Yes, it has been a long time. Lots of things have been going on. Jennifer and Alan are here for a few days and we leave this week to go to Michigan for another wedding. I'm looking forward to going to the upper part of Michigan as I have never been there before.

When I get back I have a neurologist's appointment. I'm anxious to see him to talk about some issues I've been dealing with lately and talk to him about my balance issues as well. Then I have to get serious about sticking to my diet more closely and exercising more routinely. I've fallen into a rut lately -- and I definitely have to get out of it!!!!

We bought a Wii. We haven't played with it much but with Alan and Jennifer here we have started with the Wii fit game. It is very interesting -- but it is hard for me to do because you have to multi-task -- that's hard for me to do. But, I guess it will be challenging for me because it will tax my brain some! Hopefully, I can get better!

More when I return -- everyone have a great Labor Day weekend.

This week was hard for me. I was so totally exhausted that I think I slept most of the week away. I tried to play golf with Ralph on Thursday, but had skip many holes because I was too tired and couldn't concentrate. I'm feeling a little better but still need some rest.

Thanks to all of those that have sent emails and notes about the wedding. It was a beautiful day and I was truly grateful to my friends and family for coming and helping me through the weekend.

Jennifer and Alan are now honeymooning in Costa Rica. They have found a place to live in Washington DC and will be moving the first part of September.

In a few weeks, Ralph and I will be leaving to go to Michigan for a friend's wedding. I'm looking forward to that trip as it will be a part of the country that I haven't seen before. A true vacation I hope.

More soon.

The wedding is over!

And it was lovely. Here are a few photos. More when I have rested!

Wedding Week

The last several days have been spent sleeping. Traveling takes a lot out of me these days. My awful trip back (as mentioned below) did not help matters much. The day I was coming back the delay in my flight was long in Chicago and then when I got to Atlanta the airport was wall to wall people because of the delays in Atlanta. I started having panic attacks because of all of the people and I could not get out of that airport fast enough. I was almost running through the airport to get out of there. I thought about trying to go into a rest room or somewhere where there weren't as many people and try to calm down, but I couldn't find anywhere where there weren't a lot of people! I thought if I could just get out to the shuttle bus where they can get me to my car I'll be fine. I got out there fast although it seemed like an eternity. I finally got my heart rate down and started to relax. It was raining a little but I didn't care. I then got in my car to come home and there was a major accident on the major interstate I was coming home on. While that didn't bother me too much, I was tired and I just wanted to get home. Obviously I made it home -- but it really takes the fun out of traveling!

We are getting into wedding mode here at the house. My brother-in-law from St. Louis comes in on Wednesday and Alan will be home. That is going to be four people in the house as opposed to our usual two. I've told my husband already how hard that is going to be on me and that I need my quiet time and I need his help. It's way too much confusion to have that many people in the house for me, let alone clean and cook. I know my brother-in-law will understand when I just have to go into a room and shut the door for quiet time. By week's end we will be staying at a hotel in Atlanta for the wedding and it will be easier for me to escape. I really enjoy having company and seeing people, but it isn't like it used to be. I get so tired so quickly and I'm not myself. I hate this!!!!

Chicago

After a very very long trip yesterday I'm finally home from Chicago. Between thunderstorms in Chicago and Atlanta and a very large car crash blocking traffic in Atlanta it was a long day. More about that later.

I was in Chicago for the International Conference on Alzheimer's Disease. Over 5,000 people from around the world were there -- it was pretty impressive. They are all trying to find a cure for this disease. That's encouraging. Of course, most of the sessions were so technical they were way over my head, but I hung in there for a few of them. There are some exciting things in the pipeline -- it will just take years for the drugs to make it through our complicated process of clinical trials and the FDA. I have to keep in my thoughts that there will be a breakthrough of some significance in the next ten years or so.

Thanks to the BBC for their remarkable five part series on Alzheimer's this week. I have had lots of comments on the show. They filmed my story while I was in Washington in May for the Public Policy forum and it ran on Tuesday of this last week. Here is the link if you missed it. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7532226.stm On the page that this comes up on you will also find links to the other stories that ran. It was a powerful series in all.

There was a lot of press last week on Alzheimer's with the conference going on. And, Memory Walk commercials were running last week as well. If you want more information on the conference you can get it at www.alz.org. I will be writing more once I am rested.