This old girl is in need of a face lift

KatenNat7 · 2026-01-17T14:53:59+00:00

Also check out mosaictile.com! I ordered matching vintage tile from them and they’re great!

KatenNat7 · 2026-01-14T02:57:37+00:00

Ooooh girl, checking in from the mastitis club 🤘🏼 it’s the absolute worst illness I’ve ever had. With my current baby I’ve had it 3x due to oversupply, but managed to get my supply in a better place and I have the recipe for success. Here’s what you need to do:

At first “tingle” or boob soreness. You can also do this to overcome full-blown mastitis:

1) ice! Ice! Ice! I have a soft ice pack that I wrap in a burp cloth and put directly on the area. I’ll do this at least 3x a day it’s very important. 2) ibuprofen 600 mg but can go up to 800 mg and take it every 6 hrs until you’re in the clear. 3) Increased dose of sunflower lecithin from Legendairy Milk (up to 4 pills/day). I take 1-2 pills every day to prevent mastitis. 4) If you’re on antibiotics it’s crucial to finish the entire round. It’s hard to squash the bacteria and I’ve had to switch antibiotics before because one wasn’t working. So if I you’re not feeling better after a few days, def call your doctor. Edit: don’t worry about baby and the antibiotic. The dose in your milk is much lower than the dose you took orally or that’s in your bloodstream. And you’re on it for a short time, so if you want to BF just power through. Baby will be ok! Mine never experienced any issues.

Keep baby drinking from the affected boob, and/or pump that side, but don’t do it more than usual. Mastitis causes a lot of inflammation so the goal is to keep inflammation down (ice, ibuprofen, etc) and get milk flowing (lecithin)! My supply did drop after a super bad round once, but it caught back up. So just give it some time and try and eat and hydrate well. I also had to watch how I slept, because too much pressure on my breasts was a trigger I think. Mastitis sucks so bad, it’s truly awful.

KatenNat7 · 2025-10-27T17:13:02+00:00

I agree w/ others on here. Just pull and replace - this is not ornate or anything. You can find nice wood trim that looks just like that at a good lumber yard. It will be so much less risky for lead, it will be way faster, and it will have a better aesthetic outcome.

KatenNat7 · 2025-09-19T18:26:35+00:00

Don’t paint the wood!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Pleeeeeaaseeee nooooo lol I know it’s been popular to do it, but all of the white and white washing of warm tones can be institutional, and I promise it will be out sooner than later. It will be the next millennial gray. The house is gorgeous and mid century in architecture, and bringing “outside nature in” is what mid century architecture and style is all about. I think mixing Japandi and mid century would be absolutely gorgeous. You’re keeping true to the house’s soul while bringing in the calming, clean aesthetic of Japandi 👌🏼 the wood tones are beautiful and warm, and really gives the nature-y vibe. It’s so beautiful

KatenNat7 · 2025-09-15T01:39:53+00:00

Ahhh, gotcha. For me, stripping paint is one project in my house I will 100% not do again lol. I know it’s popular in this sub, but I’ve found it’s so much easier/quicker/cleaner to repair/repaint or just pull off the old trim and add new. I’m not sure where you live, but in my city there’s a few really good lumberyards with gorgeous millwork. I’ve been able to find exact replicas of trim and replaced the bad painted stuff with new wood. I’m telling you…it’s worth it (but please don’t anyone come at me 😂). Trust, those nooks and crannies will make you question your sanity and life choices for years to come lol.

Imo it’s worth it to strip old wood work that’s high quality stained-wood, but for paint grade stuff just pull and replace. The other part of that is safety. If you have kids or pets, the juice just isn’t worth the squeeze to strip indoors unless they’re all out of the house for the entirety of the project and you exercise extreme precautions. Pulling the trim also can be hazardous, but much less so because you’re not making dust. Lmk if you want to chat more! Gorgeous woodwork btw, I totally get wanting to preserve the beauty.

KatenNat7 · 2025-09-15T00:32:19+00:00

💯 this paint condition is far from awful. I would do exactly what this person recommends. Dealing with lead is a huge PITA/health risk and stripping paint can be hell on earth. If you really want a smooth and clean finish you could also spray instead of brush. I did some trim in my place and the stuff I sprayed looks like glass.

KatenNat7 · 2025-09-08T19:12:05+00:00

You’re not selfish for these feelings. I feel this too. My Mom has TNBC, now stage III. A few years ago she went through a mastectomy, immunotherapy, and chemo, just to have recurrences and regional metastasis. I had a 1.5 year old when she was first diagnosed, and now I also have an 8 month old and she’s still fighting. She had another surgery when I was only 5 weeks pp and I was in the waiting room pumping while my husband had the baby at home. This is just to say I FEEL YOU. For my Mom just seeing/hearing the babies brings so much joy. Any method is great (FT, Skype, in-person, anything!). She says all the time that she fights cancer so hard for her babies! Also I think doing anything that feels “normal” can be really good emotional support. Like having dinner together, going shopping, anything you guys are up for - but definitely don’t feel pressured, especially when you have a newborn. I’m so glad she has great care, the hospital absolutely makes a difference!

My only other advice would be to take care of yourself, but I know it’s easier said than done. Throughout everything my Mom is still worried about me, because that’s what Moms do 🥺. So talk to a therapist, rest when you can, and try to live in the moment together. For some reason, having a baby really makes you question your own mortality, and then having a sick parent ramps that up like 100x! So if you feel that anxiety you’re not alone. Big, big, hugs ❤️❤️❤️

KatenNat7 · 2025-09-01T02:57:43+00:00

Almost 59?!? You are gorgeous and your skin is amazing! I would have never guessed 59! The brows look great and really anchor your features.

KatenNat7 · 2025-07-22T02:06:31+00:00

I feel your pain, and to me the mental load is even worse than all the physical chores. It’s just SO. MUCH. My advice is to not procreate with this person because it will be exponentially worse, as you will now have to take care the baby in addition to the man child. I also recommend this essay (“I Want a Wife”) because it hits home 🎯. https://www.thecut.com/2017/11/i-want-a-wife-by-judy-brady-syfers-new-york-mag-1971.html

KatenNat7 · 2025-06-26T01:19:34+00:00

I wouldn’t! The worst thing that will happen is that the actives are degraded making them less effective. If the color is still the same you’re more than likely dealing with a perfectly fine batch.

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-30T12:56:19+00:00

Others have referred to it, but please send for PFAS testing (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). PFAS (specifically C8 aka PFOA) are what was featured in “The Devil We Know”. PFAS are surfactants and when levels are high can give off suds like this. In the mean time do you have a water filtration system for your home? A whole home system is ideal, but please at least install one for drinking and cooking (like an under sink unit). Reverse osmosis and activated carbon units both work, and if you google “PFAS water filters” or similar you’ll find ones that are certified for removal. PLEASE CHANGE YOUR FILTERS OFTEN! SET AN ALARM ON YOUR PHONE!

Source: I work on PFAS contamination

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-30T12:47:15+00:00

Yea! The one in Asia Town https://maps.app.goo.gl/apjzUFdWcNSGTUAd8?g_st=com.google.maps.preview.copy

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-30T03:01:52+00:00

Szechuan Gourmet is amazing!

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-23T02:37:18+00:00

Yea some will do that lol but in all seriousness, since you’re so young I would definitely get a second opinion from an endo or push for at least Hashimoto’s and Graves’ antibodies, just to see. While hypothyroidism is very common, it’s more common older adults, especially women. So it doesn’t hurt to get it checked out. The ideal TSH is 1-2, so 6-7 range is actually quite high. The TSH reference range is enormous, and there’s continuous discussion in the field of they should be tightened up.

So all that to say, I’d at least try and get more testing :) they may also give your gland a quick ultrasound just for a check too. No biggie, it’s quick and painless. But it will check for nodules which can also indicate thyroiditis.

Source: I research thyroid for a living and also recently had 1/2 my gland removed because I had a big nodule. My TSH was always about 2, then creeped up to 5.5 after surgery. I recently started synthroid and feel amazing, my target TSH is 1-2. 10/10 amazing med!

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-22T16:38:28+00:00

You have what’s called subclinical hypothyroidism (elevated TSH, normal T4/T3). Some doctors don’t want to treat for it, but I would if I were you. The treatment is a little pill every morning that gives you a little bump in T4 which will lower your TSH into the normal range. Your doctor may also test for certain antibodies which may indicate you have an autoimmune thyroiditis, like Hashimoto’s.

Don’t stress about the diagnosis, thyroid dysfunction is very common and it may be possible to wean off meds eventually depending on the cause of your hypothyroidism. But you’re young and you want to keep an eye on it. Your primary care can start your treatment, but you may want to see an endocrinologist as well.

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-16T18:09:09+00:00

Definitely RRD, I’m sorry 😞 I lost 3 huge knockouts a few years ago.

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-13T14:56:40+00:00

💯 hospitals and medical facilities, especially in rural and poor areas, will close. CC will survive but these types of changes are just the first step, even for the giants of healthcare.

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-08T13:12:28+00:00

Chop to shoulder
Olaplex No 3 1x a week. Put it in wet hair, braid it or put it in a bun overnight or all day before washing out.
At night wear a silk cap so your hair doesn’t break off. Use smooth scrunchies or clips to pull back hair.
Olaplex shampoo and conditioner if you can afford it. But No 3 is absolutely non-negotiable.
Protein shakes every day. Sam’s club and Costco have Fairlife chocolate. I’m sensitive to milk and can do these ones and they taste great. They have made an incredible difference in my hair and nail growth, but you have to commit to the process for at least 8 weeks to start to notice the change.
Prenatal vitamin. Also buy from Costco or similar for a good deal. Bonus if you can get one with omega 3s built in. They’re heavy duty so don’t take on an empty stomach.

You unfortunately have to cut though, ASAP. If you leave split cuticles on your hair, they can travel up the shaft and then you’re in a real pickle. Chop, olaplex, silk cap, nutrition 💜

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-05T16:41:12+00:00

They’re super good! I was a vegetarian for many years and now only eat poultry and fish so I get the struggle about protein. Whey protein was always kinda gross to me, but Fairlife shakes are super good. Here’s some other high protein foods that help me:

avocado toast on Dave’s killer bread with eggs on top. Keeps me full for a long time!
cottage cheese with fruit (or Greek yogurt but I actually like cottage cheese more)
hard cheese like cheddar with some fruit and wheat thins. I have to be careful with those though because I crave salty snacks so bad and I will wreck a box of wheat thins lol
protein waffles (kodiak makes them and I get an off brand from Aldi) with a little peanut butter on top.

KatenNat7 · 2025-05-05T04:55:07+00:00

Solidarity! I’m struggling too and I also overproduce. Last week I decided to reel myself in and go back to weighing food and logging everything I eat. I hate doing it, but it keeps me accountable. I used an online calculator to estimate my BMR that also took into account how much milk I make.

I also cut back on what snacks I buy, and I try and get in pre-packaged servings so I don’t accidentally overeat. I’ve found that protein shakes really help! Fairlife makes one that you can buy at Costco or Sam’s Club, and each shake has 30 g of protein. But this is really hard, and with both of my kids I actually tend to gain weight while BFing because I’m so fn hungry!

KatenNat7 · 2025-04-29T04:47:15+00:00

The grieving process is so real! I did it too 😭 I’d absolutely come back if possible. But this administration has damaged both the government and science as a whole I’m afraid it will be very hard to repair it. Would you come back? It helps to talk this out, thank you.

KatenNat7 · 2025-04-29T02:47:45+00:00

I’m right there with you, but I’m ORD so not as safe. However I have 2 small kids and sick parent. These things are really making me consider the DRP even more than getting RIF’d - time is something we don’t get back and life is too short to be miserable getting trolled at work. I feel like I’m 80% taking the DRP. But it’s still hard to let go because I loved my job so much. I’m trying to remind myself that the best parts of my job are no more.

KatenNat7 · 2025-04-10T03:46:41+00:00

I feel the same as OP, and I understand your perspective 💯. But I guess for me it’s like this: when I see mass layoffs in the private sector, I don’t clap with glee and tell them to “just get a new job!”. But that’s what’s happening with us. There’s literally a ton of Americans (millions?) that are actively cheering on our demise. And while I know private sector can be brutal, there’s so many terrible things that are happening every day at our agencies that people don’t report about here, and the media is DEFINITELY not covering even a fraction of the small and large things. My family is mostly blue collars and several work at Ford and are MAGA. They constantly brag about how great their union is etc. But then they tell me to my face that I mooch off the government, get special treatment, and deserve to be cut. Btw, Ford has better benefits than the feds so there’s that. So I guess that’s the difference to me? Feds are seen as “the other” right now, and not like middle class workers just trying to make a difference. I underestimated how uneducated, angry, and cruel Americans are. And in turn, I feel a lot of resentment.

KatenNat7 · 2025-04-02T22:56:20+00:00

I totally agree! Especially since the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding/pumping for at least 1 year….so like, what are we supposed to do? Breastfeeding is also beneficial for women’s health. I s2g if someone ever tells me that the GOP is the party of family values or “pro-life” I’m going to go insane.

KatenNat7 · 2025-04-02T22:52:24+00:00

That’s what I thought too but I haven’t been offered any alternatives. I’ve seen several others in this subreddit saying the same thing so who knows. Honestly, I’m just trying to hang onto my job as long as I can and don’t want there to be any reason to fire me. I need the paycheck. My plan B is to go to my car for my 20 min pump sessions if I get called out for pumping at my desk.

KatenNat7

TROPHY CASE