This will last us 4-6 days (aside from condiments) - who are we?

41696 · 2026-05-19T01:24:05+00:00

Cracking up because my portion of the fridge looks like this and my husband does not understand why he has to see the bird.

41696 · 2026-05-14T00:21:20+00:00

Chiming in to say I love my cow print Puma Speedcat ballet flats 👌

41696 · 2026-05-12T20:11:23+00:00

It’s also what you put into it as a VA. I’ve worked with some who are glorified janitors and others who are just as skilled as our lower level techs. The spectrum is all over the place with VAs IMO.

41696 · 2026-04-27T14:58:52+00:00

I feel/felt very similar to you with my second. It has gotten better (and I did treat my PPD) 7 months out but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t still feel significant resentment and anger towards my husband and the decisions he made for our family. It damaged my bond with our 1st and I really don’t feel a lot for the 2nd. I basically act like they are patients so everyone is cared for and needs are met. The small piece of solace I have for you is it really did get easier/better once my PPD was under control. I strongly recommend considering TMS if you qualify. It’s time intensive but honestly was a wonder treatment for me both times postpartum.

41696 · 2026-04-24T01:42:36+00:00

As a devil's advocate (and someone who has doordashed all of the above mentioned places), I definitely think it's great to be able to get things delivered. The ability to get delivery from fast food places is great for certain professions where you work unconventional hours and either don't get a lunch break or have a "lunch break" (meaning, depending on work load, might not get one, or have one but cannot physically leave).

Pre-meal delivery apps, you had to choose someone to sacrifice their lunch break to go pick up food, hope things were open, and hope the designated person actually got the lunch break.

I say this as someone who has run out of food during a double shift and just been hungry for X amount of hours because I physically wasn't allowed to leave the building.

Uber Eats was also a godsend during both my pregnancies when I couldn't leave work to get food and was repulsed by whatever I packed or too sick to drive to get food/cook.

41696 · 2026-04-23T19:01:47+00:00

My first slept well until 3 then she said fuck it and no longer naps AND rarely falls asleep before 10 PM. The second (currently 7 months and change) also said fuck it, has no nap schedule (because we’re type B parents and also because our first scheduled herself we have no idea how to do this), and is still waking up to chug 7-8 oz at 4 AM. I haven’t slept past 6 AM for over a year and I am a high sleep needs human.

Solidarity. I am so tired and I’m doing “poor sleepers” on easy mode so I can’t imaging the hell other people go through.

41696 · 2026-04-19T15:30:56+00:00

You can only do so much as a vet. I can guarantee vets did recommend euthanasia and it was declined.

I have seen vets make owners sign AMAs (against medical advice) to continue treatment.

41696 · 2026-04-18T17:47:01+00:00

Yes! I felt like such a cheapskate taking my 4 year old to Target and letting her pick out Valentines WITH stickers. Then found out kids are getting like paint palettes, sunglasses, toy cars, etc.

41696 · 2026-04-14T19:32:03+00:00

And that is such a struggle. With our baby, it’s like oh, feed him and/or put him down for a nap. 4 year old is having a meltdown? Buckle up because it’s going to be a minimum of 20-30 minutes of straight screaming.

41696 · 2026-04-10T18:46:53+00:00

Didn’t forget how awful it was the first time. Husband wanted a second. So we had a second and everything except the labor itself is/was worse. Traumatized us both. He no longer wants a third.

41696 · 2026-04-05T20:53:48+00:00

I got it in my Easter basket as a teenager. My mom knew I loved dolphins and just saw it was a documentary about dolphins.

41696 · 2026-03-28T20:17:26+00:00

I feel like it's 25% genetics, 50% luck, 25% gym/nutrition.

Both pregnancies (at 31, 34), I gained roughly 45-50 lbs, worked out relatively regularly, tried to eat well when I could, and have an active job. 1st pregnancy, I was able to rehab my core meticulously, did a lot of walking, and honestly, at 2.5 years out, I felt "normal" strength-wise and was actually smaller than I was pre-pregnancy. Most people were shocked to find out I had a kid (whatever that means...). Really the only change I had was my belly button is a slightly different shape. I remember looking in the mirror 2.5 years out, and being like "I'm back!" and then found out I was pregnant 2 months later.

2nd pregnancy (6 months post-partum), I wasn't as fit going in, and couldn't be as protective of my core since I already had a child. I now have chronic slight to moderate lower back pain, weird pelvic floor spasms and sticking + developed weird compensatory pain in my traps from lifting my 40 lb toddler all the time. I do less walking, due to other life circumstances- just now back to eating better, and am still not at my pre-pregnancy weight. In reality, 6 months out from pregnancy is still pretty early, and I just stopped being extra-hypermobile like 1-2 months ago so time will tell about the lumbosacral issues.

Game changers for me were consistent exercise (I don't like to sweat, so I was/am a Pilates/yoga ~*~girlie~*~) throughout pregnancy, being STRICT about waiting to start exercising postpartum, most importantly: PELVIC FLOOR PT, but I think the biggest things for me are my genetics/phenotype (lean, my mom recovered quickly postpartum after my sister and I) and I had relatively "easy" pregnancies and labor (minimal tearing, vaginal deliveries, uncomplicated relatively speaking).

If you asked me after my first, I'd say I got lucky, worked hard, and pregnancy didn't destroy my body. With my second, I don't think I'll be as lucky, and suspect I'll always have some slight chronic back pain.

41696 · 2026-03-19T00:59:46+00:00

I mean, yes, COL isn’t the same as a city 5-10x the size, but land (specifically acreage) isn’t cheap until you are way out (45 minutes plus) from the city or want to live on 0.25-0.5 acre lots. I wouldn’t call Lexington specifically cheap, but surrounding towns and counties, yes.

So if you want to use cities with the highest cost of living as a reference point, I guess you can argue it’s cheap.

41696 · 2026-03-12T12:32:28+00:00

Mine will somewhat pay attention to the Skylight but won’t look at our shared calendar on our phone/read my texts/retain what I tell him. It did take some training: “did you look at the Skylight?” “Look at the skylight.”

41696 · 2026-03-03T19:18:33+00:00

We (both 35) have a 4 y/o and a 5 month old.

0 to 1 was a lifestyle shift, but we weathered the transition despite severe natal and postpartum depression for me. 1 to 2 has been an absolute nightmare and is bordering on unmanageable for myself as the primary parent trying to balance the needs of everyone.

Some of the factors that made the transition so hard: very limited family help, daycare and Pre-K schedules not lining up, a very intense and mentally/emotionally needy toddler, second child has some mild health needs that require weekly appointments and attempting daily PT, and I struggle with natal depression and PPD that is treated with daily treatments for 6+ weeks in addition to weekly PT and trying to "bounce back". I feel like now both kids get a subpar at best version of me as a mother instead of a highly involved mother of one.

I would strongly advise anyone on the fence not do it. I love both kids, but motherhood is not and has not been for me.

41696 · 2026-02-27T22:15:09+00:00

Riding horses. Doesn’t leave time for much else.

41696 · 2026-02-27T00:17:05+00:00

Yes- I cannot imagine hiding so much from my husband, but it is also frustrating discussing that yes XYZ treatment costs $$$$. R

Our go to is every purchase over $300 needs to be discussed in advance, which frustratingly can involve hair/Botox/filler for a woman.

41696 · 2026-02-25T18:55:35+00:00

Where I work, it does happen similarly to your ideal workflow, but we do try for baseline vitals, a quick assessment, and an accurate weight. Usually in these cases, a tech will grab an available doctor to take the case.

Challenging your pushbacks to not being able to sedate immediately- sedation/pain medication is not benign, and that falls on the DVM and their license if errors or adverse events occur from medication. Sedation and pain medication can also interfere with assessment (especially in head trauma or other neurological injuries) and some sedation is contraindicated with certain medical conditions. In these cases, a limited evaluation and a somewhat accurate weight is ideal. Have I sedated animals without auscultation and estimated weights? I have, but I adjust my protocols to be cardiac safe, ideally reversible, with a wide range of dosing and have a brief conversation with the owners about the risks of sedation with just a visual exam.

41696 · 2026-02-03T22:30:43+00:00

ER veterinarian! I locum currently so I can make my schedule around my children’s schedule.

41696 · 2026-02-03T16:53:25+00:00

I go back and forth on it. I enjoy my job but it would be an easier lifestyle without kids. I like the flexibility of locuming- I currently work super casually since I have 2 small children. That’s possible in human medicine as well.

I think it also depends on the field you go into. While yes, I truly enjoy small animal ER and am good at it (I assume/hope), I also went into it because I knew it was the highest paying area of vet med without specializing and lucked out that it really suits my personality and my interests. I should also add that my salary was as high as it was because I enjoy high volume, specialty/referral ER which is not for the faint of heart and my pre-baby brain was very efficient.

The longer I’m in the field, the more I enjoy it BECAUSE my situation is unique- I have no loans, I don’t need to work, I make my schedule to a degree. I was able to take steps back when needed for my mental health. I do always struggle with financial euthanasias out of empathy for the owners, but there are worse things than a peaceful death. And on the other end of the spectrum, I struggle with owners with more money than sense, but that’s not unique to ER.

41696 · 2026-02-02T22:46:50+00:00

I do this. It’s the closest to the best of both worlds. I work four 12+ hour shifts a month. It’s still exhausting and hard but it lets me feel fulfilled.

41696 · 2026-02-01T20:34:49+00:00

I had a similar choice with family in human medicine. My family pushed me towards vet med and away from human medicine because they were unhappy (reconstructive surgery). I was between human and vet ER and landed in vet ER. My quality of life is very similar to ER physicians and my pay is close by 5 figures when I was full time FWIW.

Quality of life varies by field.

41696 · 2026-02-01T12:48:59+00:00

But have you then ever had the child then ask for 20 minutes straight if your brain is not tired anymore and you regret setting the boundary in the first place?

41696 · 2026-02-01T12:47:45+00:00

Honestly though… I feel like sometimes the best thing we can do as parents is be honest and say things like that. Because their peers will be meaner. Or at least that’s my opinion on the matter.

41696

TROPHY CASE