I'm crying like a baby over Chris Hayes' show.

[nolabear]

People hugging one another after a year. A YEAR. And on Saturday I get to be one of them. I hold my grandson for the first time, and his big brother for the first time in a year.

I’m so relieved to have made it. I’m so sad and hopeful and shocked at the whole concept of what changes have come.

[leftieNanner]

1. Oh! Me too.

I can't wait to see my two daughters for the first time in well over a year. One more shot to go!

[malaise]

2. I love you I love you I love you

You had to cry - damn!

[demtenjeep]

3. that couple married for 53 years and touching for the first time in a year

got me

[nolabear]

13. They got Chris too. Such beauty.

[Zoonart]

4. Ohhhh congrats to you.

I am getting my second jab on March 30 and a month later I can maybe hold my granddaughters and my one year old great nephew.
Can't wait.

Enjoy the feeling the love.

[dem4decades]

5. I haven't hugged my grandson in a year. He's going to be 6, and before the pandemic

I would take him once a week and go to playgrounds, libraries and restaurants. I've seen him a few times over the last year, he said he was sad because the germs were making things bad. I'll probably cry when I hold him in 4 weeks. Don't get me wrong, I know i'm lucky, we're all here still.

[nolabear]

14. We've LIVED on FaceTime and Portal, but I can't smell them!

Or feel that sweetness. Honestly, I’m happy for the first time in a long while.

[Comfortably_Numb]

6. That was deeply moving.... well done and touching.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. I used the DVR to watch Joe again in lieu of this film

[keithsw]

8. We have'nt seen our son

in 16 months. Still have not been able to get a vaccine

[dutch777]

9. Good for you! I wait jealously but happy that there is finally light for all and relief for many

There are many things I will savor more and take for granted less.

[rsdsharp]

10. We get the second shot in a week.

Two weeks after that is what my wife has dubbed “Hug Day.” I told her she better wear grippy shoes, otherwise a blonde, blue-eyed nine-year-old granddaughter shaped missile will knock her on her butt as she comes in for her first hug in over a year.

[panader0]

11. Holding your grandson for the first time---There's nothing that can touch that.

I'm very happy for you. Pictures maybe?
March 17th marks one year in isolation for me. The only time there were people in the house
was when my daughter and her husband drove all the way out to Az from Va with my first
granddaughter for my 70th B-day. As we sat in the living room, I realized that it was the only
time I sat with no masks, almost like normal. They are very conscious about the virus.
What an uplifting joy to hold my granddaughter! I know you know.
P.S.==I loved 'The Last of the Pascagoula'

[nolabear]

15. Thank you! Glad you did. Yes, little man was adopted

in the midst of the utter madness of the pandemic. And talk about a story. Cross country trip with a toddler, state rules, hospital rules, insane AirBnB drama...they are just amazing.

I know. We are going to be high on love these next weeks. It’s going to be very hard on the hatemongers.

[mgardener]

12. My 5 year old grandson

Is spending the week with us.
I love it.
We are still very careful. But.
I can't wait till this summer.

[bearssoapbox]

16. I am seeing my wife fore the 3rd time since last July 23rd.

I'm in a nursing home in Ohio.
Our visits are 30 minutes now and inside, but I expect longer visits before long. We have been married 38yrs on may 22.

I haven't seen my brother and his wife since the weekend after Easter last year.

In this past year, the car blew out spark plugs, water pipes under the house broke not once, but 2 different times. The electricity went out in half our block for 3 weeks.

I've been scared to death that my wife would get sick. She never even got a sniffle because she wiped every thing down all the time with disinfectant. I also bought 4 air purifiers that use 3 different filters and UV light to kill germs and viruses.

One more thing then I'll be done. On Christmas, she went to a real restaurant and got us a prime rib dinner. I sat in my room and looked out my window& she sat in the car and looked out the car windows and we ate our Christmas dinner together.

Take care all.

I love DU, everyone here, and the people that started DU.
You've helped keep me sane and hopeful during this, and previous years.

Thank you.

[nolabear]

17. Oh Sweetheart...

I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry you’ve gone through this, and s impressed at your creativity and resilience. I hope it all opens up wide very, very soon. ❤️

[bearssoapbox]

18. Thank you.

Your response helped.

I think that's what I miss the most.
Interacting with people without it being structured.
It's not bad in here but you can't develop friendships in here like from outside. Most of the residents are in another world, either through chemicals for mental and physical problems or they don't have long to live. I've had 2 roommates pass in the past 13 months(non from covid) and the current one is a jerk that you'd just put up with until one of you is gone.
But, now that the country has an empathetic, smart, leadership things will get better.
My physical health is much better than when I got here and I'm hoping that I'll be well enough to make it out of here 2-4wks before the 4th so we can have that cookout that the Pres is hoping the country can have this year.

Again. Thanks for responding.

Good health& keep the faith.
I do believe the country has a chance now.

[nolabear]

19. Oh wouldn't that be great! I'm glad you'll be going home.

A long time ago I did animal-assisted therapy in a nursing home with the best dog I ever had, a big, sweet, brilliant Golden Retriever who just happened to be named Joe. We were both trained for it, and he was temperament tested, which proved what I already knew, that he was bomb-proof and everything was interpreted as just another form of love.

We went every week for quite some time, and I know what it's like to be with people in various stages of illness and dementia and loneliness. I got very fond of some of the residents, but I was just the side attraction. Joe would smile and sidle up to people and they'd talk to him and sometimes walk him in the halls (with me right behind). I'd hear about every good dog they'd had, sometimes every time we were there, but the staff often said that people's days were better after a visit from Joe.

Whenever anyone went home they made a big deal of it. I hope you get a big deal made of you as well.