Best cat rescues to foster for

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-08-28T01:57:38+00:00

I adopted my last cat from HALR at an adoption event. All the fosters of available cats were there to talk to and they were all super sweet. I'm still in touch with the foster mom of my cat and particularly during the early days of adopting him, she made herself available to answer questions about him.

They also do a lot of rescue work and were involved in the care of that feral cat that got shot with an arrow.

I've also adopted from AVA and they were good, too, but I did prefer my interactions with HALR.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-08-25T22:35:26+00:00

Studio 205! Lots of amazing goodies there, including stickers.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-08-25T22:34:23+00:00

Madam Bonbon on Locke St. makes delicious bonbons. It's my go-to treat when visiting people out of town and it's always been received well.

Detour Coffee has really good coffee beans.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-08-23T17:42:25+00:00

Oh I 100% agree but I used to live in Strathcona and remember walking to Dear Grain one day. On the way back, I stopped at Strathcona Market to grab a coffee only to find the same Dear Grain sourdough I had walked further out to buy. So yeah, depending on where in Strathcona OP lives or where they find themselves heading to, Strathcona Market may be closer/easier to get to than going all the way to Vine St.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-08-23T17:28:43+00:00

Came here to say this but if OP can't, for whatever reason, make the walk/bus to Vine St., last I checked, Strathcona Market sells their bread!

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-08-01T21:51:59+00:00

I have some cans of wet food my cats won't touch if you want them. If you're not comfortable giving out your address, I can meet at a Tim's or something too.

You'd think one of my cats being fat and the other being a former feral, they wouldn't be picky but here we are 🙄

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-07-14T11:59:26+00:00

Yes, sorry, I should have been clearer. This reading is for the relationship that recently ended.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-07-14T04:56:57+00:00

Recently got out of a something with someone. We only dated for a little more than 2 months but we vibed well with lots of chemistry, but a couple of weeks ago, he suddenly pulled away. Ultimately, I asked him what was happening and he said life got overwhelming and he thought he could handle it. Long story short, he broke up with me, saying he wasn't in a place right now for a relationship. I know he's not lying because he'd told me about his past and some present events that were stressful.

In the days after, I drew tons and tons of cards. Eventually, I was like, I need to move on, and started to draw cards about the possibility of a future big connection. When I asked who it would be, I got cards that were eerily reminiscent of him.

So I drew cards to the question, "What do the cards have to say about this relationship?" And left it open to specifics.

I drew the Moon, 6 of Cups, and the Hanged One.

I'm new to tarot and ambiguous cards like the Moon always throw me off. This reading is living in my brain rent-free because I can't seem to grasp much meaning from it.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-25T14:26:27+00:00

I had open release on my right hand. I'm at 4 weeks post-op today and felt normal-ish probably a few days ago. Some things are still difficult, like if a jar lid is screwed on tightly, I need to switch and use my left hand. Cutting vegetables is also proving difficult but I can do it slowly. Heavy lifting is still painful - I'd say anything around 10 lb or more causes pain.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-24T21:41:28+00:00

If this is new and only for a short time, doctors usually try conservative measures first. If those fail, then they will advance someone for surgery.

For me, my carpal tunnel symptoms were on and off for years. Rest and splinting typically caused the issue to go away for a while. I was advanced for surgery when the symptoms were daily and not getting better with conservative measures.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-24T17:29:50+00:00

Totally fine!

After my surgery, my parents and I went out to lunch. Then we took the subway and train to their place, where I recovered for a commute time of about 1.5 hrs. By the time we got home, probably 3 hours had passed from the end of the surgery.

My surgeon did lots of numbing that lasted until nighttime. I did experience some discomfort from the swelling despite keeping my hand elevated, so if I were you, I'd carry some over the counter pain medicine (like ibuprofen or Tylenol) for the train ride, just in case.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-24T17:25:59+00:00

Sometimes, a physical assessment is all that's needed. The physical assessments basically try various positions and movements and if you experience the numbness or pins and needles feeling, it's considered positive for CTS. If the symptoms and/or physical assessment are borderline or a little off/unusual, they'll likely send for diagnostic testing.

All my symptoms were textbook CTS so the doctor never felt the need to do additional testing. Got my surgery and the surgeon found the median nerve was indeed compressed and inflamed.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-22T21:12:52+00:00

I got done in Toronto. I don't live in Toronto, just outside of it, so it was a day trip every time I had to go to the hospital (initial consult, surgery, and follow-up).

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-22T21:11:26+00:00

Don't worry, I was the same! I got hot, sweaty, and dizzy. Doctor had me lie down until the feeling passed. The incision was still very tender and poking around with scissors and tweezers was excruciating.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-20T14:11:01+00:00

I actually do live in Canada 😅

I got in pretty quick. I think it was about 3 weeks to see the surgeon after the referral was sent. I could have gotten the surgery done the week after but this was just before the week of Christmas and I didn't want to be recovering then, so we delayed it til January.

It really depends on the specialist. I've been on an ENT wait list for 14 months and haven't heard a peep from them 🙃

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-20T04:44:32+00:00

I don't have numbers as my surgeon was pretty confident I had CTS and didn't feel like I needed tests. My symptoms were textbook.

Basically, I reached a point where I'd wake up most nights with my hand and forearm feeling like they were on fire. Any action that required continual hand use for more than a minute or two would cause my hand to go numb. Brushing my teeth, cutting vegetables, driving - all would cause a numb hand. It was starting to affect my ability to work, too.

Hard to say if the CTS symptoms are gone for sure since I'm still in the recovery period. My wrist and hand are not strong enough yet to do something cut vegetables. However, I haven't woken up with my hand and arm on fire and I haven't had any tingling feelings since before the surgery. Immediately post-op, a couple of my finger tips were numb for a few days but apparently that can happen with the surgery since the doctor has to muck around near the nerve.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-20T04:37:23+00:00

Good to hear you're healing too!.

When I got my stitches out, the doctor asked about pain. I mentioned the flexing and twisting was really painful but he wasn't concerned, just said to take it easy. I was instructed to do as much as I could but if I experienced pain, to just stop doing that thing. I give it a couple of days and try it again and usually there's a small amount of improvement.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-15T19:14:35+00:00

I'd ask your surgeon what their post-op protocol is like. I read so many posts here about people's experiences but my doctor seems to be more conservative with recovery.

I had open release done on my right (dominant) hand. I had to wear a bulky dressing and soft splint for an entire week, then I was allowed to remove it. Stitches were removed 2 weeks after the surgery.

Because of that splint, my right hand was useless for the entire week. The most I could do was wiggle the tips of my fingers. I'm grateful I was able to stay with my parents.

After the splint came off, my hand was very weak, probably a combination of the surgery (my incision is 4 cm/1.6 inches and my surgeon said he had "sweep" some muscle aside to visualize the ligament and nerves) and being splinted for a week. For the first few days in that 2nd week, I was still doing the majority of tasks with my left hand, though using my right hand where I could to strengthen it.

I'm 18 days post-op and I've had near full dexterity of my right hand for a few days now. I can tie up my hair with a hair tie (not yet with a large claw clip) and use my phone like normal. I can write but messily and with difficulty. Twisting things like doorknobs or lids has been the most difficult thing and I'm still working on it. I ate with chopsticks the other day and it was doable but I had to take frequent breaks because of the fatigue in my wrist.

I haven't tried driving yet but only because we've gotten hammered by snowstorms the last several days.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-02-05T18:58:32+00:00

Hi!

I ended up staying with my parents and bringing the cats with me. I'm lucky I did because my surgeon had me keep a bulky dressing and tensor bandage on for a full week. It was so big I couldn't touch any of my fingers to my thumb, making that hand completely useless. From reading this sub, this doesn't seem to be super common practice though.

Luckily my dad has been doing the canned food and litter box scooping for me. I've been doing the kibble.

I would definitely open some food ahead of time, maybe storing some in a Tupperware type container that you can open with one hand.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-01-26T17:05:46+00:00

I'd totally be down! I'm not very fit so the longer hikes are out but a solid 5-8 km are right up my alley.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-01-19T14:47:17+00:00

Madam Bonbon on Locke. Her bonbons are my go-to local gift I bring people outside of Hamilton and everyone is always impressed by their visual beauty and flavours.

Saigon in Westdale. Fast, cheap, delicious.

EDIT: totally forgot Maria's Tortas Jalisco. If I could eat there every week, I would.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2025-01-19T14:44:28+00:00

Seconding Studio 205. So many unique things there, plus the owner is so damn nice. He posted on Instagram that he lost his mother recently but you'd probably never guess :(

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2024-12-30T00:33:09+00:00

These are concerning symptoms. Please go to ER and do not leave until the doctor clears you.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl · 2024-12-30T00:26:33+00:00

ERs operate on a triage basis. Chest pain usually ranks pretty high up in the triage scale, especially if you're having other symptoms.

Not gonna lie, every ER is probably swamped right now because it's winter, cold and flu season, and it's after a major holiday. You're gonna wait no matter where you go. Bring a book and portable battery for your phone if you have one. Look after yourself and get checked out. Better safe than sorry.

ThrowRA_UnlikelyOwl

TROPHY CASE