I appreciate your sharing the information about your mother & pneumonia. My 75-year-old Dad has been having some similiar difficulties and these postings are the first I've seen about muscle weakness, swallowing tests and pneumonia. I am frustrated at times that the docs seem to disregard the "small" complaints/inputs from my older parents, yet if I persistently inquire, they may come up with a suggestion. In fact, my Dad's oncologist's staff (he's been treated for non Hodgkins lymphoma for 11 years) totally disregarded his complaint about a lump on his tongue and it was my Mom's dentist who ordered the biopsy! Did/do you experience this "it's normal for a person your age to have this symptom" stuff toward your parent(s) at all, Marjorie & Karen? If so, do you have any ideas on how to overcome the issue?