DiDi is a three time cancer survivor who I’ve come to know well through Instagram.  We’ve become friends & she continues to inspire me almost daily.  I’m so honored to share DiDi’s incredible story of strength & perseverance with you!

In February 2014, DiDi noticed at one of her son’s track meets that she wasn’t able to yell.  The issue persisted but her son kept winning & everyone said, “We’ll cheer for you DiDi!”  So, she didn’t think much of it & just figured she wasn’t able to scream anymore.  She went for a physical in June & told her doctor of her recent inability to yell.  She was referred to a Ear Nose & Throat specialist, who she scheduled an appointment with in July.

DiDi was diagnosed with vocal cancer at age 46, in July 2014.  Her youngest son had just graduated high school with honors & received an academic & athletic scholarship to Seattle University.  Oregon made an offer as well, but he opted for Seattle, which worked out since his dorm was just a block away from DiDi’s hospital.  There she underwent 32 rounds of radiation. 

DiDi’s three handsome sons

In November following radiation, when her doctor checked her vocals for an all clear, instead he noticed spots in the back of her throat.  A biopsy was done in December & determined there was cancer in DiDi’s throat.  Her left lymphnodes were removed as well as a portion of her throat.  Her doctors were aggressive & she had surgery again in February & March to remove indication of precancer cells. 

Everything appeared clear in April & June so DiDi enjoyed a well deserved vacation.  While on vacation she saw a commercial that inspired her to leave a voicemail for herself at work, to reminder herself  to have a CT scan scheduled before her next appointment.  When she returned & listened to it, she realized she was half asleep when she had left it, but she called & made the request none the less.  He said it wasn’t necessary since they were doing an endoscopy & the other appointments had been clear, but if she wanted to have one he would schedule it. 

The CT scan was scheduled for July 20, 2015. She didn’t legitimately believe she had reason for concern so waited for her standard appointment with her regular doctor to receive the results.  But when he walked in this time, he had defeat on his face, four other surgeons alongside & his assistant was in tears. 

DiDi’s doctor told her that he was sorry & he had done everything he could.  She asked the question all of us cancer patients want to know, was she going to die?  One of the surgeons told her no, they had options, but they could not operate anymore.  There was a tumor found in the back of her neck the size of a golf ball that would not have been seen without a CT or PET scan & due to its location, it was inoperable.

DiDi was devastated… for the third time she had been told she had cancer, but now worse than ever.  It would require the most aggressive chemo & radiation in order to shrink the tumor; not even guaranteed to get rid of it completely.  It knocked the wind out of her.

This time she didn’t handle her diagnosis quite as well.  She felt like cancer had stolen her trust, innocence, sense of judgement, her securities & for a short time, even her faith.  DiDi had felt like the strongest woman in the world.  She had run more than 25 marathons, biked thousands of miles & climbed several mountains, just for fun.  But cancer was a very different monster.  One that she no longer felt she could defeat.  Because in all of her other battles, she had a choice, even though she never quit, she always knew she had a choice.  There was no choice in this diagnosis.

DiDi’s first day of chemo & radiation in August 2015 with her BFF

After two weeks of intense chemo & radiation

DiDi happy & relieved her blood count was too low to receive another chemo as planned, alternately they hydrated her that day.

It was very difficult for her family & friends.  It was hard for her to face them, they looked at her as though they thought she was going to die.  Her two youngest sons had to take care of her & that was hard on DiDi.  They kept the news from her oldest, who was away at sea in the Navy.

DiDi’s son serving the Navy, she didn’t have the heart to tell him she’d been diagnosed for the third time while he was away.

Another of DiDi’s sons, showing his support for mom

DiDi is in a much happier place in her journey now.  She takes it one day at a time, striving to help others & make sure they don’t land into the dark place she ended up following the third diagnosis.  Cancer has taught her to care more, give more, to accept life graciously & love everyone. 

DiDi visiting Rockefeller Center 2016

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