As I checked the new list of assignments at the beginning of this week, pure panic swept over me at seeing that they were all due at the end of the week. I hadn't even finished Week 4 yet!! So, I had one week to do a week and a half's work. It didn't matter at first that this week's assignments weren't extremely difficult or time consuming, I just saw those dates and freaked out! I knew I was going to have to get my butt in gear, sit down at my computer and JUST DO IT! Well by Wednesday I think I had finished Week 4, and I hadn't JUST DONE IT for Week 5 yet. I knew I had all of Thursday and Friday to do this week's assignments (I am going away for the weekend). Well I did a couple assignments Thursday and then it came down to today. Today, I found myself writing my poem in the waiting room of the Family Medicine part of Cabell Huntington Hospital. I hadn't been feeling good for the past few days so I decided I had better see a doc before the weekend. Amazingly enough I finished my poem before they called me back (that could have been due to the fact that I waited for over and hour), but the important thing was that I was finished with it and only had my journal left to do. So here I am. By the way, I found out at the doctor's office that I have strep throat (I guess it wasn't all that karaoke that made my throat sore)! This week's assignments were relatively easy and once I just sat down and did them, it was really a relief. Ok, so I'm no longer behind and hopefully I will stay that way for the remainder of this class. I need to prepare myself for the next 5 weeks because my mind will be stretched, my time will be spent, my patience will be tried as I continue to put together this project. With a little rest (now that my 8AM M-F Math class is over, more rest can be seen in my near future), and a lot of hard work I think I can whip this thing into shape! As Spongebob would say, "I'm ready, I'm ready!"

This is a poem by Bill, a man starting to progress through the first stages of Alzheimer's disease. The phrases in caps are supposed to be things people who are developing Alzheimer's may say or think.

I'm getting older.
I'm starting to forget things,
Like where I put my car keys, my daughter's phone number, and the name's of people I don't see often.
IT'S PERFECTLY NORMAL TO BE A LITTLE FORGETFUL ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU ARE OLD.

I'm getting older.
I can't always speak clearly.
I know in my mind what I want to say,
But when it comes out of my mouth it makes no sense to anyone, including me.
My memory is getting worse.
The other day I forgot how to get home from the grocery store, but I eventually found my way so
IT'S NO BIG DEAL.
I'M FINE, REALLY.

I'm getting older.
I didn't tell my daughter about getting lost on the way home because I don't want her to worry about me, she has enough to worry about.
She wants me to come live with her and her family.
She doesn't like me living alone.
I've lived alone for fifteen years now, ever since Martha died. Oh, my dear Martha.
I wouldn't want her to see me like this.
I DON'T WANT ANYONE TO SEE ME LIKE THIS.

I'm getting older.
What's the matter with me?
There are so many things I can't do anymore,
but that's just part of being old, right?
Things start failing and it's all downhill from here.
For some reason, I don't think all this is part of the "NATURAL AGING PROCESS".

I’m getting older.
My friends are getting older as well, but these things aren’t happening to them.
All of their ailments and forgetfulness really is just because they’re getting old.
Their memory problems are different from mine.
They forget where they laid their keys, but I forget what to do with them.
SOMETHING JUST ISN’T RIGHT.

I’m getting older.
I went to the doctor and she said I am exhibiting the beginning signs of Alzheimer’s.
I’ve heard about the way people live when they have Alzheimer’s, and it’s awful.
They are confused, disoriented, forgetful, depressed, and that’s on a good day.
Is this what my future holds? Am I going to be put in a home? What can I do?
I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME!