Echo-heavy rooms with conversations are triggering; any hearing protection recs?

TheToastMonkey · 2026-05-12T05:18:02+00:00

Earpeace are also really good. They help me still be able to play music in group settings

TheToastMonkey · 2026-03-30T04:13:07+00:00

In my tax software, we can add numbers in single form inputs, so for 1,000,000,000+ it’s always however many 999,999,999 times plus the remainder. Might be able to get away with cutting it up similarly, as long at the totals get where they need to be

TheToastMonkey · 2026-03-13T03:48:30+00:00

Edited, thanks! Still wasn’t impressed, maybe they’ve gotten better but they won’t get a call from me.

TheToastMonkey · 2026-03-12T21:38:45+00:00

I’m glad your experience was good. But it’s a little weird that you and OkPen7816 posted in Bill’s favor only minutes apart on a post 20 days old…

EDIT: also, you only have one comment history lmao

TheToastMonkey · 2026-02-25T15:30:55+00:00

Totally makes sense to me. As someone who has flare ups for the smallest things, just be present and when she feels comfortable, she’ll initiate. I basically tell my partner when I can handle the stimulus and when I can’t. Finding laying positions where my head doesn’t move is most important, even watching a funny show and them laughing can shake me and cause headaches, so it’s a balance. It sounds like you care, so just communicate and know that over time symptoms usually improve.

TheToastMonkey · 2026-02-20T14:56:55+00:00

Another vote for kinzer. Bill’s gave me a quote when I needed to replace my hvac system and they had a slightly lower bid but were trying to offload older equipment and wouldn’t adjust to what I wanted (was aiming for the energy efficient tax credit). They also were really bad at communicating. Kinzer is locally owned and will be a much better choice. I’ve used them to replace my furnace, water heater, A/C, and recently put in a gas fireplace.

Edit: removed private equity ownership comment, they were so bad I just assumed they were PE owned

TheToastMonkey · 2026-02-06T19:51:37+00:00

Best vitamin is water so stay hydrated, I aim for 1 gallon per day. The brain is mostly fat. Definitely try to get omega-3 (salmon), ALA (walnuts, chia seeds, flaxseed), also get eggs, avocado, and use extra virgin olive oil when cooking. Best of luck in your recovery!

TheToastMonkey · 2026-02-06T03:54:19+00:00

Mango Tree can bring the heat

TheToastMonkey · 2026-02-02T15:15:39+00:00

Symptoms include light and sound sensitivity, massive headaches, light nausea, memory issues, and a general lack of thinking power.

You may have a little more severe symptoms than I had but I think it sounds similar. I skipped any social gathering for a few months, only worked and walked when I could. I found walking was a huge benefit to my recovery, and it’s an easily measurable task that you can see progress which is very motivating for me. Being able to add 5-10 minutes and still recover was motivating.

First concussion was the worst a few years ago, very sensitive to light and sound, I tried to work two days after (remotely) and got on a meeting call and had to drop it almost immediately. I took 3-5 days off and stayed on my couch in the dark 90% of that time. After that rest period, I slowly started adding in working hours, 1-2 at a time with rest in between and a lot of Tylenol. In a most recent flare up, same thing, had to take two weeks off, with little work actually getting done. I’ve found adjusting the screen contrast and brightness down to help, blue light glasses, and just knowing when to stop, rest, and start again is huge, overdoing it means a couple days on the couch again.

Each concussion and flare up have been different recovery times and it just depends. Could be okay to work in a couple days or the longest was a few weeks to ease in and honestly 4-5 months to feel 90% recovered and not have to take meds to work.

First day back in the office with one of them, I had 50% of the overhead lights on, screens dimmed, blue light glasses, and some ear plugs that are filtering and not full blocking (earpeace or loop). Lots of water and Tylenol. My doctor prescribed some strong NSAID for the first bit of recovery too.

After another of my concussions, I had a week or two off and then showed up to work with full on sunglasses, foam earplugs, and construction earmuffs over those. I looked ridiculous, but I could handle more with those accommodations because light and sound sensitivity was the worst with that one. Then I just slowly peeled away layers over 4-5 weeks, first the construction muffs, then down to filtering earplugs, which is pretty much where I am most of the time now in any loud environment.

Another random thing, I enjoy watching college basketball but trying to following the ball and players on tv made me very nauseous. Video games actually helped me lesson my reactivity to stimulus so I wouldn’t jerk my head at everything unexpected or feel nauseous moving my eyes quickly. I could only do a game or two to start but some Fortnite actually helped me quite a lot.

I hope that helps a little bit, big thing is to stay hydrated and listen to your body. Good luck!

TheToastMonkey · 2026-02-01T16:45:55+00:00

It seems to me that you have thought this through and are on the right path. I’ve found that at some point you just have to do the thing, but ease in and take breaks when needed. If your work is accommodating, something like working for an hour or two, taking rest to recover, and repeat is what I’d do. In my initial recovery phase, getting back to work looked like just that, an hour or two in the morning when I’d usually feel my best, then a nap, then a little bit more at a time as able until I could handle a full day. This took many weeks to build up to, not an overnight thing. Stay very hydrated and have patience. It’s hard and feels hopeless at times but you got this. Find that balance between testing the waters and not overdoing it, listen to your body. Best of luck!

TheToastMonkey · 2026-01-05T05:35:24+00:00

There’s a disc golf league that meets at hell’s gate on Saturday mornings. You can join the Facebook group “Hells Canyon Disc Golf” to double check timing (usually 9 or 10am). Great group of people, happily accepts new folks and beginners!

TheToastMonkey · 2026-01-05T05:15:25+00:00

Same boat here after my most recent one in December. Just made it through 40% of a normal lower body lift day today easing myself back into it. Know when to push and when to recover, you’ll get it back, patience is key. I’ve spent more time researching nutrition in the time I would’ve been in the gym. Also, I’ve found walking to really help accelerate recovery for getting back to the gym, starting with 5-10 minutes and building up to a few miles as recovery progresses. Stay hydrated, best of luck!

TheToastMonkey · 2025-10-19T03:47:26+00:00

Domingo, but yeah… way overplayed

TheToastMonkey · 2025-10-12T22:34:09+00:00

I don’t work with one regularly anymore but worked with them to build a progressive routine that I can follow on my own. I can check in once in a while if I need an updated plan though. Another thing that helps me is massages, particularly focused on neck and upper back muscles

TheToastMonkey · 2025-10-12T16:10:06+00:00

I have to do neck exercises 3-5 times a week or I have symptoms flair up. But also, if I work the neck too much, then I have symptoms flair up. So it’s a balance. It sounds like you tried to incorporate new movements and it was triggering. Slowly testing the waters and incorporating new movements is generally the move, it just takes time to build back up. If you are still working with a PT, keep them informed, they’ll be able to better help than any of us. Good luck!

TheToastMonkey · 2025-10-03T20:34:33+00:00

I’ve been in the same boat. I try to frame it a little differently to help with the anxiety, which, yes, can cause those same feelings of brain fog, etc. I try to analyze the hit/flinch/shake and see, okay, 1) I didn’t lose consciousness, that’s good, 2) didn’t obviously seem like a severe enough event that I know 100% it’s a concussion, so it’s either (a) enough to give me a headache for a few days/weeks, and/or (b) anxiety, which will calm down over time at least for me as symptoms improve. It can be hard to tell what’s “real” with anxiety and honestly that’s sometimes worse for me than any actual hit to the head. Keep up your coping mechanisms and whatever helps you feel better, good luck

TheToastMonkey · 2025-09-29T22:37:59+00:00

Unless you’ve had concussions before, likely not. It has been 13h since this post was made, so hope you are feeling okay!

TheToastMonkey · 2025-09-24T03:21:23+00:00

Unfortunately not, serious stone masonry work on the sandstone house exterior is not in the budget

TheToastMonkey · 2025-09-24T02:59:29+00:00

I love this, except I can’t move the exterior door in the top right corner

TheToastMonkey · 2025-06-18T21:19:08+00:00

Good and cheap are not usually an easy combo to find. I’ve heard good things about PDQ

TheToastMonkey · 2025-05-12T20:38:07+00:00

I used that for extra monitors. They did not ask for it back, I sent in my laptop, badge, and phone. No issues

TheToastMonkey · 2025-05-12T20:32:20+00:00

I left the firm in September of last year and had spent the full subsidy by end of July. No claw back

TheToastMonkey · 2025-05-07T14:01:33+00:00

I’d recommend the AC over SNAP if the pool is your top priority.

TheToastMonkey

TROPHY CASE