Her recent entry into an older demographic announced itself regularly with the unwelcome intrusion of meopausal forgetting. Otherwise, she felt young, strong, and healthy.
-- Narrator (October 2003 paragraph 63)

Importance: Alice has not yet put a name on her Alzheimer's and believes that her memory issues at this point are just a symptom of menopause. It's significant that she feels healthy even though her brain is already beginning to deteriorate.

When I put all this information together, Alice, what it tells me is that you fit the criteria of having probable Alzheimer's disease.
-- Dr. Davis (January 2004 paragraph 12)

Importance: This is how Alice gets the news of her diagnosis. She grabs onto every aspect of this, including the word “probable,” hoping that there's some other explanation.

I think you're exhausted and stressed, I think the hormonal changes from menopause are wreaking havoc on your physiology, and I think you're depressed. We can handle off of these, Ali, we just have to address...
-- John Howland (February 2004 paragraph 40)