In March 2019 I published an opinion paper in JAMA Neurology directed at other neurologists, a paper that tried to make the case for early recognition and management of Alzheimer’s disease, even before the onset of cognitive decline (if the link above does not open the full paper, contact me and I will send you a PDF version). The paper generated interest from a number of neurologists as well as many people who were at risk for getting Alzheimer’s because of family history or other factors. A local Portland TV station did a segment on their 5 o’clock news about the paper. Many people wanted advice on how to reduce their risk of getting the disease.
A few months later I started expanding that paper into a book about my experiences with Alzheimer’s disease from my two perspectives: 1) a retired neurologist who had cared for many patients with dementia during a 25 year career and 2) a person now living with early-stage Alzheimer’s. I chose to write for a general reader who wants to learn about Alzheimer’s and what can be done to slow the progression and even reduce the risk of getting it. After many more months I had a rough draft. However a few first readers (including family members) were less than enthusiastic. I began to realize that my linear and somewhat pedantic memoir would need some professional help to make it interesting and readable. My cowriter Teresa Barker came to the rescue and was able to help me do that and much more. By coincidence, we both live in the greater Portland area, so before the Covid pandemic, we were able to meet in person to plan and edit the book.
Once we started talking to agents and publishers, I started to worry that the publishing world had very different ideas about what it wanted to make of Tattoo, ideas that for the most part did not resonate with me. I was happy when Anna Whiting of Cambridge University Press responded with enthusiasm to my query email within hours of receiving it. She and all the others at CUP have been so enthusiastic about the project. They were all such a joy to work with.
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