Final Post

    Michelle stays in her community of intellectually disabled adults.  She is assigned a caseworker that is able to find her a new job folding laundry in a local retirement community right down the road.  The caseworker has also provided a community-based program for Michelle to become part of since she is now in her mid fifties.

    Michelle decides to go to the outings provided by the local university through a club known as best buddies.  To her luck, she is paired with a sweet girl who makes sure to treat Michelle like a little sister and best friend.  They go on monthly outings with a big group who are involved with the best buddies club, and Michelle’s buddy contacts her once every week (via email, letter, phone, and/or visit).  

    Michelle never truly had a best friend, and they both have similar interests and taste in music.  Michelle gets along very well with her best buddy since Michelle is sort of stuck with a child's mindset.  

    Sadly, after Michelle’s 57th birthday, her father passed away from a severe stroke.  Michelle refused to leave her room for days.  Pam was able to coerce Michelle into attending the family night and the funeral.  This was really hard for Michelle and the staff at her community noted the changes in her mood and overall happiness for nearly the next year following her father, Brian’s, tragic death.

    Time passed and Michelle learned that she LOVED puzzles and ice cream.  These were her two favorite things, and were her favorite thing to do with her buddy.  She and her buddy had been paired for all four years of her buddies’ college career, and it was time for her buddy to pass her on to a new person.  Michelle did not understand at first and figured she would still be able to come see her.  Unfortunately, Michelle would only receive the occasional call, email, and letter now.  

    Michelle began to steal from her housemates and hide their stuff throughout the house.  Michelle had never had a history of this, so none of the staff understood where all these missing things were going until they noted that Michelle was the only resident that was not missing anything!  

    Pam was now in her eighties and Michelle in her sixties.  Michelle was still a clepto and she was caught wandering out in the back yard in confused states more often.  The house nurse decided it was time to get a doctor’s diagnosis.  Come to find out Michelle was developing Alzheimer’s and was experiencing the early stages of dementia.  

    Eventually, Michelle ended up defecating herself and needing diapers and constant changes.  Her hygiene was becoming an issue and the staff at her community was becoming less equipped and sought out taking her to the elderly home for the intellectually disabled in that community.  She ended up in another house that was in that community, but she was with the other confused, physically inept aging individuals of the community that she had spent most of her life living in.  Michelle no longer remembers her mother since she is now old and wrinkly.  When her mother shows her a picture of them when she was younger Michelle recognizes her mommy.  This breaks Pam’s heart to see Michelle like this.  Pam ended up passing away before Michelle, with no one left in the world to call her own.

    Michelle lived until 64.  The Alzheimer’s progressed rapidly and harshly on Michelle.  Michelle passed away while dependent upon a ventilator and without speech or movement anymore.  The nursing staff at Michelle’s home was heartbroken and became her family and mourned their loss.  They lost a sweet girl who had had a quality life even though she was born in such turmoil.