Hi Jabber,

I have good news about my mother. She has been declared cancer free. At the moment her oncologist has her doing quarterly MRI's to keep on top of any further signs of cancer.

She is not happy about that, as she's recently heard how much radiation is involved in a CAT Scan, and she's pretty sure it can't be any better for an MRI. (I have no idea.)

So she is planning on telling the doc she doesn't want to be scanned that often. I don't know what to think of this. She is 82 and in full possession of her faculties, so I am inclined to let her make her own decisions on this.

Of course, I am speaking as a woman whose first husband was once declared cancer-free after being treated for non-Hodgekin's lymphoma. I know THAT recovery didn't even last 5 years... And I recall how devastating it was for him -- barely into his 40s -- to face down the second diagnosis.

But I am thinking positively. I know that cancer treatment has come a long way since then -- Steve's brother, for example, has now had non-Hodgekin's lymphoma for about 10 years. It periodically comes back -- and his docs keep knocking it down.

Thanks for asking about my mother. I am positive that all the prayers from BWS -- added to the prayers her friends and family sent up on her behalf HAD to have been a part of her recovery. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed -- and praying for her to stay well.

At the moment, she uses oxygen at night, and keeps it handy during the day. The surgeon had to remove about half of one of her lungs, so she tires easily -- even gets tired from talking on the phone. So while she is cancer-free, and starting to exercise in the pool again, she is NOT back to her old self.