A significant milestone...

Midday today actually. That marked the halfway point.

16 1/2 days gone, 16 1/2 days to go.

Chances are that you're fed up with reading 'Oh it's horrible living without chocolate.' I think you probably get the point by now. So I'll give that a miss this time.

Since we started this, I've been genuinely surprised by the number of people who have said to me 'I know somebody who is suffering / has suffered / is affected by Alzheimer's.'

I always thought it was a relatively rare condition, but I suspect it's just that it doesn't get a huge amount of publicity.

I've not had direct experience of it (though a close friend's Dad, who only passed away a few months back, had it), but I've gone through something similar.

We lost my Dad to cancer some years ago, and towards the end, due to a combination of the disease and the medication, he hadn't got a clue where he was, who he was, or who we were.

To look at someone you love dearly, and to get a blank, uncomprehending stare back is heartbreaking.

I'm not trying to play the emotional blackmail card to try and squeeze a few more pounds out of people - you've all been tremendous.

But it's just a reminder that while Giles and I are going through what we laughingly describe as 'hardship', in 16 days, on November 13th, the hardship just goes away like *that*.

But for all the people affected by Alzheimer's though, it doesn't just 'go away'.

Thanks for helping.