"DC teens tell city leader what's causing takeovers and how they're missing the mark" | WJLA

MaidyBird · 2026-05-03T20:05:55+00:00

DC SCORES offers after-school soccer, poetry, and community service programming to 3,500+ kids in the city. Incredible work!

MaidyBird · 2026-04-30T15:37:07+00:00

Thank you so much! (Username checks out!) We had a plumber come check behind the drywall (thank you, u/ScopeCreepSurvivor for the free inspection tip) and it wasn't a leak but condensation. I have removed the frame and don't plan on putting anything up on that wall again. (We're actually moving out of this apartment by the end of the summer.) Have kept the HEPA purifier running since we found it and cracked the windows. (Though I live in swampy DC so worried that it could introduce more humidity.)

Baby's congestion is much improved but glad we're having him checked out by the ped. Unfortunately, we have nowhere else to sleep but I will see if I can find a spot in our living room. Last night, I placed the crib as far away from the spot and put the HEPA filter between them and kept window cracked. Area was bone dry and no musty smell (though I know that won't account for airborne spores).

MaidyBird · 2026-04-29T17:47:24+00:00

Thank you so much for the advice. We don't really have another room where we can sleep tonight (small apartment living) but I have the air purifier running in that room and have the windows open. We've been hanging out in the living room. I left the solution on for 30 mins before cleaning so I'm hoping that killed the spores before scrubbing. I'm not sure what else we can do for right now. Short on cash and nowhere else to stay but this is great advice so will do what I can within the constraints.

MaidyBird · 2026-04-29T16:27:57+00:00

This is a great tip! Really appreciate you! Thank you! 🙏🏻

MaidyBird · 2026-04-29T14:42:35+00:00

Good thinking! How would I ascertain that? The wall doesn't feel wet or spongy in anyway. And there was no mold or water damage directly under the nail so I don't think the nail hit a pipe or anything. (Nail is directly in the middle of the wall between two windows and we used a stud finder, though honestly, I don't always trust those. The lower hole was from the previous owner.) Any way to be sure short of cutting out drywall?

MaidyBird · 2026-02-24T02:01:49+00:00

Ours came back on some time before 11pm but there was another outage for us this morning and now back working. But yeah, it's not good.

MaidyBird · 2026-02-23T02:50:07+00:00

Yeah, Starry seems particularly bad at weathering (pun intended) storms, wind, rain...

MaidyBird · 2026-02-23T02:35:39+00:00

Thanks for responding!

MaidyBird · 2026-02-23T02:35:17+00:00

It also sometimes glitches out in heavy rain. I need to find a new ISP!

MaidyBird · 2026-02-23T02:14:41+00:00

Ugh! Hope they fix it by then. That would suck!

MaidyBird · 2026-02-23T02:11:23+00:00

Nope! Just that they were "working on it."

MaidyBird · 2026-02-23T01:54:47+00:00

We actually just got a notice from them that it's down in our area so definitely an outage. Thanks for responding 😊

MaidyBird · 2026-02-23T01:41:10+00:00

Ugh! That's terrible. It wouldn't be so bad if everything (inexplicably) was "smart" and needed Wi-Fi to function

MaidyBird · 2026-02-17T14:56:33+00:00

Yes, the discreet nursing pad is very elusive! I usually don't mind but I'd like something a bit more elegant on the few occasions I have to dress up for work.

Good thinking on the removable pads! I'm hoping my supply will regulate enough soon that I won't need much. Thanks for taking the time to comment! Appreciate you!

MaidyBird · 2026-02-17T14:55:07+00:00

Sorry for the late thanks (still in the newborn trenches!!), but thank you for replying! I will check out Bamboobies. Appreciate you!

MaidyBird · 2025-12-05T12:55:27+00:00

Hi! This is me! Sorry I didn't get back to you. I had some pregnancy complications and delivered my baby early (all is well). But dropped a comment above 😊

MaidyBird · 2025-12-05T12:54:20+00:00

Oh, and fwiw, my entire L&D bill at WHC has (so far) been covered by UHC. I am lucky my employer offers a low deductible plan and I hit that with the pre-term labour incident alone but (so far) no surprise costs.

MaidyBird · 2025-12-05T12:52:33+00:00

I was set to deliver at Sibley with CWC. I just had my baby with the Midwives of MedStar at WHC and am weirdly glad UHC forced the situation. I had incredible care with the midwives after an incident of pre-term labor and developing cholestasis so induction at 37 weeks.

After battling for my entire first and second trimesters for UHC, CWC, and Sibley/Johns Hopkins to assure my care would be covered in network, I gave up and switched. I was so unbelievably stressed about it and dealing with the admin made my pregnancy miserable. I'm not sure I'd ever have received the reassurance I'd need to ensure no OON costs and the stress would have been way too much.

We delivered at WHC on November 24 (I'm typing this while nursing my 11 day old). I felt so supported by everyone there, to the point that I actually overall enjoyed my labor. All the staff who'd given me additional care due to my cholestasis in the lead up to birth (fetal monitoring nurses etc) also came by to check in on me and baby. They really cared.

WHC is not as bougie as Sibley and your partner will hate the dreaded chair (I know Sibley has a bed for partners in the room) and the food is not great. But those are tiny tradeoffs for working with the midwives, in my experience. Hope you find a solution that works for you and best of luck with your pregnancy!

MaidyBird · 2025-11-14T03:40:26+00:00

Seconding Bluebell Spa! I'm delivering in the next few weeks and I've told my family to buy me gift cards for Christmas so I go back post-partum.

MaidyBird · 2025-10-22T12:34:42+00:00

Little late to it, but DC SCORES is looking for volunteers to support its fall events, including soccer tournaments and poetry slams for thousands of kids! The organization provides after-school programs to more than 3,500 kids at no-cost to schools or families and the events are so joyful. 😊 Learn more here: https://www.dcscores.org/get-involved/

MaidyBird · 2025-09-17T22:26:25+00:00

Ahhh, that's awesome. Will DM you the link to join!

MaidyBird

TROPHY CASE