An update on little four-and-a-half-year old Mackenzie Grace Hollister, the little girl who sustained brain damage after nearly freezing to death after she wandered outside in her pajamas, as recounted by her mother, Heather Grace.
My name is Heather Grace Hollister, and I am the mother to two precious little children, four-year-old Mackenzie Grace and two-year-old Gage Pedro Guillermo. My husband, Chuck, came back to us, and he is still trying to mend our relationship.
We have always had a good, solid marriage, but then came that horrible day when our oldest child, Mackenzie, nearly died; and for a while, my husband left. He was upset because he felt that he had failed as a father, that HE was the one who had caused Mackie to become handicapped (he had accidentally left the door open, and our daughter wandered outside, and by the time we had realized what had happened, it was too late); and he didn't want to be around because of this; but eventually, he came back after he did a lot of soul-searching and praying; and he has since apologized. We are still seeing a counselor about our marital problems, and we are still coming to terms with the fact that our little girl is now permanently disabled and will probably never be like she was before the accident where she nearly froze to death.
Mackenzie is still in a wheelchair; but she is now learning to walk on a wheeled walker. She is still receiving ongoing physical, occupational, and speech therapies; and she has recently been weaned off the feeding tube and is now starting to eat solid foods again. She still doesn't talk much, and she still needs much help in getting dressed, having her bath, and in eating; but she is slowly coming back: the sparkle of recognition has since returned to her eyes, and she can let us know how she is doing by her eyes and by her sounds. Her sounds are happy or sad, depending on how she is feeling, and she can give you big hugs and kisses. She is wearing braces on her legs, and she can stand up in her braces (with help). She can also walk for a few short feet on her walker, as I mentioned before. She may eventually graduate to crutches if she continues to do as well as she is; but it is a painfully slow process, and we just have to learn to be patient. We can't rush things.
And Gage, her little brother, loves his older sister; he is always near her, and he wants to be with her as much as possible. He thinks that her wheelchair is a car, and he always wants to sit in her lap; but we tell him that Mackie needs it to get around and that it is not a toy. We also tell him that his sister was hurt, and this is why she needs to use a chair instead of her feet; but we also tell him that maybe one day she will be able to use her feet again, just as he does; and that usually seems to satisfy him. Gage is such a smart and loving little boy, and he is always going to his sister and kissing her, saying that he wishes her "hurts" would go away, so she can run like he does. He always wants to sit in her chair when Mackie isn't in it, but of course, we frown on this; a wheelchair is NOT a toy. His sister uses it for a reason, and until she can walk again, she will have to use her chair. This is what we tell him, and he always gets mad because he loves his sister's chair. He doesn't understand that she can't walk as well as he does and this is why she needs to be in a wheelchair; but all he is concerned about is getting to sit in it when she is not in it!
Some day we will tell little Gagie about Mackie's accident, how she ended up in the wheelchair and why she doesn't talk or get around as well as he does; but for now, we are enjoying the comraderie between the two siblings; and we are so glad that Gage has accepted his sister, even after the accident. We are also happy that they are still the best of friends. But until we tell Gage about what happened to his sister, we still have to struggle with ongoing nightmares about that day when I found our toddler daughter lying unconscious and not breathing in the snow; I don't think I will ever forget the sight of her lying so still in the snow and then seeing her blue skin when I picked her up into my arms. She was so limp; and for a horrifying minute, I thought she was dead; but then my senses took hold, and I called for the paramedics; and I owe my life to the paramedics, and also the doctors; they brought our little girl back, and Mackenzie is still alive because of their valient efforts to save her life.
It is not known whether Mackie will EVER be able to ditch the wheelchair entirely or be able to walk on her own without SOME form of assistance; but for now she IS walking; and that is what is important. She is also starting to communicate again, and slowly, but surely, our little Chinese-born angel is coming back. We now can se glimpes of the "old" Mackenzie prior to the accident in some of her actions or movements, and this gives us reason to hang onto hope and not give up. Our daughter is a Miracle child who survived overwhelming odds; and she has come such a long way, astounding all who have worked with her on a daily (or weekly) basis or by coming into direct contact with her.
~Written by Heather Grace Hollister, mother to Gage Pedro Guillermo and Mackenzie Grace Hollister on Friday, January 23, 2004.
P.S.: We have since applied to adopt a third child, a child from Africa. So our story continues. Stay tuned for updates as they develop.
Hello Karen,
Another story written with insight and love. As always you catch the feelings of the moment and interperate them well. Good work regards John W
A poignant story about letting go of a narcissist in your life. Have you ever been attacked FULL force by a narcissist? It's the closest thing to being stabbed over and over in the back.
Rovella is a beautiful woman with a cold heart whom blames herself for an unfortunate old family secret that is literally ruining her life. This secret impedes a gorgeous woman from having happiness in her childhood, and throughout her life. Dark sec
