Still time to send some flowers- if I could, I'd go- Kent isn't that far from Hampshire; sadly I can't. But what a display of acknowledgement and gratitude if we sent flowers.

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Still time to send some flowers- if I could, I'd go- Kent isn't that far from Hampshire; sadly I can't. But what a display of acknowledgement and gratitude if we sent flowers.

That would be a lovely gesture, Bertie.

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I’ll be thinking of Dougie in the morning.  I won’t be sad.  I’ll smile and think what a lovely person he was and how priveleged I am to have known him. How brave he was to share with us as he did.  

And now his fears and suffering are over!   X

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I’ll be thinking of Dougie in the morning.  I won’t be sad.  I’ll smile and think what a lovely person he was and how priveleged I am to have known him. How brave he was to share with us as he did.  

And now his fears and suffering are over!   X

I think that this forum was very lucky to have someone like Dougie as a member here for so long. A quiet and unassuming guy, but certainly one of the stalwarts of this place and someone who was widely respected across the TWO membership. I'll be thinking of him tomorrow too.

It's so sad that he is no longer with us, but I'm glad he is in peace now.

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Thinking of you today Dougie! X

Also thinking about POD, who lost his wife to cancer yesterday. X

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I've been away from The Forum for a while, and on returning, the very first thing I noticed was Dougie's absence from his opening of the daily current conditions page. I always had a mental picture of him sitting and waiting for the clock to strike midnight. He was rarely absent. I never knew him, apart from seeing his photo and daily updates, but felt so sad reading through his posts over his final days when I'm sure many in his situation will simply have given up, rather than summoning up his final strength in keeping his friends updated. RIP Dougie.

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Thinking of you today Dougie! X

Also thinking about POD, who lost his wife to cancer yesterday. X

So sorry to hear about POD's wife, Caz. Another person lost to the scourge that is cancer.

In the past 6 weeks, there have been three different people I have known, either personally or through internet contact, whom have all passed away. Dougie from this forum, a girl in her early 30's who was waiting for either a kidney or liver transplant (not sure which tbh) and a lady in her mid-70s who succumbed to MS having bravely fought the illness for over 40 years. Not the best of times recently for sure.

Will be thinking of them and their families when Xmas comes.

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Yes indeed David. The world can be a very sad place at times but there’s always someone worse off and bearing that in mind can help us through our own sadness.  

Christmas is especially difficult and will be for POD and all those who have lost someone close this year.

Last year was the first Christmas without my son at the table for dinner and I was absolutely dreading it.  I knew I had to do something different to get through it.  My hubby suggested we go away for the festive season but my mum always came to us as well and I knew it was likely to be her last Christmas as she had cancer.  So we decided to surround ourselves and my mum with love and we invited all the family.  We had 16 for dinner and do you know, it really was the best Christmas ever!  

We all enjoyed it so much that by Boxing Day we’d all decided to do the same again this year and I’m looking forward to it.  

I would advise anyone who’s recently bereaved to do exactly that!  Surround yourself with those who love and understand you.  Especially at Christmas.  Either invite them to you, or accept their invitations. Do something different.  Something that doesn’t make your loss so obvious. 

Last Christmas was my mum’s last. We lost her

in June so there will only be 15 of us this Christmas. But the house will still be full of love and we’ll be making the most of the family we still have.

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Incidentally, today (Monday) was his birthday, hope current conditions up there are as nice as it has been here at our home county of Kent today.

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Some stratospheric warming would probably suit.

 

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