Summer Update

Periodically I send out an e-mail broadcast to family and friends to update them on how Gregory and I are doing with his Alzheimer's. By doing so, people for whom we care are able to keep up with the progress of the disease and be more responsive to Gregory (and me) when we get together. Some of the the people on the list live far away and do not get to visit too often so the update is a way to keep in touch with them as well. For the most part, I really dislike the usual "Christmas Letter" that is reproduced and sent out with the yearly card … but in this case, I think that this type of letter has a greater purpose. As I mention in the body of the e-mail below, we do value and appreciate the people in our life and their being on "The Path" with us is comforting and helpful to Gregory and to me.

Dear Friends,

Hi. Hope your summer is going well. For a change we have been enjoying an "at home" summer. No big trips planned or even anticipated at this time. Honestly, not sure if we have the energy or ability to do any big trips in the future … but also not ruling them out.

Gregory had a great July 4th birthday party with approximately 35 guests here for appetizers, drinks, fireworks, and birthday cake. With the help of artist Nancy Rosen, Gregory has begun a new "career" in oil painting, is quite good at it, and really enjoys what he is creating. The big "A," as I fondly call it continues to progress and we continue to review, reevaluate, regroup, rebalance, reorganize. Sounds like an Aretha Franklin Song (Re-Re-Re-Re.)

He continues to be happy, content, easy going and involved in life but also continues to decline in the areas of process skills, language retrieval, decision making, organization, planing, visual perception, making associations, follow through, and memory among others. Most of the time we get through what needs to be done and other times we have what I have labeled "Surprise Interactions." While HE IS NOT CRAZY, sometimes the behaviors, interactions, and communications ARE and it is all I can do to keep my sanity and/or tempter in dealing with them.

Michael has continued to reinvent himself through his artistic endeavors. If everything we know today comes true, there will be an opening reception of Michael's Museum at The Chicago Children's Museum on Navy Pier in March of 2011. "An Assembly of Assemblages" a show of approximately 25-30 of my purchased and found object assemblies in "boxes" in the style of Joseph Cornell will have an opening reception on June 2, 2011 at the municipal Village Hall in Lincolnwood, Il a suburb just next to Chicago.

I expect to be in "Carmen" again in September as a Supernumerary at The Lyric Opera of Chicago. I continue my creative non-fiction writing several hours a day, have been attending writers conferences, have joined a writers group, continue to work at becoming a published author, and have continued a close relationship with The Ragdale Foundation Artists Residency Program. For my 65th birthday, Gregory gave me a new camera and I have been honing my photography skills. Finally, I have been "promoting" myself via two web sites and three blogs. You can also find me on Facebook.

Below you will find direct links to the sites and blogs. Just click on them and you should be taken there. If you want to follow them, be sure to bookmark them on your browser so you can easily return. Also, please feel free to comment on the blogs. The more comments I get, the higher on the Google list I go, and when a potential publisher googles "Michael Horvich" they will get a good picture of who I am and how large my audience is.

Keep in touch. Always love to hear about you and your news! As always, Gregory and I appreciate your traveling the path with us.

Michael (and Gregory)

michael a. horvich professional site

michael a. horvich writes (Writers Blog)

michael a. horvich cares (Alzheimers Blog)

michael a. horvich photographs (Photography Blog)

Michael's Museum Site