Pat Mackin's"PMSaxman" Medical Fund
Donation protected
Hello, my name is Michon Brudenell and I want to tell you about my brother-in-law, Pat Mackin. Pat is a uniquely gifted Jazz Saxaphonist and was a professional rock climbing guide and instructor. Pat spent his life climbing mountains and making beautiful music, but on December 3, 2014, Pat was hit by a drunk driver on his way home from playing a gig. He was very seriously injured and had to be resuscitated on the scene. He underwent several surgeries to repair his ruptured diaphragm, lacerated liver, dissected aorta and to stabilize his broken neck. It was very touch and go for several months.
He persevered to fight his way to a state of awareness and we had high hopes that he would fully recover, or at least to the point that he could play his beloved saxophones again. Unfortunately, this has not happened. It has been 15 months and Pat is still suffering greatly from his many injuries. In addition to several broken bones, damage to several internal organs, and a traumatic brain injury, Pat also suffered a stroke which resulted in serious communication deficits and severely limited the use of his right side. He has been diagnosed with Aphasia and Apraxia. This diagnosis affects his ability to communicate. This has turned out to be the most challenging injury as it has really limited him and his efforts at rehabilitation. Now after months in various hospitals and care facilities, a brief stint at home, and a set-back that landed him back at Courage Center in Golden Valley, it has been decided that Pat has progressed as far as is possible as an inpatient and he will be going home once again. He will still be receiving Physical, Occupational and Speech therapies as an outpatient, but he has not shown enough progression to merit his continued stay at Courage Center.
While Pat will be much happier at home, this presents new and greater challenges for him and his loving and very supportive wife Jeanine. He will require at home care from a PCA at all times, he will have to remain in a hospital bed, and he will need to transition from a standard wheelchair to a motorized wheelchair. This also means that Jeanine will have to completely renovate their home to be handicap accessible. This will involve ramps, wider doors, a more open living space and a handicap bathroom just for Pat so that he can roll up to the sink and into the shower. Jeanine may also have to eventually invest in a handicap van in order to transport Pat to various doctor's and therapy appointments.
As I am sure you can imagine, this will all be very costly and much of it has not and will not be covered by insurance. They have already received so much love and support over the past 15 months, but there is still so much need. Any donation, no matter how small will be so greatly appreciated and will go a long way to helping Pat live the best life possible to him.
It has been very hard to watch Pat and Jeanine go through this terrible tragedy. They are both such loving and giving people and myself as well as all the many wonderful friends and family who love them have had to sit by and watch helplessly while they struggle and suffer through the pain and the tears and the anger...
...all because someone thought it was okay to drink and drive. That whatever they had to do was more important than their safety and the safety and lives of others around them.
Please visit Pat's Caring Bridge site through the link below for more information on Pat's story, and to keep up on his continued progress. And please know that every donation received will be used to make life as comfortable and accessible for Pat as is possible and for no other purpose. Thank you for continuing to keep Pat and Jeanine in your thoughts and prayers.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patmackin-pmsaxman
He persevered to fight his way to a state of awareness and we had high hopes that he would fully recover, or at least to the point that he could play his beloved saxophones again. Unfortunately, this has not happened. It has been 15 months and Pat is still suffering greatly from his many injuries. In addition to several broken bones, damage to several internal organs, and a traumatic brain injury, Pat also suffered a stroke which resulted in serious communication deficits and severely limited the use of his right side. He has been diagnosed with Aphasia and Apraxia. This diagnosis affects his ability to communicate. This has turned out to be the most challenging injury as it has really limited him and his efforts at rehabilitation. Now after months in various hospitals and care facilities, a brief stint at home, and a set-back that landed him back at Courage Center in Golden Valley, it has been decided that Pat has progressed as far as is possible as an inpatient and he will be going home once again. He will still be receiving Physical, Occupational and Speech therapies as an outpatient, but he has not shown enough progression to merit his continued stay at Courage Center.
While Pat will be much happier at home, this presents new and greater challenges for him and his loving and very supportive wife Jeanine. He will require at home care from a PCA at all times, he will have to remain in a hospital bed, and he will need to transition from a standard wheelchair to a motorized wheelchair. This also means that Jeanine will have to completely renovate their home to be handicap accessible. This will involve ramps, wider doors, a more open living space and a handicap bathroom just for Pat so that he can roll up to the sink and into the shower. Jeanine may also have to eventually invest in a handicap van in order to transport Pat to various doctor's and therapy appointments.
As I am sure you can imagine, this will all be very costly and much of it has not and will not be covered by insurance. They have already received so much love and support over the past 15 months, but there is still so much need. Any donation, no matter how small will be so greatly appreciated and will go a long way to helping Pat live the best life possible to him.
It has been very hard to watch Pat and Jeanine go through this terrible tragedy. They are both such loving and giving people and myself as well as all the many wonderful friends and family who love them have had to sit by and watch helplessly while they struggle and suffer through the pain and the tears and the anger...
...all because someone thought it was okay to drink and drive. That whatever they had to do was more important than their safety and the safety and lives of others around them.
Please visit Pat's Caring Bridge site through the link below for more information on Pat's story, and to keep up on his continued progress. And please know that every donation received will be used to make life as comfortable and accessible for Pat as is possible and for no other purpose. Thank you for continuing to keep Pat and Jeanine in your thoughts and prayers.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/patmackin-pmsaxman
Organiser and beneficiary
Michon Brudenell
Organiser
Minneapolis, MN
Pat Mackin
Beneficiary
