Rick Patrick
rick@greenepublishing.com
To say that Tracy Pickles, of Madison, has had her faith tested over that past couple of years would be an understatement, to say the least. Yet, even today, after facing several challenges, her faith remains strong. “If I didn't have faith in the Lord, I don't know what I would have done,” said Pickles.
In 2021, the COVID virus struck the Pickles household, as it did many families. Tracy's husband, Cully, was hit particularly hard with the virus and spent several weeks in the hospital, including seven weeks in an intensive care unit at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare, in Tallahassee. On several occasions during those 49 days Cully spent on a ventilator, doctors told Tracy that Cully's prognosis was not good and his chances of survival were low. Tracy told the doctors that she was confident that Cully would make it back home and through her prayers and faith, Cully did make it out of the hospital. However, after suffering a stroke, Cully was unable to walk. Even after losing a great deal of weight in the hospital, Cully had a large physical frame, which proved even more difficult for the petite Tracy. This meant Tracy, who had previously kept children in her home as a way of making ends meet, was not able to do so, due to the care Cully needed.
It was decided that it would be beneficial for Cully to move to Madison Health and Rehab., where he could be more effectively cared for. Unfortunately, a bad wound developed on Cully's back that made his rehab efforts from the stroke very painful and difficult. After almost a year at Madison Health and Rehab., Cully moved back home. Even with a hospital bed and a lift installed at their home, Cully's care was difficult. Cully was diagnosed with pneumonia and was placed on strong antibiotics to battle the wound and his developing pneumonia. A negative reaction to the antibiotics caused even more problems to arise. Sadly, Cully passed away three weeks ago on Monday, May 22; almost two years after he started his battle.
Cully's death was listed as being COVID-related, which meant the possibility that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) could potentially help with Cully's funeral expenses. In the process of applying for this assistance, Tracy discovered the program had ended on Thursday, May 11, just 11 days before Cully's passing. Due to Cully's open heart by-pass surgery in 2019, life insurance was too expensive for the Pickles to afford.
Tracy has a son, JJ, who is 11-years-old and has been diagnosed as being on the autism scale. Because of JJ's autism, going to a regular public school in a traditional classroom is out of the question. This means Tracy has taken on the role of teacher and has been home schooling JJ. Tracy had been told that, because of JJ's autism, he would never be able to read. Once again, Tracy's faith proved to be stronger than the doubters. Now, because of the hard work and diligence Tracy and JJ have put into JJ's education, JJ is now reading on a fourth-grade level.
Tracy does receive some help from Social Security for JJ, but even with that, financial difficulties have mounted, due to Cully's hospital bills and final expenses. “I feel like I'm just kind of stuck,” admits Tracy. “I don't know what I'm going to do.”
A fund has been established at Madison County Community Bank to help Tracy and her son. Anyone wishing to make a donation may do so by sending a donation to the Cully Pickles Fund at Madison County Community Bank.
Even with the challenges ahead for Tracy, her faith remains high. “We are so blessed to live in a community like Madison,” said Tracy. “We're gonna figure it out.”