Hi SeptemberMorn --

Could it be Alzheimer's. A beloved uncle of mine passed at age 57 from it. He'd been a brilliant civil architect. Also very witty. But it has early onset in his family.

I don't know about the eyes looking off to the side. Perhaps seeing things that we can't -- I think that happens in Alzheimer's too.

Of course, all the other hypotheses are valid, also.

Best wishes, SeptemberMorn. This is another crappy thing for you.