Slow Puncture: Living Well With Dementia

This is an account of a year in the life of Peter Berry, an ordinary man living in a sleepy Suffolk village. Happily married and running a successful business, Peter's life changes when, at the age of fifty, he is given a terminal diagnosis of early onset dementia.Since that day, he has learned to live with his very own 'dementia monster'. From depression and suicide attempts through to his determination to confront his dementia, Peter has embarked on a series of challenges to show that 'life isn't over with dementia, it's just a little different'. Peter has now raised thousands of pounds for dementia charities, cycling hundreds of miles in his quest to show that life is always worth living.When Peter meets Deb, recently retired, they embark on regular cycle rides and, as their friendship grows, Deb is able to look at her own life through the lens of Peter's dementia. In Slow Puncture, Peter tells the world what it is really like to live with a terminal condition and Deb learns to enjoy each day more fully. With a foreword by best-selling author Wendy Mitchell, author of Somebody I Used to Know, this is an inspirational look at both living in the present and coping with dementia."The way Peter and his wife have come to terms with the dementia that has descended on him is both humbling and uplifting. Millions of people witnessed on television the raw honesty of Peter's pain, as well as the extraordinary positivity he found from deep within his spirit. His story is an inspiration." Hugh Bonneville, film and television actor "Peter has a unique way with words: he makes you appreciate anew the preciousness of the present moment." David Bradford, editor of Cycling WeeklyPeter Berry is passionate about all types of bikes and owns a 1950s Claud Butler, a modern road bike, and, of course, a penny-farthing affectionately referred to as 'Penny'. Since his diagnosis, Peter has contributed to the C4 documentary The Restaurant that Makes Mistakes and is widely known in the Suffolk coastal area where he lives.Deb Bunt is married with two sons, one grandchild and has one on the way. She is retired from working as a family practitioner and has a BA (Hons) in Humanities and certificates in Couple Counselling and Psychodynamic Counselling. She lives in Suffolk.