As the GP was offhand and unpleasant,

the nurse was lovely and kind. Raised blood pressure,but it is only to be expected in his age.And he is overweight. Yes,he is.Several years ago when the change in him had begun to rear its ugly head he lost several stone and looked like a skeleton. He cannot sleep at night and then he eats,I replied. He shouldn't nap during the day,then he would sleep better at night, I remained silent. The medical professionals.They know a lot yet so little about human nature,about a day to day living with someone for whom the notion of time has ceased to exist. Blood was taken. A week or so later I had a phone call - the result of the blood test showed nothing untoward but a blood pressure tablet was prescribed. I asked for an appointment to a nose and throat specialist to see if Olly's hearing could be improved. The GP asked for it to be expedited. My husband, as a young boy,lived by the sea and swimming in dirty polluted water resulted in an ear infection,followed by an unsuccessful operation and a total loss of hearing in one ear and over the years the loss of 30% of hearing in the other. The day of the appointment in the local hospital came. Olly was in his element. At his best.I was praying nothing would set him off and nothing did.The Czech doctor was everything a doctor should be and so often is not - knowledgeable, with immaculate bed-side manner,charming,pleasant. When she turned her back to my husband,he patted her on the bottom. He was sitting like a soldier,upright,looking straight ahead,lips pursed, a wicked smile,so pleased with himself. With a twinkle in her eyes she shook a finger at him - no,no,no,no. Olly was in his element. The centre of attention.Proud of himself. He has dementia,the doctor said quietly.Has he been diagnosed? We have a good department here in the hospital. I am waiting for an appointment. What is dementia,my husband asked. It is when someone is very clever,I said. I am very clever,aren't I, he looked at me with his dove eyes asking for approval,for a confirmation. He always needed,craved my approval.The Czech doctor,having spoken to my husband for five minutes,knew he had dementia. His GP,to whom he had been going for years,noticed nothing.