Diane,

I held onto Bolen for a long, long time. It was such a strong last name living in Tulsa. I could say my last name was Bolen and I would get asked if I was related to Jerry, Jason, David, Ricky, Jan, Charlene, Charlotte, Herb.

My dad and his brothers all died within the last 5 years. There are now only 2 people in our family with the last name Bolen. And they won't be having children.

It is very strange to witness the death of a last name. My dad and his brothers were proud to be Bolens. It has gone on for generations and with the knowledge of the one genetic disease we got from our Nana,their mother, it will now be completely gone when my brother and cousin die.

Funny how the name is going to die but this disease will keep going unless my kids stop it. I hate that its left up to them.

Maybe Im putting too much thought into it. Its just weird getting old enough to go, huh, well, thats the end of that last name.

Finished The Rachel Incident.

"Return of Saturn" is 25 years old and this album was IT for me. Its the album I listen to and never get tired of it.

It was and still is life changing for me. I remember hearing Ex Girlfriend and knowing some day that would be me. I definitely had a Tony through my teen years. Simple Kind Of Life hit me in such a good way. But New always has my heart.

I never could pull of the pink hair. I tried it once. But you know what I could pull off? All the polka dots. Any time I come across a blue polka dot dress, I buy it.

The only black I wore on vacation was my swimsuit under my dresses. Going to Phoenix for the first time as a VACATION was very healing. I was sober. I wasn't working. I allowed myself to lay out at the pool and enjoy it. It feels weird that we are over with being the sandwich generation.

The day before I left there was a photo posted of a man, maybe a couple years older, who is patient #1 for the clinical trial that is the 8-12 hour brain surgery to treat Huntingtons. Seeing a name and a face gave me the first REAL hope I have felt in 101 weeks.

When people tell me there will be a cure in my lifetime, I just said ok. For 101 weeks.