My mother is 88 years old. A large, fair, sensitive, flaccid-skinned woman is overweight, but not as obese as she once was. She has always had bad varicose veins and other circulatory problems.; also, a knee replaced about 10 years ago; a bout with stage 3 colon cancer and chemotherapy, about 8 years ago, she has a bad valve in her heart, and recently she had dental surgery to remove 5 broken teeth in the back of her mouth which has left her face and neck wildly discolored with bruises. She has a bad back and has sat in a chair for the better part of 18 years. She is often is exhausted and out of breath if she has to walk more than a few feet, moans and groans inarticulately, and very lately has been experiencing flashes of overheating--but not fevers-- She seems to be generally uncomfortable, miserable, and sometimes is confused--angrily so, since she used to be a very very sharp lady. My main question, this evening, is: What could be causing the "hot flashes" that make her feel ill, exhausted, and very out of sorts?