Short words, short sentences, good communication

May, my wife, has early-onset Alzheimer's. For years we toured the medical establishment trying to find out what was wrong. We heard a lot of doctor talk that didn't help at all -- until we came to Dr. Weintraub. She spent a morning with May and then sat down with the two of us for more doctor talk about more specialists and more tests -- but she also offered to see me privately. Here's how it went:

Me: You've already decided what it is, haven't you.

Her: Yes.

Me: And you've decided it's Alzheimer's, haven't you.

Her: Yes.

Me: How long does it take to run its course?

Her: Ten years. It goes slow and then it goes fast. You're still in the slow part.

Everything I needed to know, in 18 one-syllable words, the longest of which contained five letters.

The official diagnosis came four months later. It is early-onset Alzheimer's. We're still in the slow part.