• jack [he/him, comrade/them]
    ·
    edit-2
    2 months ago

    I'm on day 5 of a5 day visit to Montreal with wife and baby. Coming from Cleveland, which is above average urbanism by American standards, this city is incredible. And it's especially incredible for children. There are high quality public playgrounds absolutely EVERYWHERE. Our vacation has consisted entirely of: get coffee, go to playground, get on Metro, go to playground, get vegan lunch and more coffee, go to playground, get vegan dinner. All on foot surrounded by a seemingly endless stock of high quality, dense housing. Families are everywhere. My son, not even a year and a half, is thriving to an incredible degree. It makes me sad that I need to take him back someplace so much more hostile to children.

    Obviously this is still a capitalist city in the imperial core, so it has issues on that front. But I'm blown away. The overwhelming feeling is that it's unethical to raise a child anywhere but the best possible urban environment.

    • mathemachristian [he/him]
      ·
      2 months ago

      I am so so grateful to be living in a building cooperative. There are playgrounds everywhere, like every 200m there is another playground, and there are big parks with fruit trees. We just got home from picking apples, tasting different varities, it was a blast. The buy-in is pretty high, but my wifes on disability so the government paid for it, although there are options for low-income people.

  • mathemachristian [he/him]
    ·
    2 months ago

    First week in kindergarten is a success! The kid is having a blast, loves his caretaker (is that the word?) and was already without mom for 45 minutes. He has been starting to ask for socialisation so not a moment to soon.

    Dreading the upcoming season though. No mask policies anywhere, no one thinks about covid anymore than the flu. Ruined my last semester and I had problems for weeks after.

    • the_itsb [she/her, comrade/them]
      ·
      2 months ago

      we didn't even make it a month into the school year before ours brought covid home 😑 wishing you better luck!

      • mathemachristian [he/him]
        ·
        2 months ago

        Thanks, I don't understand why people don't mask immediately after they had their first run in with covid simply out of self interest but here we are.

  • goose [he/him]
    ·
    2 months ago

    We try to get the kids' friends from public school over every so often and let them play out in the yard. Our oldest daughter's friends came over last week on Friday, and the rain forced everyone inside. I asked how their days at school went, and one of them said that she didn't go to school because she felt sick that morning, but she's just fine.

    ...

    So my oldest daughter has COVID for the first time now, everyone is wearing masks around the house when we're together, and I get to have a fun talk with her friend's parents.

  • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
    hexagon
    M
    ·
    2 months ago

    So I've had a 101 to 103 fever all week. Ive been tested for flue, covid, negative. Ive had a cough that won't quit. Ive been to the walk in twice. First time is when they tested me for covid/flue. Negative for strep at the second one. Chest Xrays, blood work. I told them to test me for tick born illness. No tick parasites thankfully. Waiting on Lyme tests. I'm only suspect because I've been trail walking in the AM recently. I couldn't remember how to spell my last name at my first walk in appointment. It eventually came to me but it was really weird. I had been taking tylonal but they advised me to switch to Advil and that's actually been better. They have me on a 28 days of doxycycline (unless I test negative).

    Of its not Lyme they're going to want more tests. Good times.

    • Acute_Engles [he/him, any]
      ·
      2 months ago

      Honestly each negative test must simultaneously be a relief and a whole new set of stressors. So sorry to hear it man.

      We had the COVID recently and my little one is still pretty stuffed up making an already tough bedtime even worse but otherwise we're doing well so i hope for a full recovery for you too

      • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
        hexagon
        M
        ·
        2 months ago

        Yeah it's very frustrating. I both hope its lyme and dread it being lyme. Lyme can fuck you up permanently. If its not Lyme though, then what the fuck do I have going on!?

        I also suspect I might have adult onset asthma. Which apparently my grandmother had happen to her. So something else yo worry about.

        • the_itsb [she/her, comrade/them]
          ·
          2 months ago

          I'm surprised they still suspect Lyme, given your respiratory symptoms, and even more surprised they're giving you 28 days of antibiotics for it but also expect a blood test to be conclusive. Lyme doesn't cause respiratory or GI symptoms, the standard treatment is 7-10 days of antibiotics, and serology will only be positive for a few days several weeks into an infection, which is a relatively small window you need to be lucky to catch.

          • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
            hexagon
            M
            ·
            2 months ago

            The RN I talked to made it sound like 28 days will clear Lyme and I've been told its common to start the treatment before test results. Regardless though I think he believes I might have something bacterial going on. He told me "if it's not Lyme you're going to need a battery of tests". But they're not just testing for Lyme, just anything a tick could give me.

            I took 600mg of Advil this morning and felt better again. About 7 hours later my fever came back while visiting my parents. Took some more, and on the way home I had this really weird mussel ache that I felt in my arms and legs. Started sweating again and about 10 min later felt totally fine.

            Whatever I have, it fucking sucks.

            • the_itsb [she/her, comrade/them]
              ·
              edit-2
              2 months ago

              Yeah they'll just throw antibiotics if they suspect Lyme because it's pretty safe and very effective. I was just surprised by the length of the course they have you on, that's a long time to be on an antibiotic.

              I looked at the other "popular" tick-borne illnesses and wonder if babesiosis is what you've got. It looks like that one responds better to different antibiotics, so if the doxy doesn't fix you right up, it could be worth mentioning.

              My head is full of tick thoughts because I listened back to this tick-borne illness episode of science podcast Ologies after pulling the tick off me a couple weeks ago. 🤦 Obviously I needed a reminder, and considering the marvelous tick paradise I live in, I probably should just relisten every 6 months and wear DEET like cologne every day.

              Edit: also, apologies if my original comment came across like I was invalidating your experience. I got covid right after Lyme and the brain fog is making my usual autistic communication difficulties so much harder, and I have been told my whole life that I come across as condescending or know-it-all, when I'm desperately trying to just be helpful and share things I've learned.

              I had Lyme recently, my husband got absolutely rekt by it last year, and I strongly encourage anyone who suspects they have it to please talk to a medical professional asap. If you live anywhere that ticks live, please listen to that podcast I linked. It's charming and entertaining as well as incredibly informative.

              I was just surprised by the length of your antibiotic course and that they expected a blood test to be conclusive and worried that whatever you have will get worse while they're mucking about with suspicions of Lyme.

              Sorry if it sounded like I was trying to tell you what's what. I try to be really precise with what I say and often forget that NTs get subtle attitudinal clues from word choices that I just don't pick up on.

              • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
                hexagon
                M
                ·
                2 months ago

                It's all good. I didn't detect any ill will from your comment. They have my blood being run through a tick panel, but they couldn't do it on site so I'm just waiting for results. We have a guy in another department at work who had Lyme several years ago and it sounded no fun. I really am dreading getting brain fog. I already can't remember shit thanks to my ADHD, I don't need brain fog in my life. My luck though, they won't find any tick illness and then I'm back to square 1.

                Another night waking up with a fever last night.

    • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
      hexagon
      M
      ·
      2 months ago

      @Acute_Engles@hexbear.net, @the_itsb@hexbear.net, @goose@hexbear.net, @LaGG_3@hexbear.net

      Well, I got all my test results back. So to recap, it's not the Flu, Covid, Strep, and now, It's not any of the 5 Tick Borne diseases they tested me for, and it's not Lyme. Now, the Lyme test could have been too early, but who can say. This doxycycline they have me on seems to be helping. I've been feeling decreasingly fatigued as the days go on, but I still have some moments where it comes back. Yesterday afternoon, I needed to take a big Advil to tamp down another fever... I'm starting to wonder if I injured my hernia repair, but I don't really have a lot of pain in that area. Anyway, follow up on Monday with the GP I'm not a fan of, so lets see what happens next.

      • Acute_Engles [he/him, any]
        ·
        2 months ago

        Shit, dude, I'm really sorry to hear that you're going through that. Once again it's pretty cold comfort to hear it's not a bunch more stuff.

        Sending vibes is all i can do but they're on their way

        • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
          hexagon
          M
          ·
          2 months ago

          I appreciate it. It's very strange. The only other thing I can think of is that when moving that damn rider lawnmower, I might have injured my hernia mesh repair in some way, and my body is freaking out internally. I would have assumed, though, that would come with abdomen pain, and I don't really have any.

          • Acute_Engles [he/him, any]
            ·
            2 months ago

            I know someone who fell off their longboard as a young adult and shattered their hip. They were able to walk to the hospital and felt no pain. Sometimes you don't realize how your body reacts to shit.

      • LaGG_3 [he/him, comrade/them]
        ·
        2 months ago

        Damn, that sounds beyond frustrating. Hope blasting you with drugs manages to at least sort it out.

      • the_itsb [she/her, comrade/them]
        ·
        2 months ago

        how're you feeling? hoping the doxycycline helped and it definitely wasn't your hernia repair, that sounds scary.

        • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
          hexagon
          M
          ·
          2 months ago

          I'm feeling better but I am having some abdomen discomfort. It's mild though, and I really only notice it at the end of the day. Like I've been doing crunches. But my legs feel like that too. Hard to know if its because of my inactivity catching up with me or something else.

          Thanks for checking in on me!

    • goose [he/him]
      ·
      2 months ago

      That sounds miserable. Good job dragging yourself to the clinic (twice!) to get some answers

      • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
        hexagon
        M
        ·
        2 months ago

        Our walk-in is awesome. Its probably because its run by the local university. They take you seriously, talk to you like an adult, and want to solve your problem so you don't come back. I'm working on getting in to the uni general practice as my primary care. My GP is a fucking weirdo and talks to me like I'm a child. Every time I see him I'm reminded of why I don't want to see him.

        • LaGG_3 [he/him, comrade/them]
          ·
          2 months ago

          My GP is a fucking weirdo and talks to me like I'm a child. Every time I see him I'm reminded of why I don't want to see him.

          That shit is the worst. And you have to pay for the privilege of having all these unproductive appointments.

          • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
            hexagon
            M
            ·
            2 months ago

            The worst is I saw a review someone left of him a while back that said "Do not go to this man, my wife went several times complaining of X, and he told her it was probably nothing. Well, we didn't like that answer and got a second opinion, it turned out to be cancer." When I had an obvious hernia, he took a look at it and said "Yeah, looks like you have a little hernia there. You could most likely just live with it, or if you really want, I could give you a referral. Up to you." and I looked at him and said "Well, you're the doctor, does it seem like something that needs to get repaired?" and he dodged the question, so I said to give me a referral. The Hernia specialist took one look at it and said, "Oh... yeah we really need to get that taken care of, that's not looking great."

            I cannot wait to get away from this asshole, and men physicians in general, talking to me about my body. This is coming from another man too. Shit, statistically you have better health outcomes if you see a woman as your GP, according to some studies.

            • LaGG_3 [he/him, comrade/them]
              ·
              2 months ago

              I cannot wait to get away from this asshole, and men physicians in general, talking to me about my body. This is coming from another man too. Shit, statistically you have better health outcomes if you see a woman as your GP, according to some studies.

              Toxic masculinity really do be like that lol

              Good luck finding a decent (and affordable, have to add that in there joker-amerikkklap) doctor and get well soon

              • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
                hexagon
                M
                ·
                2 months ago

                Thanks comrade. I have one lined up, but the intake appointment isn't until October. I've been on the books for like 4 months.

  • roux [he/him, they/them]
    ·
    2 months ago

    Our scouts camping trip is official now. Got a camp spot secured after having issues, and even bought a tent. Gonna get vegan snacks for the weekend so I have something to eat and get to have the inevitable "why aren't you eating the tacos" conversation. I'm really hoping my kid enjoys himself though. I'm still unsure if he's even enjoying it so far. I don't care for the pledge and prayer shit but I think there is still some potential learning to be had.

    I'm practically in waiting mode over this too because it's completely out of my element. I haven't been camping since I was probably 8 years old and I don't do well around people. If he ends up liking it, maybe it's a thing we can do together though.

    • Acute_Engles [he/him, any]
      ·
      edit-2
      2 months ago

      Wait there's prayer in scouts? I presume that's something the Canadian version took out because e still did the whole saluting and pledging to be our best and shit

      I'm also committing to doing literally anything my kid likes and forcing myself to be into it

      • roux [he/him, they/them]
        ·
        2 months ago

        We live right smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt in the States so that might have some weight on it. I suspect Canada is a bit more relaxed on it's Christo-fascist overreach.

        • Acute_Engles [he/him, any]
          ·
          2 months ago

          Yeah that tracks. Still very fascist in hindsight but less Christ in general around here

  • LaGG_3 [he/him, comrade/them]
    ·
    2 months ago

    Recently switched the kiddo over to an electric toothbrush, and wow does it make the morning and bedtime routines quite a bit easier!

    • RedWizard [he/him, comrade/them]
      hexagon
      M
      ·
      2 months ago

      Our oldest got one from Grandma, and she loves it. I think It's because I use one, and also because it has Elsa on it and Olaf toothpaste. She's been improving at loading the tooth brush and brushing all her teeth all by herself. It's great to see.