, uh, was anything? Is there anything else that you want to wanted to add to this? Like you, you know, if somebody's listening and they're just like, yeah, I might look more into this and see what it's about.

Do your research. That's what I would say Do your research.

And make sure your insurance covers it, make sure your job covers it. I don't know if stuff changes that much much, but we are in 2024.

2017 was seven years ago seven years ago.

So a lot of stuff has changed.

So I mean most insurance are still doing it. A lot of people are having that, like with the weight loss drugs. They're not covering those. But um, there's still a lot of interns that, don't it really just, but even now, like with my insurance, I have now like I I'll go usually look and see what it covers before, like I accepted, a lot of them still carry it.

So you're out there speaking of any sort of eye appointment, fuck um. Yeah, I need the yellow glasses, man. I need yellow tinted glasses at night. I can't do it. I can't do it. My eyes are oh my gosh. I don't drive at night. That's one of the reasons why I don't go anywhere at night, because it's just like.

I don't.

These cars, man, fuck these new cars. They are trying to kill people. They are trying to. I drive pickup. I drive a pickup truck, but these pickup trucks I swear on everything that I love are the brightest shits on the road. They're bright as I thought I turned that shit off. I thought I turned that shit off, but they are the brightest shit cars on the road. That and newer luxury cars are always fucking bright, always bright. Fuck, I was gonna see something else. Ah, fuck it. So do your research if this is something that you wanna, um, something that you do wanna go into. If you wanna go to Mexico route, eh, more power to you. If your insurance covers it, ask questions to your HR, you know, just to get more details about shit, um, but yeah, you're streaming tonight.

Mm 76. Um, I don't know what I'll be doing. Actually, I don't know until, like, I hit the we're here, the go live button. I really am serious are you?

um, there is something that you have been doing more. You have been doing the tiktok, the tiktok uh stream. Yeah, you've been doing tiktok streaming. Um, what's what's your uh? I saw that you had a goal. What's the goal that you're trying to get to? Was it 2,500?

Oh, yeah, 2,500 followers 2,500 followers.

Okay, awesome, awesome. I don't know what the fuck is going on with TikTok and these damn hashtags, but I swear to God we are not hitting what we were hitting before.

It's like that with TikTok.

Yo, we were like at least hitting like 700, almost shits we were posting up you haven't checked our latest youtube video.

I see like you have not looked at the view, huh no, I haven't.

I haven't. Um, lexi has definitely put in some work on the youtube videos. Uh, she, uh, and I might put them. Uh, I might ask you for those images so I can put them in a clip. But she sent me two images that she came up with and they look actually really dope. The first one, the first one, I was like can you make them a little bit bigger? You look kind of skinny with those short legs. I was like, can you make them a little bit bigger? But no, but the second one was dope. It was dope, very nice and colorful, very bright. It actually fit really really well. Honestly, you know what it looked like. It looked like an advert for BlurredCon.

Why do you say that?

No, it did it looked nice what? I don't really it did it looked nice what.

I don't, I don't really like support Blurcons and you say AMAZ is kind of like it looked nice, but it's our own that should look good, um, but you guys, thank you for listening to another episode. I hope this episode was informative for you. Um, let us know what. You guys, thank you for listening to another episode. I hope this episode was informative for you. Let us know what you guys want us to talk about. I know this is about anime, gaming and tech. I know our past episodes. We've kind of been talking a lot more about work.

I mean we work in tech, so it still counts.

It still counts, yeah, but yeah, let us know what you guys want to talk about and we will see you guys again later.

Bye.