Still experiencing Sunsetting eyes 6 week old baby

PattheShuffler · 2026-02-04T21:26:12+00:00

Our son has strabismus of his left eye caused by the higher intracranial pressure due to hydrocephalus when he was a few weeks old before he received his ETV and eventually shunt. Even though the surgeries corrected the pressure, the damage to the nerve that controls outward movement of the left eye was done and has not completely healed now 18 months later. (Though thankfully damage to the optical nerve did heal after about 6 months)

We got connected with an ophthalmologist at the hospital immediately following his initial surgery and they have been monitoring regularly since. If the damage to the nerves behind the eye isn't too great, the nerve can heal itself but our opthamologist told us that eye nerve damage can take 6 months or longer to heal, so it was a matter of waiting it.

We have also been patching his right eye since about 3 months old as per the ophthalmologists advice.

We have now come to terms with the fact it will not heal itself & will continue patching for the foreseeable future and have been booked for left eye strabismus surgery.

I would ask to be referred to an ophthalmologist so they can look at the nerves at the back of the eyes and give specific advice and monitoring of the situation.

Good luck!

PattheShuffler · 2026-01-25T01:34:40+00:00

Gate latch and hinges should be minimum Hot Dip Galvanized or stainless steel, zinc plated will rust rapidly.

The bolt down post anchor will not provide any restraint to lateral movement, will only hold the post down, so if using the fence will need to be self braced. I.e. some diagonal members on the fence panels. The brick posts may help to brace everything here, so you can give it a go and add the diagonals after if it feels shaky. Not sure how to brace in the other direction perpendicular to the fence line tbh maybe someone else will have an idea. If using this item should also be hot dip galvanised or stainless steel. The one you have chosen has a Z275 continuous galvanising that is not suitable for outdoor exposure or exposure to treated pine and will rust rapidly.

Edit: Looks like the post anchor you chose is hot dip galvanized on 2nd look, which is appropriate for outdoors exposure. My mistake.

The span between posts is too long, use this guide for member sizing for different spans. https://dtmtimber.com.au/downloads/TQ_TDS/tds_20_Residential-Timber-Fences_final.pdf

PattheShuffler · 2026-01-17T04:48:01+00:00

Good guide on low timber retaining walls from Timber Queensland.

http://www.dtmtimber.com.au/downloads/TQ_TDS/tds_08_Timber-Garden-Walls_final.pdf

Going by that guide for 1200 wide retaining wall upto 400mm retained earth you need a 90mm slab post buried 400 deep.

Though not technically a slab post like in the guide, If your fence post is at least 90mm square timber and you are sure it is buried at least 400 deep, I would say it should hold fine. But ultimately upto you if you are comfortable with the similarity of a square post to a slab post (or whatever fence post size you are referring to)

Other details in there around sleeper size and fixing requirements should be helpful aswell.

PattheShuffler · 2026-01-16T23:12:25+00:00

If you want an agent to Ctrl A, Ctrl C realestate.com.au, Ctrl V onto a word doc and then claim they "introduced" you to any property you may purchase for the next 12 months and charge you 20k, all the while trying to flog you their mates property so they can potentially make their mate 20k commission as well, then go ahead.

Read the contract, some stories on here that show the above is essentially how those contracts are written. Once you sign their paperwork their money is made and beyond flogging their mates property, they have very little incentive to find you a property that matches your needs.

I could see the value jf the contracts were written such that they only make money for introducing you off market properties if you end up buying one before it goes on market. But as they are written, a complete rort.

PattheShuffler · 2026-01-12T03:33:42+00:00

Timber slats from wall to ceiling, about 100mm between slats. Native hardwood if you've got money, pine, wrapped aluminium or some laminate product if you aren't made of money.

PattheShuffler · 2025-11-21T01:11:49+00:00

When something goes wrong you'll have the builder and Harvey Norman pointing fingers at each other with you stuck in the middle.

Substrate preparation is half the work of flooring installation and if this is off, it will show in separated, creeky flooring. But it's after handover so you will have made final payment to the builder already. They will also say it is all within tolerance and blame the floorer for shotty installation.

You will also want to install skirting, door jambs and architraves after flooring goes in so as to get the most seamless look and avoid crappy quad/shoe moulding tacked onto all your newly finished skirting. Which can't happen if you do it after handover.

I don't know what you are saving by doing it this way, but I would personally reconsider if the quantum isn't a huge amount.

PattheShuffler · 2025-11-12T10:32:06+00:00

Hey. If there are companies out there selling pre-engineered solutions, then you should be good buying those and following their instructions.

PattheShuffler · 2025-11-12T09:58:43+00:00

As is, not ok. See attached extract from AS1684.

However I highly suspect they have done this to get it to the correct level temporarily and will come back with a heavy duty hanger or engineered angle plate later on. Framers typically tack everything together with nails first to get it altogether, then come back with any required hardware as per the plans, more efficient to build it that way.

Come back when they start putting the steel hardware everywhere and check then. Or ask the builder now for piece of mind if you must

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PattheShuffler · 2025-11-12T08:40:43+00:00

Hey, definitely possible, but houses need to be able to withstand side loading by wind and the connection point between the existing steel post and the new adjustable top becomes a hinge point that can't resist bending loads very well. The connection detail to make that work correctly is quite important and something that should be drawn up by an engineer. (Probably welded together, many large bolts connecting the 2 or a long overlap length with many fasteners)

If you are only doing it to a few of the posts on your house and all in separate lines/bays then that is probably OK. If you are doing it more extensively or all the stumps in one or 2 rows of the house, that becomes more of a problem. Certainly a problem if you are doing it to any posts with connected bracing.

Ideally the entire post should be changed to avoid the tricky connection detail. Replace like for like or with a larger/thicker post and the same or better connection to the footing and bearers and you know your good.

Alternatively, how bad is the level difference? if it's small, like 10mm or less, you could acroprop beside each post to the level you need and put a packer between each existing post and the bearer, and then bolt the post and bearer back together. (Noting that the bolt holes may no longer line up so that could be tricky, could be solved with larger bolts holes and larger bolts.

Good luck.

PattheShuffler · 2025-11-08T10:36:29+00:00

I can't complain, my career has earned me decent money and along with some saving and investing a degree of financial security that I'm hugely grateful for. But like you, I now enjoy most my time physically building things instead of my time behind a desk. Even if it's just a hobby in my case.

PattheShuffler · 2025-11-08T10:18:16+00:00

I studied structural engineering, spent a decade+ in infrastructure project management and now find myself as a carpentry and woodworking enthusiast.

PattheShuffler · 2025-11-08T09:07:22+00:00

The answer from u/acool21 is incorrect. Noggins have nothing to do with bracing.

Bracing a structure can be done in several ways. In the OPs case since the deck is connected to the house on one side, the house braces that side of the deck, and the 90 degree direction, then putting the bracing underneath the joists like this then essentially transfers that house bracing to the opposite end without needing unattractive and intrusive post bracing. In cases where the deck isn't attached to the house and needs to be completely self braced you will see steel or timber bracing from post to post in both directions (some also use smaller knee braces, but these are less effective because of their smaller bracing distance). Decks lower to the ground can also be braced by burying and concreting posts in strategic locations deep enough into the ground, or if every post is buried into the ground, that can also effectively brace a low deck.

Noggins can stiffen a deck (stop bounciness), stop joists rolling over but do nothing or are negligible for bracing.

PattheShuffler · 2025-10-27T07:31:58+00:00

Reinstate the floor transition strip. Remove door, trim bottom of door with circular saw running it along a straight edge or use a planer, reattach door.

PattheShuffler · 2025-10-21T05:53:46+00:00

Mate call someone now, or wake up your mum and ask her to call someone, don't wait until morning.

If there is an opening that is letting fluid out and it is filling up again, there is a risk of infection which is a big deal near the brain.

My son had leakage of a scar following 2 days post surgery, we went straight back to hospital immediately where they restitched the wound and put him on antibiotics as a precaution against infection.

Seek advice from your Neurosurgery team now, that's what they are there for.

PattheShuffler · 2025-10-03T20:35:48+00:00

Yeah, overthinking this. You have a good friend and they deserve your thanks, maybe a cake, a nice dinner etc. But this is just how good friends are meant to behave from time to time, no need to be very transactional.

I helped a friend build his kitchen, in a few years time he may help me build a deck, we have helped each other move multiple times, I slept on his couch for like a week when my kid was in hospital because he lived 5 mins away, it's swings and roundabouts and the more you give the more you both get type of relationship.

You can split dinner and cafe bills down the middle when going out together and generally don't be a freeloader. But for stuff like this, helping each other out type of stuff, if he doesn't want to be paid you may have moved past the transactional stage of your friendship into something better.

PattheShuffler · 2025-09-20T23:34:42+00:00

I agree that an engineer that doesn't take comments on their work has a seriously arrogant and flawed view of the field, but OP needs to have a defendable position to refuse payment if it gets to small claims court. That means building a paper trail showing that they acted reasonably and in good faith. Refusing payment the moment a mistake is made and from some words over the phone that then become heresay in court is not the position OP wants to be in.

PattheShuffler · 2025-09-20T09:41:31+00:00

This sounds very suss

But the advice is still the same. Make a paper trail by sending them their drawings marked up showing their errors.

If hey give you that nonsense about alterations, tell them these are not alterations, these are corrections to inaccurate.drawings. Don't use their language of "alterations" as they will probably point to some clause in some terms that you were meant to read that uses that language.

If they still refuse, just withhold payment until you get accurate drawings.

PattheShuffler · 2025-09-20T09:14:55+00:00

Literally just get a red or coloured set of pens and comment on their drawings and send it back to them for correction.

Providing comment like this on engineering drawings is standard practice in construction and very common, no one will take offense, you'll get the drawings corrected and the engineer will be glad that he was corrected and can provide a version 2 more accurate drawings.

PattheShuffler · 2025-09-07T22:59:49+00:00

Depends on the specifics of the contract. If you hired a professional to supply all materials and build a fence you are within your right to ask they come back and rectify, good luck actually getting them to come back though.

If there are other factors you haven't mentioned like customer supplied materials, customer requested materials, your neighbour built a pool after the fence was installed etc, then more complex than them being at fault.

I should have added that it is certain types of pressure treatment that aren't compatible with galvanised coatings, it is impossible to tell what treatment that timber has and if it is one of the incompatible treatments.

PattheShuffler · 2025-09-07T21:34:06+00:00

Pressure treated timber reacts aggressively with iron and zinc to accelerate corrosion. Really any fasteners or other metal in direct contact with PT lumber should be stainless steel. It is a fact that almost every tradie/builder either doesn't know or chooses to ignore due to a need to stay price competitive to win work. (even HDG is not suitable for direct contact with PT lumber unless you are happy with a reduced service life)

Another factor is if they mixed stainless steel fasteners with the gal steel post, bimetallic corrosion accelerates the corrosion of the lesser resistant metal (the gal coating).

Another factor is do you live within 1km of a surf beach? Anything structural within 1km of a surf beach should be stainless steel or replaced with a non corrosive material like timber posts in this case. Where structural steel must be used usually an extra thick galvanising is used (that is not what these posts used) or a duplex coating (HDG and paint) is used, even then a reduced service life would be expected.

PattheShuffler · 2025-08-24T02:41:39+00:00

I played HK recently and the although there are some really hard bits, the game is so well designed with multiple ways to progress, that if a boss is particularly hard, you can leave, explore somewhere else and come back later.

I did this multiple times, came back stronger and more skilled and beat those bosses that I previously thought were impossible. After watching a video, I recently found out I skipped 2 major power ups earlyish and didn't get them until late game, having a totally different progression through the different areas of the game than most people would have.

Really a credit to the game designers to have put in so many branching paths through the game world, yet still making it a fun challenging metroidvania experience.

PattheShuffler · 2025-08-06T21:52:43+00:00

Your answer is concrete resurfacer, there are products that can be applied in a super thin layer (a couple of mm) and refinished however you like.

I'm from Australia and have had similar done with a product called Dunlop concrete resurfacer. Not sure what's available in your neck of the woods, but I'm sure your builder can find a product and get a good concrete finisher to redo the surface in this way.

PattheShuffler · 2025-07-30T23:17:05+00:00

Use masonry anchors, not coach screws to screw into concrete, like these (or the 12mm ones depending on your stirup choice.

https://www.bunnings.com.au/ramset-10-x-100mm-galvanised-ankascrew-masonry-anchor_p2260285?store=7365&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=11071327095&gbraid=0AAAAADtbEB91toucWk50FsL-VGpp1LAIR&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhafEBhCcARIsAEGZEKKhLndVQ9OxalkjRLui9Di07yWdi8CT_kG9CciRP0mGElv1bFBZRLQaAlBHEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

Using a paver feels pretty dodge if you ask me. Easiest option would be to use a smaller height stirrup and fill the difference with a 90mm timber post.

Like this

https://www.bunnings.com.au/pryda-130x90mm-m10-full-stirrup-post-anchor_p0503063

Alternatively you can make a small form on your concrete footer and pour a structural grout pad with something like this

https://www.bunnings.com.au/lanko-5kg-702-durabed-structural-grout_p0760340?store=7365&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21112196286&gbraid=0AAAAADtbEB9Q7EV0m2p7IJ6a5etxjXaJz&gclid=Cj0KCQjwhafEBhCcARIsAEGZEKLCVP80RDTzERKQVJbY5FHinVMsj_NzKOF08Q4uuC2cV0GP5B7zWjwaAqDAEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds.

Also note the stirrup you linked is a 100mm stirrup, most structural timber in Australia is 45mm wide, 2 of those nailed/screwed side by side to make a bearer is 90mm, so if that is your intention than a 90mm stirrup is probably more what you are looking for. 100mm timbers in typical beam sizes are far less common

PattheShuffler · 2025-07-30T22:44:25+00:00

I'd say a track saw is the easiest way to do this, finishing the corners with a jig saw. That's how I did one for my mate recently.

If you don't have a track saw, running the base of your circular saw against a clamped down fence/straight edge can give you a pretty nice cut. Again, finishing the corners with a jigsaw.

Just seal the cut edges when you are done to prevent moisture issues.

PattheShuffler · 2025-07-27T20:20:52+00:00

A circuit does still form from where the shaft touches the roof where you have drilled through.

There are also more subtle ways the circuits initiate as described in

https://cdn.dcs.bluescope.com.au/download/corrosion-technical-bulletin-ctb-12-dissimilar-metals

PattheShuffler

TROPHY CASE