A human female might just leave her child in a dumpster. An elephant, on the other hand, will carry its deceased baby for days, dragging it along while the entire herd slows down just so she doesn't fall behind.
You honestly have no idea what you're talking about here! It’s all well and good to have that romanticized view of innocent animals versus corrupt humans, but let's get real for a second. There are plenty of female animals out there that, if they aren't ready, will actually eat their young or just refuse to nurse them until they die. And look, it's the same story with people—there are many women who sacrifice their lives literally for their kids, but then you have the exact opposite happening too. Most mothers and female animals are wonderful, nurturing caregivers, but every single group has those that just aren't. As for which group has more of the latter? I haven't exactly conducted a scientific study on that one!
Look, I definitely have kids myself, but when I said that, I was actually talking about you! So if anyone ever asks why you don't have children yet... The truth is, I don't have kids because I just don't have the cash right now, or maybe it's just not an option yet, or perhaps I haven't even decided if or when I actually want them!
Honestly, it doesn't even get under my skin! When I was walking home from work carrying this absolutely precious, tiny abandoned kitten, I definitely caught a few judgmental stares along the way. People actually had the nerve to ask me if I kept him outside, acting like dogs belong on leashes while cats are supposed to just roam the neighborhood. I just told them straight up that my first cat sleeps right in my bed with me. Then they, poor things, tried to claim that having a cat in bed is somehow better than having a dog in an apartment. But once they found out I have a dog living in the house too, they completely shut up! Only one brave lady cleaning nearby chimed in to say she’d sweep all that mess away with her foot in a heartbeat. It doesn't bother me or make me angry at all; honestly, they're kind of sweet. They actually care about me and are just worried that cat hair might "settle in my lungs." 🤣 It's the exact same deal when it comes to kids. I don't have any little ones because I don't have the cash, or maybe I just can't have them, or perhaps it's just not my time yet, or I haven't figured out if I even want them...
Hehe! So, I have two cats, and people always seem to jump down my throat asking when I’m finally going to get rid of them. Honestly, I haven't had anyone even bother to ask me that before—and believe me, I was already a mother by the time I was 27! Maybe I just come across as too playful or carefree for some people. But truthfully, I really couldn't care less what the majority of my neighbors or any other unimportant people in my life think about my choices. The people who actually matter to me deserve an explanation and a real conversation, while everyone else just gets a blank stare and some vague, noncommittal answers.
Who exactly am I supposed to be thanking? Just be grateful for the era we actually live in! Honestly, I’ve spent so much time listening to stories about what life was like for women even fifty or sixty years ago, and it sounds like a complete nightmare of restricted freedom. It was financial, social—everything was just closed off. No one ever bothered to ask a young woman if she actually *wanted* to get married or if she’d rather finish her degree and start a career instead. Her path was already decided for her. You knew exactly what was coming: marriage, a house full of kids, grueling physical labor like hauling water from a well or scrubbing laundry by hand, dealing with illnesses, losing children to diseases, and being completely financially dependent on a husband who acted like the absolute boss of the household... A woman had zero say in any of it, unless she just played the part and did exactly what she was expected to do. But today, women go to college just like men do, and we get to call the shots on everything—what we do, where we go, whether we want to work at all, if we even want to marry, if we want a partner, or if we want to have kids. It is such a massive shift in just a few decades, and I truly believe we women should be thrilled with how much things have changed in our favor. Who cares if the neighbor or your mother-in-law gives you a little wink or asks for updates every single time they see you? The decision is entirely yours, and honestly, that is just wonderful.
I honestly don't think it's just about jealousy; I think it’s more about the fact that some people simply march to the beat of their own drum. People tend to get uncomfortable when someone stands out, and they use these kinds of nasty comments as a way to try and force everyone back into a "normal" mold. But honestly, while reading through this thread and seeing how everyone is reacting, there is one thing that keeps bothering me. If a woman decides she doesn't want kids—that is her business, plain and simple. It’s totally understandable if she deals with pressure from her neighbors or family, because they're going to have opinions. She should be the one making the call on when, or even if, she wants to start a family. What I can't wrap my head around, though, is this intense hatred toward children and the sheer aggression in these posts. Telling someone you'd rather they gave birth to a kitten than their own child is just way over the line, yet everyone else seems to jump right in to agree and joke about how cute kittens are. That aggressive, old-school, "traditionalist" attitude really rubs me the wrong way. If our mothers and grandmothers had thought that way, we wouldn't even be here today! Women actually have the power to make decisions about their own bodies now. In the past, fathers would basically marry them off, send them away to some distant town, and leave them to have twelve kids with whoever was chosen for them—half of whom probably wouldn't even survive. No one ever stopped to ask what SHE wanted or if she even felt like being a mother. So, please, just be grateful that we live in such a liberal era where you actually have the right to shape your own life, and let's stop talking nonsense about kittens and acting like children are the enemy.
I honestly feel like women aren't inherently against having kids, it’s just that they get totally worn down by all those "well-meaning" comments from people constantly pushing their own agendas on them. Nobody should ever be allowed to dictate whether you should get married, have children, bake pies, or choose between being a stay-at-home mom versus a career woman. That is a deeply personal decision that everyone needs to make for themselves, strictly on their own timeline when they actually feel ready to take that step. Having a little one is absolutely wonderful, and being a mom is such a beautiful experience, even if it gets incredibly exhausting and overwhelming sometimes! But that joy shouldn't come from fulfilling your mother's dream of having grandkids or satisfying some neighbor who thinks they know what's best for your life; it has to come from your own heart. And look, even if you decide you don't want kids at all, that is perfectly fine too. Not everyone is meant to be a parent, and children should only be welcomed by the people who truly, deeply want them.
Look, here’s my reality: while everyone else was busy partying through college, I was grinding through shifts seven days a week and somehow managing to finish my degree on top of it all. I knocked out my associate's, then my bachelor's, and eventually my master's. But honestly, right after I grabbed that master's degree, I hit a wall hard—it was total burnout from juggling work and school. Basically, I developed this massive, deep-seated hatred for any kind of obligation whatsoever. I couldn't even bear the thought of making plans on a Wednesday for a night out on Saturday because just committing to something felt like such an exhausting burden. Since I decided to go back for more specialized training about five years later—mostly just because of this silly urge to keep learning and trying to set myself up for a promotion—that acute burnout turned into a chronic thing, and now, finally, I am craving nothing but time for myself. While other people were out living it up, I was pulling 10-to-12-hour shifts and then heading straight to the library to study. Well, guess what? Now I'm finally spending that time on me, and I am loving every single second of it.
So, that definitely explains things, but it doesn't actually have much to do with your desire to have kids; it's really just about being completely wiped out. Just give yourself some space, get some rest, and then make your decision. It would be such a shame if you hit 40 and realized you actually wanted children, but you were simply too exhausted to make it happen.
Honestly, I just don't get it. I really don't! If someone genuinely loves kids but decides they don't want their own, there might be some deeper stuff going on there, like maybe they're terrified of repeating the same parenting mistakes their own parents made. In my opinion, everyone needs to pick their own perfect timing and decide for themselves if they even want kids at all. When I was in my early twenties, I was incredibly immature and didn't have the slightest desire to be a parent yet. But once I finished college and finally grew up a bit, I felt that pull toward having children, so I went ahead and had two of them right away, and I haven't regretted it for a single second! They are truly the most important little people in my life, and I just love hanging out with them, chatting, even bickering, and doing all sorts of fun activities together. I'm guessing it can be super frustrating when people around you start making those annoying comments like, "So, when are you guys having kids?" or "Time is flying by, you know..." and all that nonsense. You really shouldn't let that kind of pressure dictate whether or not you have children. What matters is being ready enough to take that leap when the time feels right. Babies are such miraculous little creatures that they just force you to love them, to play with them, and to care for them deeply. That instinct just kicks in naturally. And us moms? We absolutely lose our minds with love the moment we hold them, and honestly, we never want to let them go. Nature really knew what it was doing when it designed us this way, and it’s a beautiful thing.
I’ll be the first to admit that I was never one of those people who would just faint on the sidewalk because they saw an adorable baby in a stroller, and honestly, I never understood the whole obsession with those overly sugary outfits and giant hair bows. To be perfectly blunt, other people's kids used to get on my last nerve, and sometimes I'd even think they were just plain unattractive! I could never quite bring myself to "get on their level." But now, everything has changed because I have these two little kiddos who I absolutely adore, and I truly cannot imagine my life without them. Sure, they can be total handfuls and incredibly mischievous sometimes, but they are genuinely the center of my universe. For instance, today they are still caught up in the magic of Saint Nicholas, and while they are busy enjoying their presents, I am having the absolute time of my life shopping, hiding gifts at the neighbor's house, and sneaking around the house with all my shopping bags. My youngest still totally believes in the magic, whereas the older one has definitely figured out the secret, though he's more than happy to play along anyway. There is just something so incredibly moving about that pure childhood innocence, and the love they give is completely unconditional—just like the love I have for them. So, listen, ladies, if you are certain that you don't want children, then please, just don't have them. There are already far too many terrible parents and unhappy children out there in the world as it is. But please understand that just because you find other kids annoying or even repulsive doesn't mean you won't end up completely head-over-heels in love with your own children.
feralcobra92 said:A friend of mine (50) is battling colon cancer. After going through surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy ( XELODA), which the patient is actually handling relatively well—aside from having up to 20 loose stools a day—they’re feeling pretty good overall. But now, the doctor over at MD Anderson Cancer Center is telling them they have to pay for the medication out of pocket because the Social Security Administration denied coverage. We're talking about costs reaching $5,000 spread out over a few months. There is an option for IV treatment, but that sounds much harder to tolerate. If they switched to that, how many bathroom trips would they be looking at daily? The family just doesn't have the money to cover these drugs. What should they do? According to the family, the doctors seem completely indifferent to how the treatment is progressing. The physician wouldn't even bother asking the hospital board to approve the medication. Do you think it makes sense for the patient to switch doctors or find a different hospital entirely? If so, where and who should they reach out to?
Does nobody here know anything? You all are constantly talking about this stuff! Come on, people, please react. People specifically asked me to post this question on the forum, and right now, I feel like I have absolutely nothing to tell them.
A good friend of mine, who's 50, is currently battling colon cancer. He’s already gone through surgery, radiation, and a round of chemotherapy using XELODA, which he's actually handling relatively well—aside from dealing with up to 20 bouts of diarrhea every single day—so he’s feeling okay overall. But now, his doctor over at MD Anderson Cancer Center is telling him that he’ll have to cover the cost of the medication himself because the Social Security Administration denied the prescription coverage. We're talking about a massive bill of around $5,000 spread out over a few months. They mentioned an IV option, but that sounds way harder to tolerate, so I can't help but wonder how many bathroom trips he'd be facing daily if he switched to that. The family just doesn't have the money to foot this bill. What should they do? According to them, the doctors seem totally indifferent toward his actual recovery process. His physician wouldn't even bother asking the hospital board to approve the medication coverage. Do you think it would make any sense for the patient to switch doctors or move to a different hospital altogether? If so, where and to whom should they reach out?
A colleague of mine had surgery for colon cancer about six months ago, and after the operation at the Holy Spirit hospital, he was sent off for radiation and chemo over at the MD Anderson Cancer Center. Honestly, that’s when the real nightmare began for them! First, they promised they’d call him in for his radiation sessions, but then they didn't say a word for months, and then—get this—the machine broke down three separate times in just two months! To top it all off, Medicare actually denied coverage for his Xeloda medication, which he handles incredibly well, even though he has to deal with much more difficult IV therapy instead. On top of all that chaos, he hasn't been sent for a single blood test, any tumor markers, an ultrasound, an X-ray, a CT scan, or anything of the sort! So, they are basically sitting there in total limbo, having absolutely no idea if the tumor is coming back. When they finally asked if his doctor could write up a recommendation for the hospital board to get his medication covered, they were shocked to find out he doesn't even have a primary doctor assigned to him; apparently, that specialist was only overseeing the radiation portion. They’ve ended up paying out of pocket for every single bit of information through private doctors, starting with the surgeon who kept nudging him to come in privately and pay, and now they're seeing a private oncologist over on Kačićev who gives tons of advice regarding tests and follow-ups, but none of those tests actually get performed! So, here is my big question. Is this kind of runaround totally normal, and what on earth is a person supposed to do? They don't have a ton of extra cash to just throw at everything. I suggested to her that maybe they should look into transferring to a different hospital system entirely, but I'm honestly stumped on where to go. Does anyone know how they might be able to secure that medication, and what the actual process looks like? Who can they reach out to, and is there a specific hospital in New York City that actually runs things more efficiently?
They mentioned they removed 13 lymph nodes and found tumor cells in three of them, though I really hope I'm getting my facts straight since this whole medical thing is totally foreign territory to me! My wife is saying that they didn't find any actual metastases, which sounds promising, but then there's this part that worries me—they aren't planning to do anything for three months, not even an ultrasound or any other scans to make sure nothing is growing... I just don't get it. Are they seriously going to wait until the tumor grows large enough to actually feel from the outside before they bother checking again? When it comes to doctors, I've had some incredibly negative experiences myself, and I’m certainly not someone who doesn't understand what's going on! Even though I'm educated and definitely not dim, I've often felt like a complete idiot during conversations with physicians. I'll ask a perfectly reasonable question, and they just roll their eyes and start enunciating every single syllable with this patronizing emphasis—almost as if they think I'm deaf or slow—saying things like, "Ma'am, we know just as much as you do. Just relax. You'll hear everything when you come in for your follow-up." Honestly, it makes me wonder how they would even talk to me if they thought I was just some uneducated woman from a tiny rural town with nothing to her name.
I don't have all the gritty details since I'm not the one going through it, but I do know that once he finished his recovery from surgery, he was sent straight over to MD Anderson Cancer Center, and they basically told him he’d be starting radiation and chemo whenever they decided to call him, without even running any extra tests beyond a standard blood panel! His wife was understandably freaking out and called them up, only to be told that their radiation machine was actually out of order. Now, look, I can't say for sure if everything is fine or if things are heading south, but since the doctors haven't shared much and none of those necessary scans have been done yet, it honestly feels pretty sketchy to me as an outsider. It’s exactly why people end up hunting for a private specialist just to get three coherent sentences about the illness, the prognosis, what tests are coming next, and any other basic info you'd expect. They're terrified that the cancer might have spread, while the hospital staff is just sitting on its hands waiting for someone to give them a call.
Does anyone happen to know of a really solid private oncologist in the Los Angeles area or somewhere nearby? A coworker at my job was asking if I had any recommendations for her husband, and honestly, I was totally stumped. Her husband had surgery for colon cancer about three months ago, and they were referred over to the MD Anderson Cancer Center for his radiation and chemo treatments, but the hospital hasn't even reached out to them in months! He hasn't been able to get an ultrasound, a CT scan, or any kind of diagnostic testing done yet, and they are absolutely terrified that things might be spreading while they just sit around waiting for a phone call. The man is only 50 years old and is ready to do absolutely everything possible to get healthy again—he’s more than willing to pay out of pocket for all the exams and scans—but he just has no clue where to start or who to contact. If anyone knows a specialist, please let me know so I can pass the info along to her. Thanks so much!
I honestly think there’s this huge misconception that you actually have to love what you do for a living. I know very few people who truly pour their heart and soul into their careers (though I’m lucky enough to be one of those outliers!), but let's be real—most people are stuck grinding away at soul-crushing jobs at places like General Motors, working construction sites, bartending, or just pulling shifts at some tiny local shop or hospital where they barely make a dime and nobody even gives them credit for showing up. They do it because they have to, plain and simple, and having a degree on top of that feels like a total life bonus. It’s a completely different story if you’re just doing whatever your parents pushed you into and you're feeling miserable about your whole existence; honestly, switching careers probably wouldn't fix that deep-seated dissatisfaction anyway. Who is stopping you from pursuing your actual passions during your off-hours? You can chip away at it bit by bit, just for the pure joy of it! Maybe you aren't as talented as you imagine yourself to be, but that doesn't even matter when you're doing it for yourself instead of constantly trying to prove something to everyone else.
There isn't anything else besides iron in my Ferum, but I just wash it down with this incredibly delicious beet juice I whipped up myself along with some Vitamin C.
I honestly feel like I’d need to go on a massive liver diet just to get my blood counts back where they belong! When it comes to those iron supplements, though, they only seem to pack about 10 mg of iron per pill. If I wanted to actually see some progress, I figured I’d have to crush at least five of them every single day to boost absorption, and then maybe scale back to two daily just to maintain my levels once I'm feeling better. We'll just have to see how it goes! Right now, I'm sticking with Ferum Lek, but as for what I'll switch to later, I haven't got the slightest clue yet.