In 2015, my mother passed away. It followed over a year of hospital visits, nursing home stays, countless hours of in-home care provided by my siblings and me, and a few weeks of hospice. It was a hard year in many ways, but one amazing gift came from that time. My siblings and I came together to care for our mom, and we developed a friendship that still brings me great joy. Difficult situations, especially the death of a parent, can tear families apart. My parents used to tell us stories of people they knew who stopped speaking to their siblings when the will didn't turn out the way they hoped, or someone wasn't pulling their fair share, or who knows what other things might lead to falling out of favor with one another. My parents said that nothing was worth that. I think if they saw us today, they would be overjoyed. About a year after Mom died, I really began to think about writing my story. Our story. The text messages we shared and the laughter we experienced in the midst of the pain seems like something other people might benefit from. I am not the only one...