Strasburg, Colorado —

This last 13 month has been particularly devastating. My family lost my mom in October of 2017 very suddenly after she and my father had traveled cross country and about 6 hours from home she suffered a massive heart attack and passed away 3 days later. She never regained consciousness, but we where able to say our goodbyes. Mom and dad had celebrated there 49th wedding anniversary in August. So now it’s just my dad. He has an older brother that he still looks up to even at 74. Now my Uncle has cancer that he has been fighting for the last 2 years but was doing pretty well. In April 2018 he came down with pneumonia and passed away 1 hour before my dad was able to see him. So now it really is just my dad. He was declining very fast. I believe from a broken heart. We had a lot very good times. We kept him busy. On November 30th we admitted my dad into the emergency room for some problems with severe water retention.

On December 1st I lost my mother in law after a long battle with diabetes and having dialysis 3 times a week. Thank fully she went peacefully in her sleep. On December 2nd I got a call from the hospital saying that my dad was unresponsive. So off to the hospital we go. We spent the rest of the day and they recommend taking him home with hospice. We got him settled at home and made him as comfortable as possible. Now it is the 3rd of December we are going to the viewing of my mother in law and my dad passes away while I’m gone. Wow what a year but now my mom and dad are together for eternity.

I received a Christmas Jar on December 17th and I was super surprised and in awe of the generosity of people. Thank you I can wait to read the book and pass this blessing on for years to come.

—Katy Hickson