Well, it is done and dusted as they say, My Unseen Disappearing World event is over. A job well done some have said, small goals achieved, public awareness raised, stigma reduced a little, service providers thinking differently, at least for a moment or two, friends and family standing by watching, worrying, supporting and loving me all the way. Will it ever be done again? I have no idea, but I feel glad I have tried it this year, glad I did something so random it felt like I was a stranger to myself for a few days, even more so than it does with dementia. Never before have I publicly stood up and tried to engage an audience in this way, at least not for 90 minutes, and not as a one man band, standing almost alone. I felt vulnerable, brave, crazy, overwhelmed, humbled, occasionally humiliated, and occasionally, quite lost along the way. The venue had its own form of dementia, especially on the first night when the Fringe bus sound system overtook ours. It fitted in with the theme perfectly, made us laugh a lot, and somehow paved the way. My children and husband were much braver than me, watching, listening, waiting in the wings for me to stumble or fall. Listening to the tragedy of their own lives, with courage I will never know. One friend said, “I was both moved and inspired by your presentation on Monday. I came away uplifted and it helped me to focus more strongly on where I am going in life and to make some positive resolutions for myself. Thank you so much. I came away humbled by your sheer openness and courage to share your story and experiences.” One young friend said “he had no idea how difficult it was for my son, and he would try to be a better friend.” Another young friend said, “now I have some idea how my Nan feels, and I will try to be a better grandson.” These, and other comments have made me feel it was worthwhile sharing my inner world, taking the risk of embarrassment or rebuke. I am sure there were some who felt it was a waste of their time, and my time too, but that, at the end of the day, that is just an opinion. There was a young comedienne in the audience last night, and I’m pretty sure he didn’t get the laugh he expected, but he did leave a decent donation for my fundraising, and said he liked the show. Wonders never cease to amaze me! My life has definitely been enriched by the experience, and it has made me wiser, stronger, and more reconciled with my world.