Many of us, as we get older, have occasional difficulty in remembering a name or an object, and we say to ourselves, half-jokingly, but also half-seriously, "I must be getting Alzheimer's". We have tried in these pages to help dispel the notion that a slight lapse in memory is the first sign of this devastating disease. However, we haven't attempted to describe what the early symptoms can actually be like.

Chip Gerber is a 54-year-old licensed social worker who was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's disease in 1997. His mother, who is in her 80s, also has Alzheimer's. In July 2000 Chip started an online diary describing his everyday activities and emotions. It provides some insight into how the disease has affected him so far, and reveals the small as well as the large ways his life has already been changed. The following extract for Christmas Eve shows how one of life's pleasures can be unexpectedly affected:

"For the first time I was unable to function shopping for my wife. I've always enjoyed this in the past. Finding just the right thing that fits her perfectly that I just know she will love. Normally I dislike shopping, but for the holiday I enjoy doing it for family. I tried but could not follow through. I ended up having Sharon pick things out that she would like and then we got them together. I missed the surprise element to the present giving."

Less than 10% of Alzheimer's patients have the "early onset" variety. The disease in younger persons, like Chip, tends to develop more slowly, and may produce different effects in its victims. People with early onset Alzheimer's tend to react differently to the disease than those with the "classical" type:

• They are more physically fit and active, and usually have more responsibilities in terms of employment and families
• They may be more aware that something is wrong because they have higher expectations of their abilities and capacities
• They may be more inclined to feel powerless and frustrated

Although Chip's diary may therefore not be typical for the majority with Alzheimer's, it gives a "slow-motion" account that can help newly diagnosed patients, friends and family understand some of the problems faced by the sufferer. Have a look - just click here: www.zarcrom.com/users/alzheimers/chip.html

[A technical note: You may find the Chip's diary type rather small for reading comfortably. If you use Netscape Navigator for browsing the Internet, you can click on View, and then Increase Font (once or twice) to increase the size of the type. If you are using Internet Explorer, click on View, and then Text Size, and then Larger.]