Chair Lift for Monte!
Many of you know that my dad, Monte Hickman, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis many years ago, which in and of itself was a devastating diagnosis that has limited his mobility because of pain and fatigue. There is a long list of losses I could enumerate here, but I'll keep it short instead: we've had quite a bit to grieve over the last decade.
In the past year, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's as well--yet another devastating diagnosis, and the disease has progressed more quickly than we were expecting. Another long list of symptoms, a neverending list of side effects from medications, and lots to grieve. And lots of life changes for all of us.
In July 2020, Nick and I made the decision to move to a larger place with a walk-out basement apartment for my parents to reside so we could help them care for one another (and let's be honest--free childcare for Nick and I! Just kidding... but not really.). Many of you know that mother suffered a brain aneurysm in 2011, and she now has seizures and debilitating headaches, so each of them being the caretaker for one another was not feasible in the long-term, and we were constantly worried about them living in an isolated rural area and the distance between us if there was an emergency.
The house we found is perfect, and we are so lucky to have found a place that works for all of us in this unique situation--but we still have work to do to make it accessible and safe for my dad. We've added some small things to make living here safe for him, like ramps and railings to mitigate fall risks and to allow him the independence and mobility he needs. However, there's one thing we need your help with!
We need to install a chair lift so he can move from the lower basement level to the main level with relative ease. It is an expensive investment but one we cannot do without, which is why we're asking for your help! It will cost over $6000; the latest estimate is about $6300, and that may go up after final costs are calculated. And unfortunately, Medicare does not cover assistive devices like chair/stair lifts. So every little bit you can give (or every share!) helps.
Thank you in advance for reading, for caring, for praying, and for helping financially as you are able. We count ourselves fortunate for having you all in our lives, and we are humbled by your compassion and care. My dad is hard-working, funny, compassionate, and generous (irresponsibly generous, I like to say). I know he'd hate that I'm doing this GoFundMe, but I've told him to kindly get over it, as I know he would give the shirt off his back to someone in need (and he has).
