Alzheimers Proceeds Down The Road

It's starting to get serious. A couple of years ago my doctor ordered a cat-scan of my brain. The diagnosis was "early on-set dementia". Apparently there really isn't much that can be done to stall or stop this common problem from advancing.  I first noticed a significant loss of short term memory. A few years went by without my memory getting noticeably worse. I hoped this would continue for a very long time. It didn't.

Recently I've noticed a change. My memory is definitely getting worse. The characteristics I am aware of are exactly what was expected. 

• The gradual loss of my short term memory began almost 10 years ago.  It's a bit worse now, but  predictable.  I have a fairly good idea of what I'm going to forget. When I tell someone I will do something, if I don't write it down it will be forgotten either late today or early tomorrow morning. I will have essentially no memory of it. 
• I have recently become aware that names of old friends and acquaintances are slipping from my mind. Often I can get the first or last name only. Sometimes neither. 
• About 3 or 4 years ago I found it difficult to speak before a group. I'd start a sentence and forget how to finish it, or I would begin a story and forget how to end it. This too is getting noticeably worse. 
• I try to stay very aware of my driving. For whatever reason I have not forgotten how to go from point A to B,  or how to drive correctly. My reaction time is excellent, as is my depth perception, peripheral vision, and overall judgement. My hearing is not at all good  but I am still quite sensitive to emergency vehicle sirens and horns. At present I do not consider this to be a problem.  
• Another thing I have started to watch closely is "confusion". For example: there have been times when I've had to stop to consider a chain of circumstances,  or complex verbal directions,  or the addition of long strings of numbers. So far, clearing this has been a matter of saying "whoa, let me think that through again", and so far it has worked. This "confusion" condition is rare, but it does happen. 
• Perhaps the most frustrating loss of memory is related to my reading habit. I've always read books and as I get older I read more than ever. About a book a week. Understand if you will, I don't hear the television, or casual conversation, or anything at all in a crowded room, and etc. My books have therefore become very important to me, my pleasure and relief, and tool to relax. My personal library contains 500-1000 books. I save only the ones I really like. Todays problem is that I have no recollection of reading most of them. I keep lists - but still purchase a number of duplicates. This disturbs me to no end.