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A short criticism
Dec. 1st, 2007 08:33 amI'm about a quarter the way through Bill Bryson's A Short History of Nearly Everything. Does anyone else think that Bryson spends an inordinate amount of time and ink scrutinizing the warts of scientists?
Dec. 1st, 2007
Why I'm worried
Dec. 1st, 2007 02:28 pmMy mom starting showing signs of dementia when she was in her 40s. We didn't know it at the time, but in retrospect we've worked it out. In fact, every time my Dad and I discuss it, we push the earliest signs backward in time. She has had Alzheimer's disease almost half her life. She hasn't spoken or stood up in over 5 years.
This past week, I had my review at work, which included the fact that I forgot to do a couple very important things--the particulars aren't important (I can't write about them publicly) but it was a bonehead mistake, that anyone can make, that I did twice. If I do it again I'll probably be fired. (Otherwise my review was positive.) I don't know if it was just garden variety carelessness, or a sign that my mind is literally turning to mush. I haven't had a negative review at work in my adult life, so this hurt my pride at the same time as it made me contemplate my mortality in a way that I never have before.
There is a test to find if you carry the gene for Alzheimer's.
There is no cure.
There are some treatments, but they look like snake oil to me.
I want to be a good companion to my wife as long as possible. I don't want to be taken care of.
The disease is slow. It's hard to diagnose. It leaves the sufferer perfectly healthy as their brain slowly, too slowly, dies. It makes everyone who surrounds the sufferer into sufferers. It does little physical damage, but creates so much suffering. I don't want to make my loved ones suffer.
My dad has a lot of hearing loss. I've inherited it. What else have I inherited? Do I want to know?
( 7 warning signs from WebMD )
This past week, I had my review at work, which included the fact that I forgot to do a couple very important things--the particulars aren't important (I can't write about them publicly) but it was a bonehead mistake, that anyone can make, that I did twice. If I do it again I'll probably be fired. (Otherwise my review was positive.) I don't know if it was just garden variety carelessness, or a sign that my mind is literally turning to mush. I haven't had a negative review at work in my adult life, so this hurt my pride at the same time as it made me contemplate my mortality in a way that I never have before.
There is a test to find if you carry the gene for Alzheimer's.
There is no cure.
There are some treatments, but they look like snake oil to me.
I want to be a good companion to my wife as long as possible. I don't want to be taken care of.
The disease is slow. It's hard to diagnose. It leaves the sufferer perfectly healthy as their brain slowly, too slowly, dies. It makes everyone who surrounds the sufferer into sufferers. It does little physical damage, but creates so much suffering. I don't want to make my loved ones suffer.
My dad has a lot of hearing loss. I've inherited it. What else have I inherited? Do I want to know?
( 7 warning signs from WebMD )
3:00 snapshot, #222.
Dec. 1st, 2007 04:54 pm
Today was the first really unreasonably cold day of the season. Below freezing, steady winds, it felt like 17 degrees with the wind chill factor. A perfect day to buy a new bikini top! (We're going to Antigua in January--my speedo is in the mail.)
On this day in 365 Urban Species: Common groundsel.