I had to step into my ‘Tea Boy’ mode this morning to get out of a hole I was digging for myself.  Maureen changed the rules of  ‘Musical Beds’   last night by refusing to move from the sofa. This meant that I have had little sleep with one ear tuned to the Baby Monitor all night, listening to her every move, and frequently popping downstairs to check that she is safe. My ‘hole-digging’ started around 4 am when I tried to open discussions about it being sensible to sleep in a bed.

I often forget that dementia means logic, rational thought, and empathy are early casualties of the condition.  My attempts to assert that it is normal to sleep in bed fell on fallow ground with threats to leave if I didn’t want Maureen to live here anymore.  Early morning tea has turned the tide on what became a fruitless discussion with accusations that I was telling Maureen what to do: even treating her like a child.  I simply have to find another way of prising her off the sofa at night and encouraging her to sleep in bed: suggestions as ‘comments’ please – no closing date or prize for a solution only my gratitude.

The good news from yesterday is that Charlotte our new carer made a positive start to becoming part of the team.  She has a lovely nature and Maureen seemed to like our new ‘Shopper Lady’.  I realise it is early days and one false step from myself or Charlotte can easily lead to all sorts of problems in the future.

We didn’t make it to see our friends from the Bowls Club last night but I have flagged up the possibility of catching up on some familiar faces from Social Dancing this morning.  I have already been demonstrating that I still have a lock-step in my quick step repertoire so with luck we’ll be ‘tripping the light fantastic’ at Clee Church Hall before noon.