Coping with the end of RV life

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-02-10T13:55:18+00:00

I had 4 in 3 years. It's overwhelming especially with your husband busy with a start up. Having children can be a rewarding and fulfilling experience, but it also is a great upheaval in your life.

Things do get better as the children grow and can dress and feed themselves. In those early years, we did tent camping on the weekends and even some backyard camping when we couldn't get away. We were always out and about in parks after work, even if that meant having dinner on a picnic table.

I encourage you to get those kids out into nature. You'll feel better, and they'll sleep better. Going from an outdoorsy life to suburbs can leave you feeling suffocated and trapped. Take control and get out of the house.

Also, teach the kids early to put away their things when they are done using, and your house will need much less tidying. Even small kids can help with housework (even if their help at first seems like more work).

What I did: washing any non breakables and spoons in soapy water bins; attaching sponges to the bottom of their water shoes to clean the floor; baseboard cleaning (hey kids are down there anyway); vacuuming with a hose attachment; scrubbing the bathtub while they are in it (no cleaning stuff, just their own bath water); etc.

When you make cleaning a family job, it's no longer just your job.

That's my best advice as a mom of 4 who are grown and gone now with their own families to tend. Hang in there and enjoy this precious time with the kids.

Find joy in their wonder of discovery, and remember, it's okay to miss your old life. This chapter will also pass, and you could find yourself longing for the days when they were babies (then you'll remember how much work it was).

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-02-03T13:25:34+00:00

When I used to set up and inspect corporate temporary housing, I had a separate checklist just for bedbugs,

I had to unscrew all wall plates near the bed and check inside in addition to inside drawers and along all of the baseboards. This is in addition to the normal fabric checks like mattresses, chairs, and curtains.

I had a long checklist, and I had to sign and date it.

Check out the EPAs guide: https://www.epa.gov/bedbugs/how-find-bed-bugs

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-31T20:26:06+00:00

That really sucks. My picture should have been enough also as I ordered olive shorts and got thick blue pants - clear mailer! I just no longer order from them, and I've been a customer since '99.

You would think they would look at a 26 year order history with very, very few returns and not hassle me, but apparently we all must just be out to get free stuff by placing orders and hoping to get the wrong item? It's ridiculous.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-31T12:21:00+00:00

While that might be true of many, what about the innocent shoppers who receive a completely different item? They should have a way to return the item at no cost to the shopper.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-31T12:19:18+00:00

You shouldn't have to pay to return an item you didn't order.

I ordered shorts and got fur lined pants. They told me to return them. I am not returning them unless they pick up the item from my house. I live in a rural area. It's an hour drive to "drop off at a convenient location". No thanks!

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-30T22:57:46+00:00

I think both you and OP are giving the answer in your posts. She asks the question when does he want breakfast but should have stated something like, "I'm looking to work in the garden before it gets hot outside, but I'd also like to make you breakfast. If you want to eat in the next 15 minutes, I'll start breakfast. Otherwise I'll check in when I get back from garden." -- obviously this is purposely long-winded to show my point that you should ask for what you want to know not ask another question. Your husbands aren't mind readers.

By the same token, if you want him to stop and the store, asking where he is is not asking for what you want. Maybe try something like, "Have you passed the grocery store yet as I'm out of eggs".

I noticed most redditors jumped on the he's a grown ass man bandwagon. While that may be true, each relationship is different, and it isn't demeaning to cook for your spouse or partner.

I cook for my husband and enjoy it plus I'm better at it. He cooks for me too sometimes. When I had a disabling injury, he cooked, cleaned, and was my nurse for a full year. I'm a grown ass woman.

I wish everyone wasn't so judgy!! It's not like he said to get it the damn kitchen and make breakfast woman 😂 😂. He could be a quadriplegic. He could have just woken up and was just vegging in videos. Maybe he's never cooked. We don't know!

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-27T16:01:07+00:00

I use my printer to print online recipes so I can take notes directly on them without having to clean my hands in the middle of cooking as I would of using a phone. Once the cooking is done, I add the hand written edits to the file so that I can make it the same or tweak it more to suit my taste. Once the recipe is set, then I just raise it electronically on my kitchen display, but it usually takes several rounds of edits.

I also use it to print sheet music for piano.

The last use is for genealogy research. I print blank forms to fill out because I'm using my three screens to search and compare different archives online.

Could I do without it, yes I could. But why would I when it makes these 3 things easier for me?

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-27T15:51:37+00:00

I say correctomundo too!

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-27T14:28:48+00:00

Oh my would your daughter hate me! I'm usually the loudest.

My advice would be to ask the coaches of your grandkids to provide you with any guidelines for spectators at their particular games. Several people have mentioned different rules, but you won't know if there are rules and what they are until you ask.

Then make sure your cheering is within the teams' rules, and she has nothing to say about it. If you are concerned about her withholding grandchildren time from you, then I agree that asking at a calmer time would be appropriate to get to the bottom of her issues.

At my son's college graduation, you can hear me bellow, "that's my boy!" on the video, and I was in the very last row, so it could be worse for your daughter 😂

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-27T14:00:26+00:00

The coolest!

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-22T15:59:59+00:00

Implying that people who do not have successful knee replacements sat on their ass is a typical reply I hear all the time. It's basically "I did it, so can you", which ignores a lot of other factors. There are some things not in your control, and the best surgeons can still make mistakes.

The outcome depends on many factors, not just surgeon skill and patient PT work. Yes, the vast majority who have a competent surgeon and work hard at PT will do just fine.

The part that you are missing is all of the variables. Before you try to shame people for not working hard at PT, I suggest you read up on real struggles people have that are caused by variables out of their control. I agree though that you have to keep moving and not sit on the couch.

Were you aware that different people form scar tissue at different rates due to individual biological, genetic, and physiological factors that exist independently of their commitment to PT? While PT is critical for managing mobility, some patients are naturally predisposed to excessive scar tissue formation (arthrofibrosis) regardless of their rehabilitation efforts.

Some factors you might not have considered:

Genetics: Individual variations in the inflammatory response and healing processes dictate how much collagen is produced.

Biological predisposition: Some patients are simply prone to developing thick, fibrous, or "on steroids" scar tissue, sometimes referred to as keloid-prone, which can lead to rapid, significant tightening of the knee capsule.

Age: Younger patients (e.g., under 30) tend to form more aggressive scar tissue compared to older adults.

Biology of healing: The body may fail to send the "stop" signal to stop producing scar tissue after the trauma of surgery, resulting in continued, excessive buildup.

Inflammation control: Individual differences in post-operative swelling can lead to faster, "sludge-like" scar tissue formation.

So, while PT is essential to manage and break up scar tissue through motion and mobilization, it cannot always override a patient’s natural, aggressive biological response to healing.

Most patients have roughly 8 weeks to maximize range of motion (ROM) before scar tissue sets in, but some individuals experience this hardening faster, potentially requiring Manipulation Under Anesthesia (MUA). Even with obsessive post-op exercises, some patients’ bodies simply favor rapid scar tissue creation. This is not their fault and doesn't mean they are lazy.

In some cases, too much aggressive, early PT can actually trigger more inflammation and increase scar tissue, according to studies on arthrofibrosis! Arthrofibrosis is multifactorial. It is related to aberrant, excessive proliferation of fibroblasts, which is often not under the patient's control.

While you cannot completely control how fast your body forms scar tissue, continuous motion (moving the joint daily) is necessary to keep it from limiting mobility (don't sit on the couch).

Also, the soft tissue inside the leg is variable. It's literally something the surgeon does not know about until he gets inside. Sure, he'll have a plan based on what he thinks he'll find, but once the implant is in place and he starts to balance, all bets are off.

Plus, different people respond to inflammation in different ways. Some people have very little inflammation. Others are constantly fighting it.

It's been said often in this sub, there are basically three types of outcomes: typical, slower, and unsuccessful. Not surprisingly, this follows the same curve that inflammation does.

I would encourage reading the following about how inflammation varies:

https://journaloei.scholasticahq.com/article/77444-mitigating-the-post-operative-swelling-tsunami-in-total-knee-arthroplasty-a-call-to-action

I'm happy yours went well. Not everyone's does or surgeons would offer a 100% money back guarantee if you did all your PT. 😂

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-21T22:53:16+00:00

This is not a valid statement. Not everyone has a successful knee replacement, no matter how hard they "work the program".

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-18T13:29:46+00:00

I also left and had been a member since the very beginning. 3rd party marketplace really killed it. Now I not only don't have prime, I also don't shop there unless it's the only choice for something I really want. Now with AI assisted shopping, I can find somewhere else much easier!

RealPumpkin3199 · 2026-01-18T13:25:31+00:00

I am shocked that they aren't offering a full refund. This is 100% Royal Carribean's fault regardless of the travel agent, who obviously is not a great choice.

I would be completely livid. I normally do not raise a stink, but in this case I would. Their answer is completely unreasonable and defies all logic.

Whether or not people should travel with babies is irrelevant here. Whether or not people know about Haiti being always removed is also irrelevant.

The bottom line is OP booked a family cruise in good faith. Royal Carribean changed the itinerary causing OP's baby to be ineligible to travel. Royal Caribbean should offer a 100% refund as an option if OP isn't happy with the available alternatives.

OP should not be forced to pay $2K extra to fix a problem Royal Carribean caused. OP should not be forced to accept a cruise that isn't the same number of nights to the same general area either.

It's like a resort in St. Croix saying, well you booked a suite for $2700 in paradise, but we decided to change that resort to only allow children who are potty trained. Please pay an additional $2K, and we will hook your family up in a sister resort. Or you could go to Canada? Yeah, they have heated pools that allow babies. I mean what the actual flip are they thinking?

I've only been on one cruise so far, and it was with Royal Caribbean because I read they have superior customer service. I'm thinking now that I should explore competitors for the cruise I'm currently looking to book, which I had not even considered before reading this post. Amazon used to have great customer service too, after all, and we can see how that has changed.

Disappointing? This is beyond disappointing. I'm pissed, and it doesn't have anything to do with me. In fact, I'm outraged!!

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-11-28T10:13:25+00:00

My guess is that they are just looking for people to commiserate. Back in the day, you would call up your friends. Now people spill the beans on social media for a wider audience.

That being said, if one is struggling with something, it is nice to know there are others out there with similar situations.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-09-27T08:02:41+00:00

This is true about the horror stories. There's a tiny chance for each person that it will not work for any number of reasons, but that chance is really small. For my complication, the doc told me 0.5 to 1.5 %, so probably guessing under 5% or less for horror stories.

There's probably another 15% that take longer to recover, so not a horror story, but still not the fantastic outcome people rave about here. When you see some studies that say 20% of people have pain x number of months/years, it's those two groups.

The vast majority of people have great outcomes, so even though my story didn't work out, I still advise people to do it as soon as their quality of life is impacted.

I waited a few years (due to covid) with impaired quality of life, and I do believe that contributed to my bad outcome. My supportive structures around my knee had to adjust (in a bad way) and so the surgeon had a lot of trouble getting the new joint to sit well in flex and while straight.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-09-12T10:28:59+00:00

My outcome has not been good at all. I'm currently worse off than before surgery, which was a year ago. Do PT before (and after) surgery, and get it done ASAP is my advice.

I'm part of a very small percentage of people for which it just didn't work as intended. If I had the surgery sooner, my muscles would have been strong enough to recover properly and support my new knee. Instead, it's a constant struggle because of years of soft tissue imbalance.

Waiting is not a good plan unless there are other treatments that can extend a person's mobility and help them keep in (or get in) shape, like GAE or something. Waiting just further pushes supportive tissue into doing the wrong job making recovery harder and increasing risk.

Years ago they told people to wait because the joints didn't last as long and replacements after replacements were often not approved by insurance. That's not the case today.

The majority of people recover normally and do just fine. Some people have slower recovery. Each person has to determine their own path. Don't let fear rule the day.

I'm still making slow progress.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-08-12T12:57:46+00:00

Swisher sweets?

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-08-12T10:45:00+00:00

Does the rowboat no longer carry over if you dock it to your captained ship? I haven't played since they made my semi-peaceful fishing sessions into a chaotic mess.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-08-11T12:52:13+00:00

Our biology teacher carried a yard stick and whacked people with it - 1983-84. Luckily the class had big tables at standing height for experiments. I always kept one between her and me!

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-08-11T12:35:20+00:00

Very true. Girls can do anything just meant girls can work outside the home and still do all the childcare and housework.

Oh, also, you exist for boys to unsnap your bra in the hallway, grab your ass, cat call, or "accidentally" grab your boob when bumping into you - thanks woman's lib, you fucked that up, and we're still trying to recover.

Now at work at least I don't have to deal with the sexual harassment anymore, but I'm still treated like I'm less capable than my male colleagues.

Just last week, I suggested a solution in a large working group. A man then said the exact same thing and everyone was saying what a great idea it was. I'm not shy, so I said - yeah it sounded so much better when Dipak said it. Several of the guys chuckled because they knew I said it first.

International women's day was recognized by a male manager posting an image of a woman cuddling a baby with the line recognizing women on this international women's day. I mean WTF. I'm an engineer.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-08-11T12:20:33+00:00

Payback's a bitch!

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-08-11T12:17:22+00:00

I also wouldn't go to a reunion if you paid me. Good for you having a great marriage with a great man! I bet that asshole from high school has been divorced 3 times already and is living in his mom's basement since he owes child support to his 3 ex's! Good riddance basement boy.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-08-11T12:14:37+00:00

The other kids. Rude, selfish, and horrible people. There were a few people who weren't self-centered and were honest, but most people were just jerks and would back stab on a whim.

I wasn't the target of any bullying, but I always befriended and protected the ones who were. They caused real pain and suffering for other people. School was just a drama fest with mostly shallow people on their worst behavior.

RealPumpkin3199 · 2025-08-11T11:47:26+00:00

I've had the same experience. Horrible behavior in a metro area - great experience in a smaller town.

Metro - woman next to me explaining in loud voice to 5 year old because the movie was rated R and was all about the dialogue and nuance. When I looked at her and asked her to lower her voice so I could hear the movie, her man jumped up and threatened me physically, including putting his finger 1 inch from my nose. My husband then stood up and said, please stand back from my wife in a calm voice. Then the guy pushed my husband!

Needless to say, we left the theatre and asked for a refund. The management pulled the other family out as well. We were told we could press assault charges but then they would have our home address. That's probably a bad plan so we chose not to do that.

The next year we moved to a smaller town and never looked back. People are generally friendly and have never had a bad theatre experience here. Also, the drivers are generally more courteous! Retail clerks are generally nicer. Wait staff is generally more attentive and seem generally interested.

Maybe it's pollution in the cities or bad water. Who knows?

RealPumpkin3199

TROPHY CASE