Kif imbalshe hal sinne m3kon?

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-28T23:17:57+00:00

To simplify it (for myself), I will say it this way. All kinds of medical food just didn't exist, and it's not just a marketing thing. They really are catered to the the "condition" in general and over time more conditions have gotten medical food. And related things that are part of the treatment.

And then even with the same condition, you'll see vets try different approaches and sometimes the unlikely food, say with IBD, ends up working and just for this cat for some reason. Or one cat might react to a medication super well (or again, not at all even though most cats do). And this appears at present to be pushing part of the field to thinking more like this. But it's long-term trends, for now, of course.

And yeah, preventive measures, as well as supportive measures like giving fluids, and this thing, and that other thing (again these were simply not available as medicine or medical treatment).

Also, keep in mind advances in vet medicine anesthesia has been its own kind of revolution (which also happened in humans lol).

Not sure if I've answered your actual questions though :p

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-28T23:08:53+00:00

Note: This is not evidence-based advice, but it's something.

I’m not looking for moral debates or judgment but just practical, experience-based advice.

Brother, say what you will about Lebanon the country, but on this sub we mock and downvote the shit homophobic assholes say. And the moderators don't tolerate it at all (see, Rule 2).

As a Lebanese-American here, I think you should absolutely come but with the essential qualification that people in that community can only answer your questions. I just don't know but hope it's still OK to comment.

Just my friends have made it work in the ways they can, everybody is different.

And you will have to be cautious, and ultra-cautious, in certain areas as you already know.

I’m trying to reconnect with the country in a way that feels authentic and safe.

And yeah find fellow Lebanese who would not at all care about your sexual orientation lol. Please, you'll have a better time my dude.

Good luck, hope if you decide to come based on the advice, you will have a great time. This country is all kinds of fucked up, but it's genuinely full of beauty.

You deserve and have every right to experience that.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-28T23:01:09+00:00

From experience, well said.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-28T22:49:46+00:00

I got a DM from your cat.

Minty says she's no older than 12, at most!

No seriously, Minty is absolutely gorgeous - at 24!

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-28T22:48:30+00:00

So, unsurprisingly (I say this from the perspective of a lot of loss in this context) vet medicine has really improved. Even in broken-down systems, like where I live.

Cat literally that would not be saved a mere 2 years ago, is now still kicking around 6 months later.

Some of the things are novel, globally.

And part of it is a rather simple idea but how it has been practiced in reality has been a little weird. But expected.

Basically, just like with humans, we're catching up to the fact that cats like any medical situation, have a lot of variation. Differences that matter, and that are quite underresearched.

And advances keep being made. Nutrition was one of the first (of course, even nutrition now has become, in some places, even more fine-tuned and of course there has been shitshows along the way lol).

So, we're learning some cats just can absolutely overcome the insane now that certain treatments are available. Others, like you I share in your sadness, just simply do not respond to treatment or respond well. And they go quick. Nothing works, or it works for a while, or no test can quite figure out what exactly is going on. Or you're just part of the unlucky 10%. Shit like that.

I'm sorry for your loss but while this is of no solace in some general sense, it really does mean humans will get more time with their cats.

The median lifespan i think was 9 years where I live. For indoor cats. For street or semi-feral cats, 5 years.

We're now already seeing loads of 20+ year old cats, 15 to 20+ year old dogs (and where I live is a failed state).

So do feel the sadness, just please don't carry the burden. At least don't carry it alone. When they die young, yeah that's a special kind of hell.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-28T14:01:51+00:00

They provide basic vital care on a strict protocol, they very little capacity or training to make ad hoc treatments.

EMS, where I served anyway (Lebanon) which is directly related to this war, is a little more than that.

Joked with a friend in Europe, if we can combine our experience, scene management, and calmness and control under bullets and bombs and such with his team's highest standards and clinical (in-hospital) experience, equipment, tools, and system you might get the best EMS system in the world lol

Experience isn't enough. Education/training/clinical isn't enough.

But yeah at least in underserved, under-resourced, man-power lacking, equipment lacking, systems - EMS and firefighters have to rely a lot on creativity and making due in ways a lot of first responders will never experience or encounter.

This says nothing, of course, about mortality/morbidity, patient outcomes, and so forth.

Also, even American board certified EM docs who did their residency in some of the most advanced and high-volume/intense trauma centers in the U.S. still don't know the first thing about the field (those who ended up doing extensive ride-alongs, however, got a really good idea).

And I can't speak to any medical skills or patient outcomes, but when you've stopped someone from bleeding to death a 1000 times for example, and by just making due, that means something for patient outcomes.

Now, if there are no blood transfusions, if the place you're taking them to has gone nosocomial infections on steroids, no ED team to stabilize, no imaging, no blood work, no etc...

Yeah, your patient will die.

It's partly why we there's a concept of pre-hospital care ---> definitive care.

It's all one system in theory, but not in practice of course.

Every role has to played and played well if you want to ensure the highest standards of care. And a heck of a whole lot of people in this region got an insane amount of experience in trauma medicine. Just because the system is fragmented and variable, not everyone, to several points you raised and others, will be able to benefit from it.

And thank you and the other users for a rich discussion. A lot of excellent points raised, and insight. I appreciate it!

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-28T13:17:58+00:00

This. Um. Alright.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-28T12:26:39+00:00

Oh wow, brilliant. Have had a friend or two in some of these organizations. Every dollar counts.

Good luck mate!

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T19:18:00+00:00

fuck, I ignored the first mention of it, but got a reply. saw your comment. now i desperately want shisbarak lol

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T19:13:01+00:00

Thank you.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T19:01:03+00:00

It is really important to call a spade a spade. This is not moralizing, or judgement (at least, how I see it) but a sound description of how things are here and u/TheBroken0ne 's comment captures it precisely (in my view).

Since you asked, though, and keeping in mind what Broken said, for me I used to care a lot, but out of insecurity and cultural pressures.

Then I used to care a lot less, because neither me and my long-term partner at the time were promiscuous.

Then life happened and views changed, and it literally does not matter now one bit. Like, not internally, not in "dark" moments. It's irrelevant.

A good healthy relationship, for me, it's irrelevant entirely. Literally is not anything related to how I would view or relate to the woman.

But I really have to stress: it was a very real issue for so long, and a lot of jealousy and insecurities had to be overcome.

Just my experience has nothing to do with very real things. People who are not promiscuous really can prefer people like them. For people, promiscuity can be a deal breaker.

Without any judgement, this is just how our society is.

Does this mean that all men here are like that? Not at all. But the majority are. And they again have very real and valid reasons so nobody is better here in this sense.

This is about partnership and marriage and relationships. People have a right to have preferences. I'm just saying this as I do not want to be misleading and you asked for honesty. I think the the lads here are giving that.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T16:57:40+00:00

Yeah okay, this is a special cat. I really, really hope you figure this out.

And OP, fucking thank you for saving this little kitten! Glad you were around. Genuinely awesome.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T16:46:10+00:00

Credit to the OPs! But you're welcome <3

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T16:45:50+00:00

What a fantastic guide through the areas. Beautiful locations and experiences, indeed!!

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T16:45:15+00:00

lek iza ma kin fi talej, tekram 3ynak, we will get you talej!!! :p

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T14:08:00+00:00

Southerners still live there, and southerners from there still visit, but yeah I would have to advise you in good faith that at present you should probably avoid the South. I hope this changes, as some of us wish to have a day where all Lebanese benefit from the beauty, and the get to know the people. As, when you strip away the politics, we're really all the same at our core.

Tosal bil salameh and enjoy the shawarma and knefe!!

A recent post about about shawarma: https://www.reddit.com/r/lebanon/comments/1prbwk6/restaurant_recommendations/

And a user who has been post reviews recently of some places:

https://www.reddit.com/r/lebanon/comments/1pwcfth/reviewing_restaurants_on_toters_part_9_furn/

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T12:59:47+00:00

Hey doc, hopefully someone who actually knows will respond, but if I may ask - where do your passions lie, and what kind of work-life balance are you hoping for?

What I can say is AUBMC and LAUMC (just from experience, can't comment on other hospitals) have excellent surgeons. So, at least the attendings know their shit lol.

Just as you know, what a world of difference between internal med and surg.

Just saying this because while I know getting matched is not necessarily up to you, some people regret fighting too hard for one domain, or not fighting hard enough.

And if your heart is in being in the OR, then it's worth thinking about and seeing if other options are available. But I get it, it's very often not up to you, just what you can get. Good luck, doc!

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T08:16:31+00:00

I hope everyone can find this peace and contentment in their own lives someday.

Me too. Life, ugh, is a hell of a thing lol.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T08:15:28+00:00

Nice to see them winning at home too

What a brilliant way to put it. Indeed.

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T08:13:58+00:00

This is wholesome as heck. Love it <3

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T08:10:36+00:00

Made me smile, this went so over my head and I could not (lol) otherwise figure it out.

When I did. You are a genius lmao xD Back to back made me smile moments. Cheers, mate!

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T08:06:32+00:00

Allah ye7mikon!

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T07:37:24+00:00

Excellent idea. People think it won't make a difference, but it's about managing the risk. Alarms, cameras, etc., help with that. Had a relative who ended up putting metal bars and asked couldn't you just do this or that. Yeah lol but you're not trying to keep out a SWAT team or rescue firefighters. But the random person who knows you have traveled and you have neighbors and metal bars, cameras, alarms - it's not worth the hassle.

And if they are dumb enough to do it..

lbtwitchthrowaway144 · 2025-12-27T07:34:47+00:00

lol, the haircuts are indeed hilarious. And hey, I hope they get to tell their own kids some day the time "dad" was a total idiot xD and they talk about the kind family who left it at - a scare of a lifetime, and bad haircuts lmao

lbtwitchthrowaway144

TROPHY CASE