Life in the A-Zone

Peggy and her sister Shannan rush back from Washington D.C. when her mother takes a turn for the worse. Miraculously, they are able to be by her side with the family as she took her last breath. The sky glowed pink hours before she passed and whenever family or friends see a pink sky, they will remember it is a Sherry Sky.  #Alzheimers #Alzheimersjourney #caregiver #grief #dementia #personalstories #mentalhealth #storytelling #podcastseries #caretaker #familydisease #healingthroughstories #adultchildren #mother/daughter #loveandloss #Louisiana #southernfamily

Peggy and her three sisters plan a 62nd-anniversary party for their parents at the Memory Care facility after their Mother is placed on Hospice Care. Alzheimer's may have taken his wife's health and her zest for life, but it was important to their father to celebrate their lifetime of love. 

Peggy spends the night with her mother at the memory care facility and in a moment of peace, her mother tells her everything will be alright. Peggy realizes her mother's struggle with Alzheimer's is slowly coming to an end. 

Peggy's mother is barely speaking these days as she grows weaker from Alzheimer's. However, in a special moment of clarity at the Memory Care facility, she shares a beautiful and heartwarming life lesson.

Peggy takes her mother to the hospital and everything changes as she is placed on palliative care. Alzheimer's is winning the battle and Peggy surrenders to the bleak reality. 

As her mother settles into her new life at an Alzheimer's Memory Care facility, Peggy and her father begin to adjust to an empty house without her. The Alzheimer's struggle at home is gone, but so is her mother's love and spirit. 

The last weekend with Peggy's mother before moving her into a memory care facility has arrived. Nothing can prepare the family for this life-changing moment in their Alzheimer's struggle. Friday night is bittersweet as Peggy and her mom share beignets in the backseat of the car creating a special memory.

Peggy realizes it's time for her mother to leave the nest as the family prepares to move her into an Alzheimer's memory care facility. The beloved home her mother built will never be the same once she is gone.

Decorating for the holidays is bittersweet this year. Peggy realizes this will be her mother's last Christmas at home and she longs for Christmas of yesteryear as a lifetime of memories fills her heart.

Another step down the ladder of the Alzheimer’s journey is inevitable as Peggy’s mother begins walking out of the house unnoticed. Trying to figure out the next move to keep her safe brings confusion and frustration.

Taking an Alzheimer's patient on a cruise may not be a great idea, but Mom's 82nd birthday deserves a big celebration. Her smiles and endless laughter make it worth the awkward moments, and we are blessed with special memories.

Peggy and her father make plans for special trips with her mother, but soon realize road trips with an Alzheimer’s patient are challenging, exhausting, and emotionally draining. Their best-laid plans are trips to nowhere.   

Peggy plans a “good day” for her mother decorating the house for Easter sparking many childhood memories. Celebrating Easter may be different these days, however, creating new memories can be just as heartfelt and special.

Peggy's stressful day over her mother's choice of clothing for Grandparent's Day turns around that evening when her family goes to hear live music at a local bar. Watching her mother and father tenderly slow dance under the stars creates lasting memories of the love between her parents that will live forever.

Peggy takes a girl's trip to Natchez, Mississippi with her mother, her mother's best friend, and her daughter. The weekend is a celebration of friendship and love with a side of pie.  Everything is better with pie!

Simple life lessons to deal with her mother's Alzheimer's are discovered as Peggy walks around the beautiful neighborhood lake encountering a White Heron, a Blue Heron, and a gaggle of Canadian Geese. A crawfish boil at a neighbor's home brings a much needed afternoon of Louisiana festive fun and new friends. Website: Lifeinthea-zone.comInstagram: LifeintheAZonepodcastFacebook: Life In the A-ZoneTwitter: LifeintheaZ 

A morning of surrender and reaching out for help turns into a beautiful day when Peggy snaps a beautiful picture of her mother in the backyard. This simple photograph invokes loving memories of her Grandmother and captures a pink cloud moment of grace and gratitude.

For Peggy, shopping with her mother followed by a lovely lunch with the Sweeney sisters was a favorite mother/daughter bonding activity. However, shopping now with their new unwelcome friend, Alzheimer's, is a different story altogether. 

Peggy Sweeney-McDonald shares her stories of love and life in the Alzheimer's zone while living with her mother after she was diagnosed.  This is Episode 2: Meatball Madness -A crazy night in the Sweeney kitchen when my mother who has Alzheimer's decides she wants to make her meatballs and spaghetti.  #Alzheimers #Alzheimersjourney #caregiver #dementia #grief #personalstories #adultchildren #mother/daughter #Alz #family disease #healingthroughstories #caretaker #alzeimerssupport #storytelling #caretaking #family #loveandloss #lifeintheA-zone

Peggy Sweeney-McDonald shares her stories of love and life in the Alzheimer's zone while living with her mother after she was diagnosed. This is Episode 1: The Decision - The day my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer's changed the course of our lives and we were never the same. #Alzheimers #Alzheimersjourney #caregiver #dementia #grief #personalstories #adultchildren #mother/daughter #Alz #family disease #healingthroughstories #caretaker #alzeimerssupport