Jill Dillard, from the conservative Christian Duggar family featured on the TLC reality series 19 Kids and Counting , provided a much anticipated medical update on her mother-in-law, Cathy Byrum. Byrum has been battling non-Hodgkin lymphoma and was told that she most likely wouldn’t live to see her son marry the Duggar daughter. However, against all odds, Byrum is doing “exceptionally well” and can’t wait to meet her new grandson.
The Duggar Family Blog notes that several avid readers had requested the blog post a medical update on Derick’s mother. The blog obliged and offered some new details into Cathy’s battle with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The blog notes that on April 10th of 2014, just two weeks after Derick proposed to Jill Duggar, Cathy was diagnosed with the deadly disease. At the time of the diagnosis, Cathy was told that she likely wouldn’t live to see her son marry. In fact, she was told that she might not live to see another day.
“A week before Jill and Derick’s wedding, Cathy’s oncologist did not expect her to survive another day, but she proved him wrong and even made it to the wedding.”
Today, Cathy is doing “exceptionally well.” It has been almost 10 months since her diagnosis and the family is calling her battle “nothing short of a miracle.” The family notes that Cathy recently underwent a PET scan and a bone marrow biopsy, both of which came back clear! She will have one other doctor’s appointment in approximately two months, if the scans are still clear, she will not require any future scans or treatments unless symptoms reappear.
With the newest Duggar grandson due in just seven weeks, Jill Dillard says that Baby Dilly can’t wait to make his entrance and meet his grandma Cathy.
“Cathy’s story is nothing short of a miracle. Jill says that Baby Dilly, due in less than seven weeks, cannot wait to meet his grandma!”
Though Cathy is well on her way to a full recovery, the Dillards certainly aren’t taking their time with her for granted. Derick noted on his Instagram account that he recently spend some time with his mother, brother and Jill on an eagle watching tour near their home in Arkansas.
“Recently, Jill and I joined my mom and brother to go on an eagle watching tour on the lake near our home.”