Happy New Year to you too, Eric. Thank you so much for all you do to keep this site going!! You have made such a huge difference for so many people. You openly share all your ostomy wisdom and your personal experiences, and we are all better off for being part of this community. 

Happy New Year to all my fellow ostomates and your families. May 2021 bring us all health and happiness. 

Happy New Year Eric and to all the VO members. A pleasure to be part of this community. 😀

I'm going to try and say this without bursting into tears!!! Not because I'm sad but because I am feeling very relieved we are actually here...in 2021!!! If I could sing & dance the jig I would!! ...any help with that John?!!! Lol!! From my heart to you all....

HAPPY HAPPY NEW YEAR  EVERYONE!! 

After the past year I think we all have a right to take a very deep cleansing breath of fresh outside  air.  Preferably with no covid visitors around. lol!  For me this has been an emotionally challenging year. Having nursed the short time I did eons ago, I am well aware of what these dedicated professionals have been up against. The hard work to keep as sane as they can thru the challenges they faced day in and day out, need to be commended. Though they are,  not so much as Heros, but as the human beings they are. I have dabbled in poetry on & off in my life and once wrote a poem about a group of dedicated  nurses that  I had witnessed caring for a very ill patient in Emergency all afternoon & evening. After the patient died, I watched from a distance as family was let  in to say goodbye to their loved one. 

These Nurses never left the area, they hovered in a small group outside the patients room, the door was  closed giving privacy to the family.  I witnessed them crying softly in a small group, arms around each other, comforting each other.  I knew that these were the nurses who took seriously their job and the serious dedication to basic strangers.  As they quietly wept the sound of family crying could be heard up to where my bed was. All evening I could see the constant in & out of the patients room going on a short distance down the hallway.   The last line to my poem was along the lines that if I could be the Queen of England "I would Knight you all your  Angel Wings".  

A few weeks later reading the local rag I saw my poem published in the newspaper. I had thought that  just the few Doctors & nurses it was dedicated to would be reading it. But it was really about all of them in emerge that day and to the ones who worked more patients so those nurses caring for the dieing patient, could do so with all their hearts.  They really did put their hearts into it. Not for just the patient but the family as well. 

We are so blessed to be living in a time where Science knows so much more then they did even 5 years ago. The Scientists, Professors, Lab Techs, Doctors Nurses and I'm even going to mention Cooking & Cleaning Staff here have all been brutally challenged with COVID19. 

We have so much to be grateful for.  The cool heads that prevail over our Healthcare. The directions of government heads, even if we don't like some of them. lol! The Public Health Officers who know more then we really ever want to know about medicine and disease. British Columbias own Dr. Bonnie Henry  setting rules & guidelines to follow for everyone & for it, by some being personally threatened because she's doing her JOB.  A job meant to protect us all.    

We should be singing the praises of anyone working in the medical field. Especially  during the last year including our Gov't officials who are backing up decisions made for our safety.  Because of all the professionals involved we are seeing Science fall into place and eventually the Vaccinations will be ready for anyone who wants it. 

This makes my eyes leak terribly some days. I have such a pride for all these people involved. In our small town our care home has had all its 60 residents and  I believe 7 nurses infected with Covid.  Last I heard 12 residents  have died. I know one elderly gentleman in this home.  I have heard nothing on him so far. We have 7 visiting Nursez helping out. Living Wat  from family & home & in our local Hotel. Above & beyond the call of duty. 

I believe we really have so very much to be very grateful for going into 2021! I am thankful for so many things this past year has taught me.  I have no shame in shedding the tears I have shed. Most were shed every time it was  annouced of another outbreak and more lives taken by Covid. 

My wish for everyone here is to continue to avoid covid.  Please,  follow the rules set and in some cases the Laws made for our safety. Wear a mask even if you think it is senseless just because it could be you being announced on the news one night. Continue to Be Safe, Be Kind and Be Patient of others. We here are a group at risk and untested for the Vaccination safety but eventually the powers that be will know what is safest for us all. 

May You/We all have the best 2021 we can possibly have. Stay grateful & try & have a positive outlook on life.  

I pray & choose to believe that  this is going to be a Happy New Year. 

Ever so sincerely.....Linda

happy new year from California too.

I hope everyone gets through the Covid and we can all move on to better times in the coming year.

My husband and I are just sort of hunkered down on the southern coast of Calif. At least there is plenty of clean air blowing off the pacific and we are able to get food delivered in this area.

We are still using the same tank of gas we bought last March! ...so some savings there.

Take care everyone.

Posted by: @dona

We are still using the same tank of gas we bought last March! ...so some savings there.

We've easily saved over $800 in gas in 2020 - it's almost like driving a hybrid =)