The season of Thanksgiving

Hi again.  I had a good week. One of my best friends that I grew up with in Modesto came to visit me and it was so wonderful to see her and talk, laugh and cry about the crazy things we did when we were younger.

Boy, am I glad there was no Facebook back then 😉Love you Andi!

Bob and I also had a good visit with my doctor at UCSF in San Francisco.  She is always so pleasant and seems happy to see me. I am grateful for that.  We talked quite a bit about all the research that is going on, and the many clinical trials.  Unfortunately there are so many variables with Alzheimer's that the scientists are trying every possible strategy. There is the issue with Tau protein and Beta Amyloid plaques. The plaque is thought to cause the brain cells to die. But recent studies have shown that the the presence of tau is a better predictor of AD (Alzheimer's Disease).  And the more tau deposits you have, the more your memory is effected.

I was able to see my PET/CT scans when I was given my diagnosis in July of this year. The slides clearly showed quite a bit of RED on my scans. Red shows where the tau is in your brain. There's also the issue of genetic markers, APOE-3 and 4,  I have the APOE-4 gene but I'm not sure what role that has played in my disease. The good news is my type of AD is not hereditary and although Danielle & Kristen could still develop AD, it won't be because of my genes.

I share all this with you because I want you to be aware that the specialists are trying every possible way to come up with a cure. My doctor spent time discussing all the different theories with us. She also discussed the importance of having 'healthy' volunteers participate in clinical trials.  And how placebo's play a role in the trial. If I am selected for the Roche/Genetech clinical trial with a drug called crenezumab, I won't know if I am getting the placebo or the actual drug.  I will share more details on how that goes in December. My first appointment with them is November 30th.

Back to Thanksgiving......I am so thankful for my friends and family, and for the outpouring of love and support I receive from the Alzheimer's Association. I am thankful that Bob and I will be with his sisters, niece and family this year, and that my brother and sister in law will be there too! I'm also extremely excited and thankful that I will be able to see my mom's side of the family in Fresno for a Geary family reunion after Thanksgiving. My sister and her husband will be there, along with my two daughters and their significant others, and my cousins and their kids!

I'm thankful for the random acts of kindness, and texts and Facebook posts that you all shower me with. I am grateful for the opportunity to share my journey with you, and for the blessings of gratitude and abundant living, the power of meditation and prayer. I am grateful for Bob and his unconditional love and support. He is my rock.

I wish all of you a wonderful Thanksgiving season and I hope you enjoy your family and friends and continue to spread light into the world.  Yoko Ono once said "You change the World by being yourself".  Let us all be REAL this Thanksgiving season and enjoy each other.

With love & peace to you all.....