Maureen caught me at it early this morning – whistling this number in the kitchen:

When she found me clearing up the debris from last night’s meal she was holding two blankets.  She had spent the night on the safety of the sofa: a place where men would find it difficult to get at her.  As soon as she saw me she gave me a beautiful smile so I  hugged her and burst into the above song.

I then told her I was going to remind her of the first cassette tape she had ever bought for me:

As soon as the opening lines appeared on out TV screen Maureen said: ‘I remember that one’.  Music continues to be such an important part of our life and Girl Monday/Tuesday and Friday often resorts to YouTube.  When I return from my time off  I hear them at it, with singing and laughter ringing out as soon as I open our front door.

The first meeting with Maureen’s Care Coordinator went really well yesterday.  When I mentioned the need for clarification over Maureen’s diagnosis she agreed that it was a matter that needed clarifying – ‘there was nothing to lose’ by revisiting this issue.  It has always concerned me that Alzheimer’s was diagnosed in the early days but that has now been revised to vascular dementia.

The really good news from yesterday was there is now a Crisis Contingency Plan in place with numbers to ring whenever the going gets tough: far more than words!