Bontragers/Bowers/Helferichs 10: Where In the World Is Allison Bon-Diego??

[CaptainFunderpants]

Maybe a bit of unkindness coming and I understand that genetics also play a role, so the following unkind thoughts only apply if you also subscribe to the same abhorrent beliefs she does:

It appears Ma Bontrager didn't wear her sunbonnet nor sunscreen. She is not aging gracefully. Good bone structure, yes, but lordy those fine lines age her like 20 years. She's 10 years younger than my mom but looks 10 years older.

It seems like all of the people I know and have talked to that are aging well cite wearing hats and sunscreen as a major factor. Judging by my dad's side, not being a redhead also has a major impact, so...

We'll see what that means for me. I'm blonde and I've been good about wearing sunscreen and hats since I was a kid, but I know the redhead genes do feature prominently because I always need at least a double dose of novocaine/lidocaine/anesthesia/etc.

[JermajestyDuggar]

8 minutes ago, CaptainFunderpants said:

Maybe a bit of unkindness coming and I understand that genetics also play a role, so the following unkind thoughts only apply if you also subscribe to the same abhorrent beliefs she does:

It appears Ma Bontrager didn't wear her sunbonnet nor sunscreen. She is not aging gracefully. Good bone structure, yes, but lordy those fine lines age her like 20 years. She's 10 years younger than my mom but looks 10 years older.

It seems like all of the people I know and have talked to that are aging well cite wearing hats and sunscreen as a major factor. Judging by my dad's side, not being a redhead also has a major impact, so...

We'll see what that means for me. I'm blonde and I've been good about wearing sunscreen and hats since I was a kid, but I know the redhead genes do feature prominently because I always need at least a double dose of novocaine/lidocaine/anesthesia/etc.

I’m guessing she never grew up wearing sunscreen. I doubt the Amish wear much sunscreen even nowadays. They do wear hats. But it’s not full face coverage. I would guess Becky has had a lot of sun damage in her life. I’m trying to get into the habit of always putting on sunscreen on my face. Even if I don’t plan on going in the sun long. 

[CaptainFunderpants]

5 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I’m guessing she never grew up wearing sunscreen. I doubt the Amish wear much sunscreen even nowadays. They do wear hats. But it’s not full face coverage. I would guess Becky has had a lot of sun damage in her life. I’m trying to get into the habit of always putting on sunscreen on my face. Even if I don’t plan on going in the sun long. 

You know, I was googling that prior to posting and honestly I find it really weird that Amish and Mennonites don't seem to use sunscreen. They believe in being treated at hospitals, particularly Mennonites do, and so an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and all that.

I keep a travel tube of sunscreen in my purse and then a full sized tube in the car. That way I always have one handy. Red light sunscreen application is love, red light sunscreen application is life.

[JermajestyDuggar]

3 hours ago, CaptainFunderpants said:

You know, I was googling that prior to posting and honestly I find it really weird that Amish and Mennonites don't seem to use sunscreen. They believe in being treated at hospitals, particularly Mennonites do, and so an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure and all that.

I keep a travel tube of sunscreen in my purse and then a full sized tube in the car. That way I always have one handy. Red light sunscreen application is love, red light sunscreen application is life.

I would say the more modern the group, the more likely they are to use sunscreen these days. Each group is different and some are very modern. But back when Becky was growing up, I doubt any of them used it. 

[fundiefan]

I noticed her aging as well. She is just a few months younger than me and looks at least a decade older. Clearly, farm life has trumped sunscreen. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

If Becky doesn't bother with sunscreen, she may not care, because she gets tan. If she just burned, she would probably use sunscreen.

[JermajestyDuggar]

I was a teen in the 90s and tanning was big. Everyone wanted a tan all year round so tanning beds in the winter and laying out during the summer. I should be glad I wasn’t huge into tanning. My friends were much more into it. I’m also lucky that I don't burn easily. But I’m sure I’ve still had plenty of sun damage in my life. 

[CaptainFunderpants]

5 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I was a teen in the 90s and tanning was big. Everyone wanted a tan all year round so tanning beds in the winter and laying out during the summer. I should be glad I wasn’t huge into tanning. My friends were much more into it. I’m also lucky that I don't burn easily. But I’m sure I’ve still had plenty of sun damage in my life. 

I've been really curious about this and if skin cancer rates/deaths would skyrocket because of it. I guess there is decent awareness now about mole mapping at least and what a questionable mole looks like? I'm very curious about those statistics in 20-30 years.

[JermajestyDuggar]

4 hours ago, CaptainFunderpants said:

I've been really curious about this and if skin cancer rates/deaths would skyrocket because of it. I guess there is decent awareness now about mole mapping at least and what a questionable mole looks like? I'm very curious about those statistics in 20-30 years.

My husband has had many many things removed all over his body and face. He has a lot of scars. He was born in 73 and never wore sunscreen. But he is fair skinned. Of course the fair skinned are usually more at risk. The thing is, skin cancer is very treatable if it’s caught early. 

[fundiefan]

I've had melanoma. It was on my butt cheek, so it definitely came from tanning, not from sun bathing. I did both far too much in the 80's & 90;s. I am pale & burn so I was thrilled when tanning beds became popular and I could get an actual tan without burning. In the 80's I'd lie in the sun slathered in baby oil & of course burn to a crisp. But, we thought that was the price you paid for a tan. 

I quit tanning and almost all sun exposure in 2010 after the surgery to remove the melanoma. Fortunately, it was very shallow and surgery removed all traces & no further treatment was necessary. Since then, I've gone tanning only for one occasion - my nieces very dressy wedding. I wasn't comfortable with my white skin and used all the faulty reasoning in the book to justify tanning for a month before hand. I've never gone since & I rarely allow my skin to be exposed to the sun without sunscreen. Live & learn.

The irregular shape of moles is scary shit but pretty solid indicators. While I haven't had melanoma since, I've had Basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma as well as countless pre-cancerous moles removed. Because of my history I have body scans annually and the differences sometimes are astonishing - how fast it happens. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

12 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

I've had melanoma. It was on my butt cheek, so it definitely came from tanning, not from sun bathing. I did both far too much in the 80's & 90;s. I am pale & burn so I was thrilled when tanning beds became popular and I could get an actual tan without burning. In the 80's I'd lie in the sun slathered in baby oil & of course burn to a crisp. But, we thought that was the price you paid for a tan. 

I quit tanning and almost all sun exposure in 2010 after the surgery to remove the melanoma. Fortunately, it was very shallow and surgery removed all traces & no further treatment was necessary. Since then, I've gone tanning only for one occasion - my nieces very dressy wedding. I wasn't comfortable with my white skin and used all the faulty reasoning in the book to justify tanning for a month before hand. I've never gone since & I rarely allow my skin to be exposed to the sun without sunscreen. Live & learn.

The irregular shape of moles is scary shit but pretty solid indicators. While I haven't had melanoma since, I've had Basal cell carcinoma and Squamous cell carcinoma as well as countless pre-cancerous moles removed. Because of my history I have body scans annually and the differences sometimes are astonishing - how fast it happens. 

There’s always spray tan! You can ask not to go too dark so you don’t look orange or oddly colored. I’ve found the best spray tans are the lighter ones. They look the most natural.

[fundiefan]

5 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

There’s always spray tan! You can ask not to go too dark so you don’t look orange or oddly colored. I’ve found the best spray tans are the lighter ones. They look the most natural.

I've tried it twice, with two different results. 

I haven't bothered for quite a while though; I eventually managed to be comfortable in my own skin ,no matter what color it is or how transparent. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

31 minutes ago, fundiefan said:

I've tried it twice, with two different results. 

I haven't bothered for quite a while though; I eventually managed to be comfortable in my own skin ,no matter what color it is or how transparent. 

I like pale skin. Especially with red hair. It’s so pretty. It’s strange that pale skin can be “out of fashion.” It’s skin color! I’m a yellowish color. People probably do think I look better with a tan since I look less yellow and of a tan color. But meh. 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

There is a new blog post which is probably photos from Instagram. It's a kind of a 'Random Life' post.

[JermajestyDuggar]

It looked like the two oldest Caldwell boys went to the manly men camp. Of course so did the Bowers boys and the Bontrager boys. I think Praise’s youngest brother went too. 

[IsmeWeatherwax]

One of the loveliest, sweetest, kindest friends I've ever been privileged to know passed away last August from skin cancer. She was 47, and her kids were 15 and 12. Her name is Anna. Her death came 18 months after losing another school mum friend to breast cancer.

In the UK you are meant to be seen within 2 weeks if there is a concern of cancer. Our wonderful hospital gave her an appointment 5 months later, and then cancelled, then another appointment a month later, then cancelled that. At this point Anna did speak up and they gave her a video appointment. They could see they left it too late. They removed 27 lymph nodes from her neck and armpits. All cancerous. No chemo, no radia, no nothing. 8 weeks later she passed from pneumonia in a hospice, 2 days after being admitted. I and another friend luckily got to see her and tell her how much she was loved. 

Annas cancer started in a skin tag on her neck.

Anna being Anna, she hadn't told anyone about her concerns until after her op. I did tell her off! She didn't want to bother anyone. She wasn't the type to push herself forward and bother docs until they do their job, and I didn't know or I sure as shit would've done it for her

I am so angry that peoples lack of doing the job they are paid to do killed my friend. They didn't do what they were meant to do and she died a terrible death and her kids are motherless. How dare these people carry on like nothing happened. They should've been made to see her in the hospice gasping for every breath. SO. VERY. ANGRY. 

Im a pale ginger, I had a mole removed within 2 weeks back at the end of august, 3 weeks after Anna died. The doctor tried to fob me off with a 6 month referral to dermatology, I then pointed out I don't think so sunshine, you've just killed my friend, my appointment wait was 6 days.

Sorry for the word salad. Anyhoo get all moles checked.

 

[usedbicycle]

My 32 year-old cousin is battling stage 4 melanoma right now. His newlywed wife and him are (actual) rocket scientists with the brightest of futures and she took an unlimited leave to care for him. His survival odds at this point are 20%, at best. It seems so, so unfair. Melanoma is up there with breast cancer and testicular cancer as cancers that take people's lives way too early. Check your moles, ladies check your boobs, men check your balls. They are highly treatable if caught early.

[SassyPants]

As a person in my 60s, I have the usual health care issues of those who are aging. The 1 yearly check up that my primary care MD is most concerned about is my dermatology appointment. I am also quite fair skinned and have had 2 patches of basal cell carcinoma removed. One of these patches was quite large.

I echo the message: get your check ups.

[deborahlynn1979]

 Check out the Fathers Day post on Instagram. Among the most important things Marlin has taught his children is “the importance of gender distinction and holiness in dress and actions.”

 

Ah, yes. That old nugget of fatherly wisdom….

[Aithuia]

The Bontragers gave a concert at a church in Missouri earlier this month. Denver/Praise and Allison/Jeremiah went up on stage with them, and Marlin mentioned that "many of you probably know Jeremiah, living here." So Allison is living in Missouri, and (I thought) looks pregnant in the video - both of which were speculated earlier in this thread.

Marlin also mentioned their four other married children, and said that of the couples not present, two live in Alabama (Carson/Lina and Josh/Cass, presumably), one couple lives in Iowa (Mitchell/Bryn) and one in Missouri (Chelsy/John, who definitely attend church in MO, unless Marlin misspoke). 

Also, now they're up to ten grandchildren with four on the way. And good grief, I had to fast forward through a lot of Covid conspiracy nonsense and general all-purpose bigotry from Marlin to learn all of that.

[JermajestyDuggar]

10 minutes ago, Aithuia said:

The Bontragers gave a concert at a church in Missouri earlier this month. Denver/Praise and Allison/Jeremiah went up on stage with them, and Marlin mentioned that "many of you probably know Jeremiah, living here." So Allison is living in Missouri, and (I thought) looks pregnant in the video - both of which were speculated earlier in this thread.

Marlin also mentioned their four other married children, and said that of the couples not present, two live in Alabama (Carson/Lina and Josh/Cass, presumably), one couple lives in Iowa (Mitchell/Bryn) and one in Missouri (Chelsy/John, who definitely attend church in MO, unless Marlin misspoke). 

Also, now they're up to ten grandchildren with four on the way. And good grief, I had to fast forward through a lot of Covid conspiracy nonsense and general all-purpose bigotry from Marlin to learn all of that.

John and Chelsy live in Leavenworth, KS. But I think they did have an apartment in Missouri when the baby was in the NICU in Kansas City, Missouri. Although now Jesse is living in KC so Maybe John will want to move too. 

[WannabeHistorian]

2 hours ago, Aithuia said:

Also, now they're up to ten grandchildren with four on the way. And good grief, I had to fast forward through a lot of Covid conspiracy nonsense and general all-purpose bigotry from Marlin to learn all of that.

Did he ever specify who is expecting? The only one I know of is Bryn.

[Scrabblemaster]

I always wear my summer hat during the summer. And sunscreen. And I get a sunburn very easily. I often get teased for being so cautious but I now shrug it of. When I was younger I tried to get some tan from the sun, but honestly it never happened. I would get a sunburn and then I would turn back into my pale skin. I once burnt my shoulders so bad ( we were on holidays about 8 years ago, we were hiking, the weather was chill and windy,  I forgot the sunscreen at the hotel and I took the blouse of and hiked in the tank top, it was a big mistake) that I have permanent freckles on my shoulders. 

When my sister-in-law is in the sun, it is like two old friends greeting each other, she gets a nice summer tan very easily, no sunburn,  when I get in the sun it's like two enemies standing there with their weapons  prepared: my sunscreen-sword and hat-shield against that UV-bazooka. 

Edited June 25, 2022 by Scrabblemaster

[LurkerOverThePond]

I'm honestly surprised that Lina & Carson apparently moved to Alabama, Josh & Cass not in the least. Josh has been very publicly kissing Curtis Bowers' ass for a long time, but Carson seemed to have a lot going on for him in Iowa (mechanic's shop, farming, manure hauling). I would think that building your customer base in mechanic's business, for example, takes time and effort. Of course he can start anew in Alabama, but I'm still surprised.

[JermajestyDuggar]

21 minutes ago, LurkerOverThePond said:

I'm honestly surprised that Lina & Carson apparently moved to Alabama, Josh & Cass not in the least. Josh has been very publicly kissing Curtis Bowers' ass for a long time, but Carson seemed to have a lot going on for him in Iowa (mechanic's shop, farming, manure hauling). I would think that building your customer base in mechanic's business, for example, takes time and effort. Of course he can start anew in Alabama, but I'm still surprised.

The thing is, Lina and Carson have always been very quiet. They rarely posted on social media. It’s possible they are similar in beliefs to Josh and Cass. 
 

My guess if the 4 pregnancies: Lina, Cass. Bryn, and Allison.