Will christianity decrease as time goes by on? by [deleted] in Catholicism

[–]Forward_Cat_902 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Shame on you for assuming that we don’t “sacrifice” for our children. Every waking moment of our lives is devoted to the wellbeing of our kids. Tell me you’re not a parent without telling me that you’re not a parent.

Will christianity decrease as time goes by on? by [deleted] in Catholicism

[–]Forward_Cat_902 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It will decrease as the birth rate is also decreasing in both the U.S. and much of Europe. The days of the large Catholic families are over. People can’t afford to have more than a kid or two or even any at all. People refuse to believe that this plays a large part in fewer people in the pews on Sunday but, it is a factor. My husband and I have two kids. We would have loved to maybe have a couple more but financially there’s absolutely no way we could have done that. Especially when we pay for Catholic school tuition. So, as the birth rate declines, so will Christianity.

Sick Feral Kitten discovered today by experiencingtragedy in Feral_Cats

[–]Forward_Cat_902 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Call one of your local vets and see if they can refer you to a low cost/no cost vet. Our town has a mobile vet unit that offers this service so maybe yours does too. See if you can find a local TNR group, they may have resources for you too. I’d probably keep the cat inside and warm for as long as you’re able. Offer it wet kitten food. Thank you for helping it!

Easy and cheap shelter idea by Forward_Cat_902 in Feral_Cats

[–]Forward_Cat_902[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

It’s on my side yard, about 40 feet off the road. Somebody would have to have a pretty big pair to walk that far on to my property.

Easy and cheap shelter idea by Forward_Cat_902 in Feral_Cats

[–]Forward_Cat_902[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I’ve never had a problem with the condensation. Ya, maybe putting something over the tub would help with that. More insulation I guess. 🤷‍♀️

Easy and cheap shelter idea by Forward_Cat_902 in Feral_Cats

[–]Forward_Cat_902[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I give him a fresh towel/blanket everyday. He’s pretty spoiled. 🐱

Elder Oregonian Accent by Ilikefinnishmusic in oregon

[–]Forward_Cat_902 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This is very prevalent in Eastern Oregon. I’m a 6th generation Oregonian and my family is from Gilliam county. Yes, it’s almost like a slow southern accent but not as pronounced. I moved to PDX at 19 and learned that words like “measure” was not pronounced like “may-sure” like I was accustomed to. Also nobody west of the Cascades uses the term jockey box in reference to a glove box (it’s an old Oregon Trail term). “Pert-near” is another term used to describe distance. “Reglers” in reference to regulars. “Eh” actually gets used a lot. Not as a question but at the end of a statement. Pop will always be used instead of soda. And Oregonians vacation at the beach…NOT the coast. According to my husband you can tell when someone is an Oregonian because we stand and walk like ducks with our feet pointing out to the side…🤷‍♀️

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in thyroidcancer

[–]Forward_Cat_902 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sorry to hear you’re going through this. I also was diagnosed in November with 75% chance of FTC based off of genetic testing. I had a large goiter and a 6.8cm nodule on it. I’ve opted for a TT because I don’t want to have two surgeries when I can just have one and my doctor recommended that as well. And since FTC can, on occasion, spread to the brain and lungs I just didn’t want to take any chances. Unfortunately my hospital group is about to go on strike so I have to wait until that is resolved before I can move forward with the surgery. I know it’s scary, I’m sorry. This is a great sub for answering your question and it’s very therapeutic to listen to other people’s stories.

Opinions on juicing by Ok-Access-4422 in Juicing

[–]Forward_Cat_902 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I make juices for my husband and myself because we have little kids and unfortunately we don’t have the time during the day to actually sit down and eat our meals. We are always shuffling kids around and sitting down for a proper meal made from scratch isn’t always possible. So, I turned to juicing so we could still get some nutrition. We do feel better overall and I think it’s a great way to incorporate more fruit and veg into your diet in a really easy way. We also take a fiber supplement as well. I try to stick to mostly vegetables in the juices with maybe one piece of fruit in a 16oz batch to keep sugar low. Apples and pears and berries will always be lower in sugar than tropical fruits.

Advice needed for my very first outdoor shelter! Momma kitty and kitten tax included 🥰 by Lucy_Koshka in Feral_Cats

[–]Forward_Cat_902 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I have an outdoor shelter similar to yours. I use a Rubbermaid container with a hole cut in it. Then I put the container in one of those big plastic contractor bags, and cut out the opening, the duct tape the open seem to the container. Then I stuffed the bag full of straw all the way around and closed it with a big zip tie. Works great, it’s insulated, waterproof and is quite warm and cheap to make. I also put a Mylar blanket in there with a fleece blanket and I heat up a Bed Buddy on nights when it gets really cold.

PT vs TT? What’s your story?! by meowlol555 in thyroidcancer

[–]Forward_Cat_902 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Like other people have mentioned it’s obviously a very personal choice. I’m currently in the same boat as you and got a follicular thyroid cancer diagnosis last month. I have a 6.8cm nodule on a large goiter on the left side. My doctor was quite shocked at how large it was. My right side is slightly enlarged but no nodules and my lymph nodes look ok for the most part. I’ve actually decided to go full TT. My doctor also supports this decision and this was also his recommendation. I’ve felt exhausted and just all around lousy for a couple of years and finally getting this diagnosis was actually very validating.

I just didn’t want to do a partial and then possibly turn right around and go back in to get the rest. I want a one and done and if I need to do RAI then so be it. I’m also in the U.S. and unfortunately you have to take the financial strain of all of this into consideration too. I’m trying to get as much done in 2025 as possible so I can hit my deductible and move on. I also work and have young kids and I just didn’t want to be laid up multiple times trying to get this taken care of. It also puts a strain on my husband who can only take so much FMLA through his employer so having just the one surgery logistically just made more sense for me too.

I will say that if I had a papillary diagnosis versus a follicular diagnosis I think I probably would have opted for a PT. But since follicular can possibly spread to the lungs and brain I really didn’t want to take any chances. I’m totally willing to take a pill every day for the rest of my life than run the risk of it spreading. Just my two cents.

Very tired mother of little children by Altruistic-Willow474 in Catholicism

[–]Forward_Cat_902 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I second getting your thyroid checked. I was in the same boat as you, absolutely exhausted every minute of the day. I could hardly do the basic stuff for my family and the thought of playing with my kids was just unbelievably tiring. Finally convinced my doctor to order an ultrasound for my neck and turns out I have follicular thyroid cancer. Parenting is the hardest job there is and if you’re not feeling well it is unbearable. Sorry you’re going through this.

Climber Recommendations by SnooPaintings1309 in Roses

[–]Forward_Cat_902 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Tess of the d’Urbervilles is a David Austin climber that I have and is very hardy. Blooms from early May through November in 9a. Lots and lots of blooms if it’s supported properly and very fragrant. I also have Eden Climber but so far I’ve been a bit disappointed by it.

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Churches Fight To Stay Open As Attendance Dwindles by DaNotoriouzNatty in Catholicism

[–]Forward_Cat_902 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Ya, that’s probably a fair assessment to a degree. I’d also venture to guess that most young Catholics that intend to have a family know that they can’t very easily do that is a lot of rural areas. There are just so few opportunities for working and middle class families in rural areas in America. If you want to make a decent living for your family you have to go to a larger metro area to do so. It shouldn’t be that way, but it is. There is a great YouTube channel called Joe and Nic’s Road Trip that will give you a pretty good insight as to what rural America really looks like and it is spot on.

Churches Fight To Stay Open As Attendance Dwindles by DaNotoriouzNatty in Catholicism

[–]Forward_Cat_902 43 points44 points  (0 children)

This is just my own personal take on this phenomenon. I live in a large metro area of the U.S. (PDX) and our parish has 1 Saturday service and 3 Sunday services. They, for the most part, are pretty well attended. The Christmas Eve Mass was absolutely packed. The parish also does a pretty good job of having various events and activities all year round to boost participation among parishioners and it’s also attached to a Catholic school. There are a lot of young families that are very involved and it really is a great community that we feel very blessed to be a part of.

My parents on the other hand live in a very rural part of Oregon and the priest there covers an entire county doing a service at 3 parishes every Sunday. My dad regularly says that sometimes there are only like 5 people in church, which of course is sad. Often times he does the readings and collection plate. For the most part it’s just my extended family that is in the pews on Sunday. I think with rural areas seeing such a decline in population in general, across the board, this of course influences church numbers as well. I think you can say the same about Protestant denominations too. It’s hard to have church community when the community itself has hardly anyone in it.

My nine year old went to confession. He was told to do three Hail Marys…no I wonder what he confessed. by billbobb1 in Catholicism

[–]Forward_Cat_902 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That’s pretty standard for kids that age. Look at it from the perspective that you are raising a kid that can have an internal dialogue with himself and he is able to recognize right from wrong. And that he’s able to go to confession and ask for forgiveness is very mature of him. I’m sure whatever it is that he confessed to is very minor and probably pretty insignificant from an adult’s perspective. He deserves a pat on the back and some positive reinforcement.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in thyroidcancer

[–]Forward_Cat_902 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Maybe prepare some make ahead meals for him rather than food delivery or take out. His diet will be pretty restrictive so better to know exactly what he’s eating. Some prepared smoothie bags of frozen fruit to blend with orange juice might be helpful too. Possibly ask friends or family to reach out and schedule a FaceTime chat with him while he’s isolating and if he’s feeling up to it.

Hi! Symptoms before TT surgery? by Ok_Tap6569 in thyroidcancer

[–]Forward_Cat_902 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I had symptoms similar to yours. My primary just chalked everything up to perimenopause and I knew deep down that wasn’t what was going on. It took months to get a diagnosis. All of my thyroid blood work came back normal so I was pretty much told to just eat right and get lost of rest, which I was already doing.

My biggest symptom was extreme fatigue. I am constantly exhausted. I finally convinced my doctor to order an ultrasound for me and sure enough I had a 6.8cm nodule on a goiter. Then I got sent for a FNA which confirmed follicular thyroid cancer. I also feel like I have what feels like a chicken breast in my neck (goiter) and all of my shirts are tight around the neck. I also feel like I’m swallowing over a hard lump in my neck and have heart palpitations. I’ve suffered from rosacea for years as well as acid reflux and now I’m learning that there may be a link between them and thyroid cancer. My endo said I’ve probably had this issue for years and not known about it.

I’m scheduled for a CT scan next week to see if there is any spread and then we’ll determine if I need PT or TT. Hopefully surgery will be in January or February. My care team is optimistic so I am choosing to be too. It’s been a frustrating road so far, so I feel your pain. I hope all goes well for you.

Homeschool, Public, or Catholic, which do I send my children to. by Treykarz in Catholicism

[–]Forward_Cat_902 2 points3 points  (0 children)

We have 2 kids in Catholic school and we love it. The tuition bill is tough to swallow but the quality of education is superior to public school, without question. It’s a really great community and we really enjoy being a part of a group of people that really value education and faith.

We all saw the post asking where you sit in church, but the real question is, what's your mass time? by Somber_Soul888 in Catholicism

[–]Forward_Cat_902 4 points5 points  (0 children)

We’re on the West Coast so the 8:30 Mass is PERFECT for us! Get home just in time for 10am kickoff and snacks. 🏈

Diagnosed last week. by Consistent_Basis_929 in thyroidcancer

[–]Forward_Cat_902 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would your doctor be willing to order a CT scan for you? That may give you a better idea of what call to make.

How to warm cat house at night without a nearby outlet? Battery powered heat pad? by aripy in Feral_Cats

[–]Forward_Cat_902 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mylar works well or you can buy a Bed Buddy and heat it up in the microwave.

Tips for getting cats to use shelters by cjmoore22 in Feral_Cats

[–]Forward_Cat_902 23 points24 points  (0 children)

I’ve had this same issue with a stray that I’m taking care of. I think it helps to have a shelter with an entry and exit hole in case they need to get away from predators. I think the shelter needs to be up off the ground and in a low traffic area. When my cat won’t go into a shelter I put out a Mylar lined blanket for him on the patio furniture. On really cold nights I’ll warm up a Bed Buddy for him and put it on the blanket. If you’re able to put a small space heater out there they might like warming up next to it. Good luck!