Best damn oncologist period

The latest from the incredible Dr. Grainger(in case you are new to the blog, Mom really likes her oncologist -- if they had a best damn oncologist at Riverside award, Mom would vote for him): He's pleased. "Really pleased," Mom says with a smile. He's impressed with my progress and is encouraged by the reduced swelling. They'll be doing another chest scan in two weeks, just to check things out.

For a person with breast cancer, Mom sure is chipper. She talks about attitude and living in the moment, but I don't know how she does it. Very strong woman, that mother of mine.

She's on a first name basis with everyone here and will miss them all dearly when she returns home. "I'm going to really miss my new social network," she admits with a frown. She talks about the father of one of the nurses - who happens to be an oncologist - who's scariest moment was when his daughter developed a staph infection in college (there was a happy ending).

Mom's made it her mission to know everyone's story and has no problem with everyone knowing hers.