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This is Part 3 of our three part series on getting to our mom Rose's Alzheimer's diagnosis.

We take you from the beginning of April through to June 2025, to the day we got the blood test results that confirmed what we had feared. Along the way we walk through the neuropsych evaluation process, what moderate cognitive impairment actually means, the MRI results that made our parents think everything was fine, and the exhausting back and forth of trying to get everyone to see what we were seeing once all the puzzle pieces finally came together.

We share what it felt like to wake up on a Tuesday morning, open an email, and see a number that was nearly six times the positive threshold for Alzheimer's disease. We talk about how we told our dad, how he told our mom, and the FaceTime call that night where we all sat with it together for the first time.

This episode is also about everything that happens in the space between suspecting something and knowing it. The yo-yo of results that seem alarming and then get explained away, the frustration of feeling like you are being dramatic when the paperwork is right there, and the complicated grief of finally having an answer you were never hoping to be right about.

If you are in the middle of trying to get a diagnosis for someone you love, this episode is for you. Keep pushing. Get on every wait list. Bring a written list to every appointment. Fight to be taken seriously. The earlier you know, the more time you have to take action.

Walk with us! Join our team at the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Buffalo, NY this September 2026 — or donate! 100% of proceeds go to the Alzheimer's Association: act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2026/NY-WesternNewYork?pg=team&team_id=1057467&fr_id=19818

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Thanks for walking this journey with us. Conversations Through Alzheimer's is hosted by sisters Amber and Felicia, and new episodes drop every Monday through September 2026.

If this show has resonated with you, share it with someone who needs it and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along on our socials:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conversationsthroughalz/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@conversationsthroughalz
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsThroughALZ

Support the Alzheimer's Association by joining our Walk to End Alzheimer's team or donating: https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2026/NY-WesternNewYork?pg=team&team_id=1057467&fr_id=19818

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In Part 1, we walked you through the early signs we noticed over years of visits and trips. In Part 2, we share the story of the one week that changed everything.

It was the end of March 2025. Felicia and Dave were heading to Hawaii, and our mom flew to Orlando to meet Amber before they both traveled up to Plattsburgh to watch Oliver for the week. What we thought would be a manageable week of grandma helping with a nine month old turned into the moment we could no longer explain things away.

From getting lost in the airport, to struggling with a baby gate, to asking the same question four times in thirty minutes, to not remembering an entire middle of the night wake up that she was fully present for, this was the week the puzzle pieces stopped looking like coincidences and started looking like a pattern we couldn't ignore.

We share what it felt like to be in the thick of it without a diagnosis, how frustrating and heartbreaking it was to watch our mom get defensive about things that weren't her fault, and the Target run and late night gas station parking lot conversation with our dad that finally set in motion what would lead to an official diagnosis.

This is Part 2 of a three part series. The diagnosis is coming. But first, you need to see what it took to get there.

If you've ever had to convince someone you love that something is changing with their brain, struggling with dementia symptoms, this episode is for you. We're sharing every detail because the earlier you recognize these signs, the more time you have to take action and fight for the person you love.

Walk with us! Join our team at the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Buffalo, NY this September 2026 — or donate! 100% of proceeds go to the Alzheimer's Association: act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2026/NY-WesternNewYork?pg=team&team_id=1057467&fr_id=19818

Support the show

Thanks for walking this journey with us. Conversations Through Alzheimer's is hosted by sisters Amber and Felicia, and new episodes drop every Monday through September 2026.

If this show has resonated with you, share it with someone who needs it and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along on our socials:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conversationsthroughalz/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@conversationsthroughalz
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsThroughALZ

Support the Alzheimer's Association by joining our Walk to End Alzheimer's team or donating: https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2026/NY-WesternNewYork?pg=team&team_id=1057467&fr_id=19818

Send us Fan Mail

In this episode, we take you back to before there was a diagnosis, before there was even a name for what was happening to our mom. We walk through the early signs we noticed over a series of visits, and how many of the signs we missed because they were easy to explain away.

From getting lost in a hospital parking lot, to wandering a hotel hallway in Washington DC, to struggling with a video game in Orlando, to losing her job and never quite finding her way back- this episode traces the quiet, creeping trail of signs that told us something wasn't right.

This is Part 1 of a three-part series leading up to our mom's official Alzheimer's diagnosis. Because the road to understanding what's wrong with someone you love is rarely a straight line. It's years of excuses, disagreements between us, and moments that don't quite add up until suddenly they do.

If you've ever watched someone you love change slowly and couldn't find the words for it, we hope this episode helps. We're sharing these early signs because we almost missed them, and we believe that catching them sooner rather than later matters. The earlier you recognize what's happening, the more time you have to take action, build a care team, and explore the things that may help slow the progression. We don't want anyone to look back and wish they had known sooner.

Walk with us! Join our team at the Walk to End Alzheimer's in Buffalo, NY this September 2026 — or donate! 100% of proceeds go to the Alzheimer's Association: act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2026/NY-WesternNewYork?pg=team&team_id=1057467&fr_id=19818

Support the show

Thanks for walking this journey with us. Conversations Through Alzheimer's is hosted by sisters Amber and Felicia, and new episodes drop every Monday through September 2026.

If this show has resonated with you, share it with someone who needs it and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts. Follow along on our socials:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conversationsthroughalz/
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@conversationsthroughalz
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ConversationsThroughALZ

Support the Alzheimer's Association by joining our Walk to End Alzheimer's team or donating: https://act.alz.org/site/TR/Walk2026/NY-WesternNewYork?pg=team&team_id=1057467&fr_id=19818