Introduction
Hello, Everyone! My name is Michelle Flanagan and I am very excited to be working alongside National Alzheimer’s Buddies.
As a professional with over 10 years of experience in a wide variety of healthcare settings, I have always wanted to contribute to the Alzheimer’s community. In my past four years working as a nurse practitioner in primary care, I have witnessed many patients and their families struggle with this detrimental diagnosis. I have first-hand experience of what it is like seeing a loved one decline over time and the burdens that surround this.
My grandfather, a Navy Veteran, was such a capable man. As a skilled bricklayer for over 30 years, his work ethic and skills were unmatched. He was the “go-to guy” for helping his family and neighbors in need. Having built half of the chimneys in his neighborhood, anyone who met him would note his charming and charismatic personality which, luckily, never changed despite his diagnosis. Over time, we noticed subtle changes in his memory. He was not one to forget to close the tailgate on his truck or misplace his keys. As these minor mental mistakes began to become more significant, our family began to notice them more. What was once laughing about leaving his keys in the house turned into confusion and fear from not knowing what street he was on in the very same neighborhood he spent 50 years raising a family in.
After several years, the disease took over the majority of his short-term memory. However, he could recall specific details about childhood memories. Because his stories of his childhood were so colorful, neurologists did not believe his disease was that severe. As his disease progressed, the stories had their own variation each time, and we never knew what the ending would be. In some ways, it kept our conversation interesting.