One thing I forgot to mention...besides Alzheimer's, my mom has arthritis in her lower back and scoliosis, so the doctor had given me a presciption for the walker..we purchased it at a medical supply store - which was probably a little pricier than other stores, but they were willing to submit to Medicare and her supplemental insurance...the walker retailed at his store for $300 and Medicare paid half...so that wasn't too bad. Also, when we got her wheelchair, I called the same store and asked if Medicare would cover any of it. Medicare actually will rent the chair and pay the FULL amount, as long as you get the specific model they cover. It's nothing fancy, but perfect for my mom...no big wheel in back, but she'd never try to push herself anyway...it weighs just 20 lbs so very easy for me to fold and put in the trunk of my car...this retailed for $400 and with the script from her doc, we pay nothing.... Just last week, I went back to the same store to look into the reclining chairs with a power lift. Mom's chair which doesn't have a lift (well, I guess it does...that is me!!! ) is fifteen years old and quite worn, so it is time for a new one; besides, my back can't take a whole lot more of constantly having to help her get up out of it. Again, I asked about Medicare and with a script, Medicare will pay $300 towards the mechanism in the chair to lift...which I think is fantastic...so we ordered her a new chair with a power lift and massage and heat!!! It actually will go completely flat so if there comes a time, she could even use it as a bed... it also has a "leatherette" covering, so it is easy to keep clean. He also mentioned to me that they sell something that is wonderful for getting out nasty smells, in case there are accidents that get absorbed...just thought I'd share what I've learned lately...take care and be well....Mimi

Thanks, all. Mother moved to a double room today. This place is only 49 beds, and they had a male patient coming in, and asked, since the only other bed was a female double. The lady in the other bed is a cute 97 yr old very sharp lady named Jane. She's a bit loud, but at worst, it will give Mother something to complain about. Brothers John and Bobby showed up. Of course, they are leaving first thing tomorrow, so that is it. I left them alone with Mother as much as I could. They got to see her at her weakest and at her best, so they may have a good idea of how she is. They hung the "family wall" pictures. Of course that only bothered Mother because she thinks we have given up her nice apartment. I tell her that if she wants to move back to her apartment, she's got to get a lot stronger first. She is miserable to think that she has wound up in a nursing home. Maybe more motivation for getting out? My brothers were odd. Jim tells me to not let it get to me. Sigh. So John makes reservations and pays for two nights in a motel that I would not trust at high noon on a bright day, much less even spend the night. Borther says, well, I didn't know. IDIOT! You could have ASKED! I live here, I could have told him. They could have stayed in Mother's apartment at no charge (they did check out and move to the apt this afternoon). But no, I am the Wicked Witch of the West, and we don't even call to ask. Stupid Idiot. A least they came, and the look on Mother's face was wonderful. It meant all the world to her that they visited. My cousin Linda comes tomorrow. Today was a lot more of getting oriented. Paperwork. Meeting more nurses, more staff, seeing routines, etc. Poor Mother, she never wanted to be here. But we are doing our best to make it ok, and maybe motivation for her to get well. I am sooooo tired. AT the end of the day, brothers took DH and me out to dinner and we were all civil to one another. Thanks for all the support here.

Here's one: http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/Forum40/HTML/006764.html Look for mention of "brain zaps." This is a very common symptom of Lexapro withdrawal. I'll link the other site below. It's an interesting site. I see they have a grief component, but I haven't visited it. Somewhere in the archives is a l-o-n-g thread about Lexapro withdrawal symptoms. Maybe it'll come up if you do a search on the site. Good luck. Let me know if I can help you find anything. I did a lot of reading on Lexapro and other meds when I was doing that research. Susan Here is a link that might be useful: Dr. Bob's website

Low BP can cause dizziness, as can low blood sugar (can simply be temporary, from being hungry). I can tell you from experience and lots of research that dizziness, or even fainting where you revive within a few seconds, usually means nothing serious. Of course, you'll want to check it with your doctor.