I guess my lessons are to be more careful with custodial and hot wallets, to read more carefully about "free" services and that Lightning is unfortunately more a like expecting-to-lose-play-money if you are not a professional node runner. I ve been rightly punished for my ignorance and stupidity. 😅😅
Discussion
Maybe Lightning is an expecting-to-lose-play-money for you now, but there is a halfway-house before you need to start running a node; if you decide to take the next step, explore the non-custodial lightning wallets like the ones I mentioned before I think.
I just don't want you or anyone to walk away with the wrong idea about Lightning or wallet providers, cistodial or non-custodial. Custodial wallets have their place, but they are a risk.
I will also admit that I was being unfair about all all custodial wallets being as unreliable as one another, the legend demo server of LN Bits was more dangerous as they had warnings up, whereas a wallet that is well known and is running as a business is bound to be a little more reliable. But I stand by what I said also: do not keep more funds than you can afford to lose in an instant in a custodial wallet.