u/Lucyrexy

First of all, I'm sorry if my question sound really dumb, I'm from South and I know nothing about house building, it's a genuine question 😅.

Yesterday I was on YouTube and a documentary about Siberia just "pop" in my suggestion. I watch it and some images show a HUGE (and a little bit defreshed 😅) Soviet-era apartment complex, where many Russians still live today. The inside were dilapidated by some place, but globally, theses infrastructures were ok, I mean... To my sight. I know it's not the best of the best, but it's better than literally nothing between you and the snow.

After watching, I was thinking about the housing crisis in the North of Canada, and it make me sad, and I thought: "wait... Why not building big appartments complex? If the Soviets were able to build in Siberia in the permafrost, would it be possible here too?"

I'm aware that the "big appartments-complex" is faaaaaar from the traditional nomadic Inuk lifestyle, and of course I didn't want to see the government force another colonial way of life, but how the Canadian government didn't think of theses "blocks" of appartments if the Soviets could build it, to resolve the housing problem?

I'm very aware that this is not a simple yes or no situation, but I would like to understand 🙏

Hi!

During the summer of 2021, I had to undergo tests for my ribs, and my doctor literally discovered on an X-ray that I had a 3mm retrolisthesis between C3 and C4. He called me and asked if I had been in a car accident or had a major impact; I replied that I hadn't, but I remembered something that happened many years before :

When I was 14, I had fun late one evening in a huge field with kids my age, a kind of game where we were separated into 2 teams: team A had to hide in the tall grass, and team B had to find them with flashlights.

I was on Team A, and I was literally lying flat on the ground in the tall grass when another teenager from my team came running at full speed towards me. But since it was already dark, he NEVER saw me, and I still remember his foot hitting my forehead and my head snapping back. He went flying over me and landed very badly. I remember rolling a bit to the side, but at the time, I was worried about the guy. Apart from a scraped wrist, he was fine, and he was worried about me, but I don't remember being in that much pain. This event stuck with me, but not because of the pain, more because of the "haha, we were stupids kids playing like that in the dark" factor.

So when retrolistesis struck me seven years later, it hit me hard. Adding to the neck "blockages" that have been developing for the past year or two, I've had an anxiety disorder for as long as I can remember, and since 2021, my biggest fear has been becoming quadriplegic, following something like a car accident. My anxiety is telling me, "Hey, even someone without displaced vertebrae is at risk, imagine what it's could be for YOU"

I'm terrified at the thought of perhaps one day being unable to move because of a sudden turn of the wheel. Not being able to draw, write, knit, or sew terrifies me, and I'm anxious about getting my driver's license because I think that at the slightest accident, my C3 and C4 vertebrae might decide to take a vacation.

I didn't have a doctor, she's in "baby vacation" until December, and within 3 monts my neck "block" 3 times. Not something violent, just I'm doing my life and I turn my head and "clock!"... And I can't move my head on a left or right during 3/4 days, until it's resolved itself...

I don't know what to do or who to talk to about it, and I discovered this subreddit, so here goes. I don't know what to expect by posting in "discussion," but here goes, this is my story.

Note : I originally posted on the subreddit about spine injuries because I thought retrolistesis"fit" in the "injuries", but it didn't. It was a Reddit about the "full injuries" (didn't know if the term is ok) and it was a big mistake, I didn't wanted to hurt anyone, I was in the middle of the night when I posted it yesterday, and I saw a post mention C3, so I posted there, but then someone propose me other's subs, and I found here.

Hi!

During the summer of 2021, I had to undergo tests for my ribs, and my doctor literally discovered on an X-ray that I had a 3mm retrolisthesis between C3 and C4. He called me and asked if I had been in a car accident or had a major impact; I replied that I hadn't, but I remembered something that happened many years before :

When I was 14, I had fun late one evening in a huge field with kids my age, a kind of game where we were separated into 2 teams: team A had to hide in the tall grass, and team B had to find them with flashlights.

I was on Team A, and I was literally lying flat on the ground in the tall grass when another teenager from my team came running at full speed towards me. But since it was already dark, he NEVER saw me, and I still remember his foot hitting my forehead and my head snapping back. He went flying over me and landed very badly. I remember rolling a bit to the side, but at the time, I was worried about the guy. Apart from a scraped wrist, he was fine, and he was worried about me, but I don't remember being in that much pain. This event stuck with me, but not because of the pain, more because of the "haha, we were stupids kids playing like that in the dark" factor.

So when retrolistesis struck me seven years later, it hit me hard. Adding to the neck "blockages" that have been developing for the past year or two, I've had an anxiety disorder for as long as I can remember, and since 2021, my biggest fear has been becoming quadriplegic, following something like a car accident. My anxiety is telling me, "Hey, even someone without displaced vertebrae is at risk, imagine what it's could be for YOU"

I'm terrified at the thought of perhaps one day being unable to move because of a sudden turn of the wheel. Not being able to draw, write, knit, sew or just taking care and BREATH by myself terrifies me, and I'm anxious about getting my driver's license because I think that at the slightest accident, my C3 and C4 vertebrae might decide to take a vacation.

I don't know what to do or who to talk to about it, and I discovered this subreddit, so here goes. I don't know what to expect by posting in "discussion," but here goes, this is my story.

Let's take the example of Houses Stokeworth and Sarsfield. Same colors: white and green, a sheep on one, an arrow on the other. On a banner, I grant you it's virtually impossible to make a mistake, but imagine at court.

Imagine yourself at the court of King's Landing, and you see two men dressed in the same shade of green and white, without any accessories representing a sheep or an arrow. Personally, I know I would be horrified to get the address wrong. Especially in a context where reputation and honor are paramount, I imagine addressing someone by the wrong house is an extremely embarrassing offense. But then again, these two men are wearing the SAME colors! Is it really so inconceivable that someone could mistake a man of House Stokeworth for a Sarsfield, or vice versa? And if that happened, how would it be perceived? How would one defuse such a delicate situation? And above all, how do the nobles manage to distinguish all the colors of each noble house if some are so similar?

Honestly, wtf?

Several months ago, I was at work with a colleague who has a young child, and at one point, she mentioned how unfortunate it was that several other playgrounds in our city seemed neglected, and that she hadn't dared to take her daughter there for some time because the equipment looked so unstable. I told her that it was indeed a shame, since I think playgrounds can be really beneficial for children's socialization and for a neighborhood in general. I even pointed out that the playground in my own neighborhood also seemed abandoned, which was absurd given the number of children in the area.

She looked at me as if a third arm had just grown on me and said, "Wait, you don't want children but you're worried about playgrounds?"

Uh...yeah? Just because I don't want children doesn't mean I want others to be unhappy, or to get hurt in a playground that's been abandoned for like 10 years?

I really don't understand people's "surprise" when I explain that I want other people's children to be safe and happy. It seems that for some people, the fact that I don't want children is enough to label me a "bitter girl who hates children and wants to see them disappear from the face of the earth."

I don't want children, but I sincerely wish that those already on Earth are happy, in stable environments, and can become functional adults. Why is that so "disturbing" to some?

Hi!

I am a former premature baby of 24 weeks and for some time now a question has been coming back to me when I visit this subreddit.

In 26 years, I imagine the protocols have changed, but a situation my parents told me about comes back to me and I wonder if things have changed, or if the medical profession still has this tendency to "act and then it's no longer our problem".

Let me explain.

Like many 24w premature babies, my intestines weren't fully developed when I was born, and I was literally constipated all the time from my first few weeks of life. A short time after my birth, I developed necrotizing enterocolitis. Fortunately, I didn't need to have dead tissue removed, but after the infection, the constipation worsened. Note that I spent six months in the NICU, but I don't know when the following suggestion was made. The doctors came in and said, "We'd like to place a feeding tube and a stoma; it would be much easier."

My father said he felt his stomach clench. He's a chef, and the idea that he'd never be able to let me taste lots of dishes and share his passion, I think that really got to him.

My mother, who had a neighbor whose teenage son was being fed through a feeding tube, immediately said:

"Easier for whom? For you, in the immediate situation, or for us once we get home?"

My parents have rarely agreed on a subject, but apparently they immediately asked for more information and especially if there were alternatives, since we are talking about a situation where I would have had a "bag" on each side of my stomach possibly for life.

Constipation was the big problem, so my parents asked to see a nutritionist, who, after speaking with the NICU, said that the alternative to the tube and stoma was to get me to eat as much fiber, fruit and vegetables as possible, about 12 portions a day to avoid constipation as much as possible.

My mother remembers very well that the doctors at the NICU seemed very perplexed by the success of this diet, as if they were saying to her, "Madam, you are making your life more complicated."

But since they saw that my mother was still looking for solutions, they arranged for her to meet with a social worker to discuss the situation. My mother explained that she already had two children at home (with no father involved), that she worked full-time, and that since her relationship with my father had ended (a few weeks before my birth), she would be left to manage the feeding tube, liquid nutrition, and everything else on her own. My mother explained that she wanted to explore all the possibilities, and the nurse told her:

"Oh, but you'll just have to go on welfare, that way you can take care of your sick child and the other two."

My mom : Are you f*king kidding me?

Also, my mom is very polite in normal times 😅. But even when she tells the story today, she's angry. How can a social worker tell a single mother that she should just switch to food stamps, that it would be simpler?

My mother left the consultation, and with the nutritionist and a young doctor from NICU, they managed to build a diet of 12 portions of fruits and vegetables per day, which I followed until the age of 8.

Honestly, my mother still doesn't understand how, at the time, the doctors could have believed it would be "easier" to manage two feeding bags than a personalized diet. My mother makes it clear that she feels the doctors' priority was to "fix the immediate problem" without thinking about the "aftermath," what that would mean for the families. She's still angry years later. She says, "I was a 44-year-old mother, I had experience and a wealth of mental resources and knowledge, but I don't even want to imagine what 18-year-old parents would have accepted under such pressure."

Obviously, my mother and I aren't saying that a feeding tube is fundamentally a bad thing. We know it's sometimes necessary, just like a stoma. But I'd like to know if other parents have ever had the impression that doctors were proposing interventions for "immediate" care without considering what would happen once they left the hospital? The fact that they didn't even offer a discussion of alternatives first is what shocks my mother; they immediately suggested surgery instead of anything else, without a second tough of family's unique situation.

Hi! 🤗

Two years ago, a friend mentioned the idea of ​​using my cats' fur (the fur that remains on the brush) for knitting, and while I thought the idea was brilliant, I did some research and apparently, you can indeed knit with the fur of cats or dogs, or even rabbits.

Last summer, I collected the leftover fur from my cats' brush and kept it in a bag. In July, I wanted to clean it for hygiene reasons before knitting, and the fur had become matted. So I lost a bag of fur...

My two cats don't go outside, but I figured that with the litter box dust (and one of them often has "accidents" stuck to his bottom 🫠) and other things, it was best to clean their fur before knitting it. When I tried to get some advice, a woman told me that cleaning the fur was unnecessary, that cats weren't sheep with horribly dirty wool.

I'd really like to try spinning and knitting with my two cats' fur, just for a fun experiment, but I don't want to knit with dirty fibers, so I don't know how to do it and prevent the fur from felting. Does anyone have any ideas or advice?

Hi!

(I'm in Canada 🇨🇦, so maybe the laws are different)

Recently, medical tests confirmed what I've suspected for years: pregnancy is strongly discouraged. Honestly, it doesn't really surprise me, because I've always thought that if I wanted a child, I'd prefer to adopt (or become a foster parent) rather than "conceive" one. I think to myself, "Why bring another child into the world (and not be sure of its survival) when there are already children in foster care?"

I'm open to adoption AND foster.

I know that many adoptive parents desperately want a baby, but not me. I don't want to "have a child in my image," I want to contribute to a child's happiness.

I've heard adoptive parents say things like, "You should be grateful!"

Honestly... what?

If I were to foster or/and adopt a child (say, between 6 and 15 years old) tomorrow morning, I would simply want to help them get a good start in life, grow up in a stable and healthy environment, and achieve their dreams.

If they want to become a doctor, perfect, I would help them as much as possible!

The child wants to be a plumber? No problem! There's a plumber shortage, and I would encourage them to pursue their dream.

I'm not looking for a "mini-me," I just want to help another human being, who may have had a rough start in life, and offer them at least a chance and an environment conducive to a better life.

And if they return to their biological family, all the better; it means the situation has improved (if there were any problems). I don't see foster children as someone who is "given" to their foster parents, but rather, "Hey, you're in a complicated family situation, I'm offering you a stable and calm place where you can build yourself up while things get sorted out at home. If we stay in touch, that's great, and I'm glad I helped you. And if we don't see each other again, that's okay, and I'm still glad I helped you." I know that some adoptive parents idealize adoption, and I'd like to know if my perspective is also tinged with this idealism, or if, as a close friend told me, "You're actually more caring than some biological parents." »

Note : When I say I'm open to adoption, I mean that if I become a foster parent and after a while the child decides they want me to adopt them, and I'm also open to it, I wouldn't object. I don't know if that's very clear, English isn't my strongest language, sorry 😅.

Two weeks ago, I went to a small local comic con, and there was a booth selling "vintage toys" with a basket FULL of Bakugan. Most people were focused on the Disney stuff, but I was really curious to see and touch the Bakugan toys from my childhood again. I was sad to see that most of them were somewhat "damaged" (wings that don't close, heads that hang off on their own, etc.), but what surprised me most was the difference in "texture" and feel between the "old" Bakugan (from seasons 1, 2, and maybe 3) that I knew, and the newer ones from the reboot of the series.

I can't quite put my finger on it, and I don't want to sound like a "things were better in my day" boomer, but... when comparing a relatively undamaged original Skyress (B2) with a modern "I don't know its name" one, the quality of the toy seemed really different. My Wavern, which I've had since 2007, definitely seemed to have better quality plastic, a different weight, and better balance. I'm not sure why, but when I held a "New Bakugan," it really felt like a cheap toy... is it just my nostalgia, or have others noticed a difference in quality?

I'm sad that younger people didn't experience the hype of 2007 (and honestly, the anime was good, especially in Japanese; it was much deeper). And if they end up with these extra toys, I feel sorry for them.

*Pet Abandonment, Surgery, and a Crying Baby*

Hi!

I was born at 24 weeks in the late 1990s, and I sometimes wonder about the evolution of neonatal medicine, as well as the advice given to parents.

Two situations have come to mind, and I sincerely hope things have changed, but here's what happened.

The "Pet Problem"

First, my parents were asked to give up their kitten, which they had adopted a few months before I was born, AND their large German Shepherd, because my immune system was too fragile and, upon my arrival, everything had to be allergen-free.

My mother didn't want to give up her kitten, so she asked if there was an alternative, like cat shampoo or something similar. The nurse told her something like:

"It's not the fur that's the problem, it's the claws. The slightest scratch could kill your premie."

My parents, already very stressed: 🫪🫪🫪🫪🫪

Faced with this response, my mother asked if there was another solution, and the nurse said: "Have her declawed 🤷🏻‍♀️"

And… my mother did it. I know, everyone will judge her, but I can't… Because in her place, I don't know what I would have chosen 🤷🏻‍♀️ (we're a family of animal lovers)

Simply because this round, affectionate cat stayed with us until I was 21! She was a real warrior, just like me 💪🏻 And yes, Toffee had a wonderful life: she lived outside and ruled our street, and I adored her. I have tons of pictures of the two of us from our childhood.

Unfortunately, Baloo, the dog, didn't stay 😓. My dad was impatient and didn't want to take care of him, and my mom refused to see Baloo neglected. So she gave him to a farmer because she was afraid of my dad and his behavior.

The second thing is "the tennis ball."

When I came home, the doctors advised my mom to sew a tennis ball onto my pajamas (in the middle of my chest) to stop me from sleeping on my stomach and developing lordosis.

My mom was like, "What?!" But she did it... and she regretted it as soon as I started screaming while trying to lie on my stomach." Honestly, trying to force something into your sternum isn't good for an adult, let alone a baby... 🫪🫪🫪🫪.

My mom has so many "weird" stories from that time, and I'm curious to know what those... medical tips changed?

Pet Abandonment, Surgery, and a Crying Baby

Hi!

I was born at 24 weeks in the late 1990s, and I sometimes wonder about the evolution of neonatal medicine, as well as the advice given to parents.

Two situations have come to mind, and I sincerely hope things have changed, but here's what happened.

The "Pet Problem"

First, my parents were asked to give up their kitten, which they had adopted a few months before I was born, AND their large German Shepherd, because my immune system was too fragile and, upon my arrival, everything had to be allergen-free.

My mother didn't want to give up her kitten, so she asked if there was an alternative, like cat shampoo or something similar. The nurse told her something like:

"It's not the fur that's the problem, it's the claws. The slightest scratch could kill your premie."

My parents, already very stressed: 🫪🫪🫪🫪🫪

Faced with this response, my mother asked if there was another solution, and the nurse said: "Have her declawed 🤷🏻‍♀️"

And… my mother did it. I know, everyone will judge her, but I can't… Because in her place, I don't know what I would have chosen 🤷🏻‍♀️ (we're a family of animal lovers)

Simply because this round, affectionate cat stayed with us until I was 21! She was a real warrior, just like me 💪🏻 And yes, Toffee had a wonderful life: she lived outside and ruled our street, and I adored her. I have tons of pictures of the two of us from our childhood.

Unfortunately, Baloo, the dog, didn't stay 😓. My dad was impatient and didn't want to take care of him, and my mom refused to see Baloo neglected. So she gave him to a farmer because she was afraid of my dad and his behavior.

The second thing is "the tennis ball."

When I came home, the doctors advised my mom to sew a tennis ball onto my pajamas (in the middle of my chest) to stop me from sleeping on my stomach and developing lordosis.

My mom was like, "What?!" But she did it... and she regretted it as soon as I started screaming while trying to lie on my stomach." Honestly, trying to force something into your sternum isn't good for an adult, let alone a baby... 🫪🫪🫪🫪.

My mom has so many "weird" stories from that time, and I'm curious to know what those... medical tips changed?

Hi! I started again my pattern, and here we are. I don't know why, but this reminds me of something Byzantine in style. While looking at some fan art of Old Valyria (the ancient city in Game of Thrones), I saw a sort of round hair brooch with blue beads. I can't find the image on Pinterest, but the recommendations included other round brooches, and I used them as inspiration for this circle.

I'm having trouble embroidering long beads; I find the middle a bit crooked, so if anyone has any techniques, I'd love to hear them 😅

Kwei!

As the title said, I didn't understand the purpose of this "nickname" (or nomination? I didn't have another word). Of I understand the origin of this word, the fact that majority of white Canadian are descendants of English or French colonizers/settlers, but I didn't understand why some people (indigenous or not) use theses terms to speak about non indigenous.

Is it because, for some Indigenous people's, ALL non-indigenous Canadian are automatically a "settlers"?

For what I understand, a person can be a descendant of settler, but calling for example Joe Smith, 18 yo à "settler", who's descent of English settlers, seem strange to me, because Joe didn't colonize, he didn't came here and kick out some indigenous of their territory. Yes, I understand the systemical racism who privileged Joe because he's white, and if he want understand his privilege, he can be conscious of his history.

But I didn't thinks calling him or refering other non indigenous with the word "settler" is a good thing.

As an daughter of two white immigrants, am I a settler?

I have many friends who's parents came from Africa or others country, are they considered settler as well?

My understanding of the concept of colonization is the occupation of foreign land by another state or people, for exemple, if France decide one day to occupy one portion of Spain and install French's here for colonizing, it's colonisation. This was indeed the case with the migration of European settlers starting in the 1600s.

Of course, our actual Canada is the result of colonization, and many colonial things should no longer exist in 2026 (like sterilization of indigenous woman or other things is a loooooong list), but now in 2026, why calling someone "settler"?

What is the definition of settler, for you?

Is it Somali family who came in Toronto to save theirs life's, or JUST the European descendants?

For example, my parents didn't came here to "colonize". My mom was fed up with racism in Europe and came in Quebec to start a new life. Yes, she bought a house and had children, and we grew up as whites kids in Nitassinan. This made us "settler"?

Does this mean that anyone who changes countries is a colonizer?

I've already had a discussion about the words "colonizers" and "settlers" with white people, Indigenous people, or POC people, and what came out was either:

"No, the term settler is ONLY for white people"

"Theses terms are for everyone who's not Indigenous, even if they just arrived recently"

Or, someone who was descent of French and English settlers says to me : "look, new non-white immigrants are NOT settlers, but because you are white, yes you and your family are "colonizers."

I didn't like when I see comments like "oh, colonizers are X", because it seem... I didn't find the word in English. Harsh? I'll said harsh in default, because I didn't find other.

What are your thoughts about using theses "settlers" or "colonizers" words?

I didn't think it help with reconciliation, and I want to help the reconciliation with communication and respect, not with using words with a negative weights.