Photographical Phluries

We have been feeling harried lately while trying to respond to the weight of our involvement in the cause to advance knowledge of the coming Alzheimer's tsunami into the public eye. In addition to that, we are committed to helping those newly diagnosed to deal with the shock. Finally, we are trying to keep our own lives alive and well. Sometimes, it feels overwhelming. For example, we both derive a great deal of enjoyment from dancing, from writing, from our artistic pursuits, and from just experiencing these Autumn years together and with family and friends as much as possible. These past few weeks laid waste those dreams pretty convincingly, at least for the time being.

It all started with events previously recorded, the first of which was Kathryn's stellar command performance at the Announcement Conference for the Maria study of women and alzheimer's in America. It was followed up by the preparations and performance at the meeting of leaders of 24 stakes and their encompassed wards in Southern Utah. Of course, I wrote about that in my accounting of Leonard's most excellent "hubritical" adventure. Then came a surprise article on Monday of this week in the Deseret News about Kathryn. The article, written by our dear friend, Elaine Jarvik, was masterful. The picture was devastating for Kathryn. Friends commented, trying to buoy her up, by saying she looked wise, or what a beautiful smile, or what beautiful eyes, or it's not the face that matters but what's in your heart. Well intended but subtle admissions that the picture was not that hot and was more a study of pores and wrinkles that an accurate account of her beauty.

Now we get really intense. We today are preparing for an interview with Ted Capener for his Civic Dialogue program on Channel 7. That is followed closely by the Early Stage Advisory Group Care Partners' conference call and shopping for Thanksgiving Dinner and mabye some dancing. Thursday starts with a conference call on Faith Based Alzheimer's Initiatives and then a Utah Alzheimer's Board retreat. Then there is our beloved art class from the good lady Marian. Friday morning we begin preparing for Thanksgiving dinner that evening to be participated in by the entire family. Those preparations will be interrupted by the making of a dance DVD to record Kathryn's life, as interpreted by her children and grandchildren (that's from 3 to 5) and then there is the actual act of eating. Saturday slows down a little with Chase's baptism, but then we have to prepare for a major talk on Monday in Orem that we need to rush to after our Huntsman Cancer Institute volunteering that morning. Do you get the picture? Folks should be getting pretty sick of us by then and we can scale back the intensity and frequency of our involvement a little.

Why do I call this post "Photographical Phluries." Think about it. These past events have all be digitally recorded, more or less successfully, in great detail. Kathryn's Washington triumph to my Sand Lake Reservoir debacle to Kathryn's St George perfomance to our "Civic Dialogue" interview to the dance and dinner on Thanksgiving to the Orem presentation. We're wondering if bright lights cause cancer or hopefully cure Alzheimer's for Kathryn and general overall ugliness for me.

Just to close this off, I include the best of Kathryn's Washington DC photos. That makes us both feel good.