In my early life I never worried about many things, and didn’t ever seriously consider the idea of living until I die. I did not live my life racing towards death, or ticking off things on a bucket list. In fact I didn’t have a bucket list. But I did have lists, and lists about lists, of the things I wanted to do. I was slightly obsessive about getting things done, about achieving my own goals, some which were very personal and not shared with anyone, and career or learning goals, and others that were as simple as the things I wanted to achieve each day. like the shopping or washing. This type of obsessiveness has come in handy as I live with the symptoms of dementia, as this habit of a lifetime has for the most part stayed with me. I still write lists, and lists about lists, and now reminders about my lists and the things on my lists. I have reminders set up in my outlook calendar, and stick notes on my laptop screen, and notes and lists all over the house and in my office. They occasionally annoy me, as often it seems as if I never get the things on them done, but they do help, and I do get things done, just now at a different pace than previously.  They give me a sense of power, and a reason to keep striving to rise above the symptoms of dementia. I try to live well, to squeeze in as much as I possibly can into my days, including down time and time with my family and dear husband. Writing lists helps me live the best way I can, achieving the things I still want to do and whilst it may seem obsessive, is one of the most constructive strategies that works well for me. Living until we die is all we have, so we might as well give it our best shot.