Goodnight Sweetheart - Sweet Dreams

It's now almost 2 months since MyMan and I swapped bedrooms. When his new adjustable bed arrived. A softer bed with more give in the mattress. I'm pleased to say I was right. He finds it much more comfortable. It eases his back pain when he needs to rest in the afternoon. He is sleeping a bit better.

He has had many night mares and peculiar dreams. All connected with loss of control, accidents and sorting out other peoples problems in the work place. I'm not overly worried. I assume this is his mind sorting out worries that it's not been able to do over many sleepless years. Recently he had a more pleasant dream. This time when he dreamt he was lost someone came to help him and he 'felt less alone'.

What does worry me is that the softer mattress has highlighted just how weak his muscles have become. He can barely reach over to the bedside cabinet to turn the light or radio on/off. I'm hoping that better quality sleep will improve his general health enough so that we can look at building up his physical strength.

In the pink ...

I have now been home 3+ weeks. It took me a good 7 days to re adjust. I set about being active and busy. Bridge classes re-started. I was wrong in that MyMan's new bed did not arrive while I was away. It was only delivered this last week.I was therefore able to continue with 'Plan A' - that we swap rooms. MyMan slowly became used to the idea of smaller bedroom with 'that awful pine furniture'

Over the last week we've managed to move everything between the 2 rooms. Each room's had a thorough spring clean. Well, an autumn clean really. I found many biscuit wrappers and chocolate crumbs in MyMans bedroom. No wonder he hasn't lost weight; regardless of my reducing meal portions. There were also signs of a visitation from a mouse. MyMan promised he would no longer say I am being 'over fussy' when I want to pull the bed away from the wall to vacuum under it.

I have now taken up residence in the 'pink room'. I feel rather like Barbara Cartland. The large king size bed looks far better for having space around it. I have been able to dig out all my favourite bed linens and am spoilt for choice as to how to dress my bed. It now looks warm, comfortable and inviting. It might look warm it is in fact the coldest room in the house but I'm happy enough with a pink furry hot bottle to take to bed at night. Now that we have room to turn the mattress it is in truth far more comfortable than it's been for many long months. So I'll be able to economise by not shopping for a new bed a while longer. Twice when I have woken early I have taken a cup of tea back to bed. Unlike recent years when if I've not been asleep I've left the room as speedily as possible.

MyMan now agrees the smaller room has plenty of space for him. He is finding the bed a great comfort and it helps with his quality of sleep. He still doesn't like the furniture so I am looking around for something more to his taste. I think it is the idea of change that upsets him so much. Along with the thought of the upheaval and work.

With the financial world going through so much turmoil the talk of a house move is on the slow back burner for now .. . .

Meanwhile I feel happier now that I have a pleasant retreat as a sanctuary when I feel the need. And next week I have another short break; a weekend away with an old [long standing] friend and colleague in Gloucestershire.

Parallel Worlds

It is very strange but 2 days later MyMan started talking as if it is settled that he is going to change rooms when his new bed arrives. He said 'it does make sense' for the single bed to go in the smaller room. He was more like my OldMan. The Man I love and married 37 years ago.. reasonable and open to discussion and negotiation. We didn't always agree but we could talk through our differences and come to some agreement. Nowadays it's like living with Jekyll and Hyde. I just never know which one I am going to find each morning or which one I am talking to at any time.

We used to be so close he would always say he could read me like a book. He believed in ESP as I would start talking about something that was just in his thoughts.

Maybe as I typed up my last post he subliminally absorbed my thoughts while taking his afterno0n rest. Perhaps he decided the change of rooms was the cheaper option. Or it is that my OldMan is still lurking there behind this crabby, cantankerous old devil I find myself married to now.

We might make it to our 38th wedding anniversary after all ..

Adjusting Matters

The Chiropractor told MyMan that she thinks he should look at buying an orthopaedic bed. I thought she meant firm. His bed is already hard as a board. It gives me back ache when I just lie on it for 10 minutes to chat to him before I go off to my little nest. He said she did say it 'could be that it is too firm'. He wanted a firm bed as he finds it very difficult to sit up or turn over in bed. He needs something to firm to lever on.

Ms Chiropractor told him he should look at an adjustable bed that will sit him up, raise his legs when needed and do everything but turn him out of bed. An adjustable bed. We had a peek in the Bed Centre in Honiton yesterday. It looks as if we'd need a mortgage to buy one. He was too stiff to try out adjustable beds - an ideal time to 'try before you buy', I would have thought. I didn't press it. Westpoint has a Disability Exhibition on at the beginning of June - I think that could be a good place to start looking.

I suggested an automatic adjustable bed last year but he refused - 'it's not necessary'. This is yet another example of his dismissing my suggestions. But as soon as one of his professional carers suggest it may be a good idea then he is keen to get on and do it.