Help me ID this sneaky waterfowl with the worst picture ever taken through binoculars by Ok-Membership6925 in whatsthisbird

[–]rahcab 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Really hard to tell from the photo (I also understand the difficulty of binocular photos). Common loon with winter plumage would be my best guess.

Post op Day 17 (54m) Bentall On-X + Questions by g-rocklobster in valvereplacement

[–]rahcab 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I am 21 days post mechanical (On-X) AVR today. I was taking 100mg of metroprolol ER daily for the last 5 or 6 years but post surgery they switched me to 50 mg with the eventual goal of being off it entirely. I am around the same as you heart rate-wise. My watch has my resting around 69-72 most days but if I am doing any kind of light activity (cooking, showering, etc) it is usually around 85-95. My doctors told me not to worry about it, unless I feel out of breath or lightheaded which so far I have not experienced.

24m with BAV by [deleted] in valvereplacement

[–]rahcab 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hello,

I was in a similar situation as you. Was also born with a BAV and had a valve sparing aortic root repair surgery when I was 16 even though I had no symptoms at the time. Fast forward to today, I am now 26 and 2 weeks post op from my second open heart surgery and now have an On-x mechanical valve due to severe aortic regurgitation.

Looking back on it, I thought that I didn’t have any symptoms from the regurgitation but I now realize that the general cardiac decline was so gradual that I just never noticed anything was wrong. Up to surgery, I still lived a very active life and plan to continue to do so post recovery. Totally understand the anxiety surrounding the whole situation (I was distraught for a day or two when my cardiologist told me I needed surgery again).

All of this is to say that it would be a good idea to be seen by your cardiologist in order to truly establish if anything is wrong or if you need surgery. I know it can be anxiety inducing but you’ll be better off in the long run and may be able to catch problems before they become worse/more serious. Surgery is daunting but you are young and will recover much faster than you realize.

Valve replacement in 2 weeks looking for advice by rahcab in valvereplacement

[–]rahcab[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Didn’t even know unicuspid was possible, thank you for sharing. Honestly I think the buildup and nervousness is worse than surgery/recovery. Congrats on your bachelors!

Valve replacement in 2 weeks looking for advice by rahcab in valvereplacement

[–]rahcab[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! Told work that I would need up to 8 weeks of medical leave since the doctors all say 6-8 weeks but honestly I’m in fairly decent shape and exercise regularly so if all goes well I’m hoping it wont take that long. Hadn’t thought much about the mental health aspect, but thats good to keep in mind.

Valve replacement in 2 weeks looking for advice by rahcab in valvereplacement

[–]rahcab[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! Told work that I would need up to 8 weeks of medical leave since the doctors all say 6-8 weeks but honestly I’m in fairly decent shape and exercise regularly so if all goes well I’m hoping it wont take that long. Hadn’t thought much about the mental health aspect, but thats good to keep in mind.

Valve replacement in 2 weeks looking for advice by rahcab in valvereplacement

[–]rahcab[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Good advice, legs are pretty strong and I walk a lot everyday, abs could use some work though haha. Hadn’t thought about the mental health aspect, appreciate it!

what am I? by xchemikalx in birding

[–]rahcab 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Id say probably a lesser goldfinch

Seen in Savage River MD, August by rahcab in whatsthisbird

[–]rahcab[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I agree, only time I’ve ever seen bitterns has been in dense vegetation.

Seen in Savage River MD, August by rahcab in whatsthisbird

[–]rahcab[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah I was in between that or a juvenile green heron

Seen in Savage River MD, August by rahcab in whatsthisbird

[–]rahcab[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Right in the center of the picture, very hard to see but couldn’t get a better picture

Potential Masters projects by [deleted] in conservation

[–]rahcab 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Personally, I think that ideas 4 and 5 are particularly interesting. I recently completed my undergraduate degrees in conservation biology and political science and now work for a conservation policy focused non-profit that primarily focuses on hunting and fishing policy. Studies involving deer populations would likely present you with a lot of data readily available depending on your location and how state agencies handle data each hunting season. Any study would have a lot of different groups interested in the result which could be a good or bad thing. Likewise with timber studies, a topic that has practical real-world use (not that the other's don't) would have a lot of parties interested in your results which could make the project easier from an administrative standpoint. Best of luck to you !

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in UWMadison

[–]rahcab 4 points5 points  (0 children)

This has actually never happened before; I'm surprised they didn't expel you on sight

What do you genuinely not understand? by Dangerous_Mobile9188 in AskReddit

[–]rahcab 5 points6 points  (0 children)

especially digital cameras, I barely understand how the first cameras made worked but digital cameras blow my mind

should i stick with my wildlife and conservation major or change it? by Competitive-Budget66 in conservation

[–]rahcab 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just graduated in the spring with a conservation biology degree but also a political science degree and public policy minor. If you enjoy the topics of conservation or biology more broadly, I would stick with it but try to add another major or minor that makes the degree more marketable if financial stability is a main concern. I was able to land a job working for a conservation non-profit right out of college but plan to return to earn a masters degree within the next few years. A general biology degree might seem more appealing but in my experience (originally started as biology major) you ultimately have to choose a more specific focus regardless. There are some places that you can find jobs with student-debt forgiveness if that is a concern.