Mackenzie Update - 2024-Nov-23 at 09:16 AM

 2024-11-21 -  Mercy CR IRU - Cedar Rapids, IA -  ~3 Minutes

Good morning Liz and Kayla. I am sharing this update with a much smaller group so please don’t share just yet. Not all family members have been notified of our latest tragedy, but I wanted to let you know what my plans are now.

I’ve been staying with my brother-in-law, Mark, and his partner Teresa, in Marion. Yesterday we received word that my nephew, Mark’s son Mason and Mackenzie‘s closest cousin (born just a few months apart) passed away unexpectedly.

Mackenzie is scheduled for discharge on Tuesday morning so I had made plans to stay with Mark in Marion on Sunday and Monday evenings. That’s no longer going to be possible since I don’t want to be a burden on the family in such a difficult time. I am booking a room at a hotel in downtown Cedar Rapids for Sunday and Monday evenings now.

It was so hard to hide my feelings from Mackenzie last night, but she knew something was up so we gently shared the news with her after all of us had gathered in her room. I have to say she’s taking it much better than I thought she would, but I think we’re all still in shock. Fortunately, one of her scheduled therapies today is a consultation with a psychologist for a depression evaluation so we hope the doctor can help us all cope with this a little better.

I didn’t sleep very well, and I do have a head cold coming on, probably from exhaustion, so it’s nice that I’m not planning to be around the hospital today, but I am running a little late. I do still plan to be at Grinnell today shortly afternoon and back home this evening before returning to CR tomorrow morning. Hope to see our family doctor this morning to address a number of issues.

The one bit of good news yesterday was from an opportunity to have lunch with a Geocaching friend at an event near Cedar Rapids. My dear friend, Mercedes (Dee) is a nurse at GRMC and she’s very familiar with the physical therapy people there even though I’m sure she works in a different department. We talked for over an hour and she gave me lots of useful information. The therapy facility I believe is next-door to our dentist in downtown Grinnell across from the square. I think they have walk-in Saturday morning hours so I may come in a little early and see if I can check in with them before Burling opens at noon.

Going to put that part of the plan in motion now. Thanks for all your support and understanding. Take care.

• Mark M. (641) 484-4471 · mailto:mark.mcfate@icloud.com