We Survived Colon Cancer
Katie and Bob Hendrickson (pictured) were both battling cancer on opposite sides of the country when they met through an online mentorship program for people with cancer. The couple, who each have a family history of colon cancer, ignored their symptoms until it was almost too late.
Today, the Hendricksons, both 46 and happily married since 2007, are cancer free. They spoke to AOL Health about how they discovered their cancers, fought back and fell in love.
AOL Health: When did you first think that something was wrong?
Katie Hendrickson: It was early 2005. I started having a side stitch. I thought I was having problems with an ovary, but I went to my ob-gyn, and she said I had nothing to worry about. But my mom had colon cancer twice, lung cancer and cancer of the mediastinum. Her grandmother died of breast cancer. Several of my cousins had various cancers, and my grandmother on my father's side died of colon cancer. When I finally found out [that I had colon cancer], I was stunned. We always think of colon cancer as an “old man’s disease” -- then I had to face it.
Bob Hendrickson: I went to my doctor [for a checkup] three years before [my] diagnosis because I realized that colon cancer was largely genetic, but the doctor said I was too young for colon cancer. Unless you’re a card-carrying AARP member, doctors are going to say it’s not colon cancer.
AOL Health: When did you realize that you could no longer ignore your symptoms?
KH: By April 2006, I started feeling really fatigued. I was working long hours with a long commute and assumed life stresses were bothering me until my side ache turned into a hard spot. Then I found the telltale sign of blood in my stool. I was diagnosed on May 17, 2006, after a colonoscopy in the doctor’s office.
BH: During those three years between my initial doctor’s appointment and my diagnosis, I started developing more symptoms. Eventually, I couldn’t walk across the room without being complete winded. I went back to the doctor and had a colonoscopy, and they found cancer.
AOL Health: What advice would you give those who were recently diagnosed?
KH: It’s easier said than done, but don’t freak out. Cancer is a treatable, beatable illness. You can’t avoid it; you just have to face forward and tackle it. You can’t ask "Why me?" or "How did this happen?" You just have to hold your head up and say, “I have cancer, but cancer doesn’t have me.” That’s an empowering statement that allows the patient to control his or her own destiny.
AOL Health: How did you cope with your diagnosis?
BH: We [became] active with cancer-patient mentoring because your attitude is key to your cure. You have to be pragmatic. You have to have continued surveillance and annual tests. You have to know what’s going on inside you so that you can fix problems as they arise.
AOL Health: Why did you decide to find online support?
BH: My divorce papers were served the day after surgery. In addition to going through chemotherapy alone, I was also dealing with divorce, and I moved. I reached out through the American Cancer Society's online mentorship program, and so did Katie.
KH: When people heard "Katie has cancer," they assumed it was breast cancer. I was looking for someone to talk to, relate to and make me feel like I wasn’t an anomaly.
AOL Health: Let’s talk about your relationship. You met because you had cancer -- correct?
BH: We can’t espouse getting cancer as a way to meet your spouse, but it worked out pretty well for us.
KH: We met online before I started chemo in July 2006. It was not long after that we started talking less about cancer and more about our personal lives. We were originally going to meet in September 2006, but I had a bad reaction to chemo. We met for the first time in October 2006. I flew from Southern California to Washington, D.C. We went on a hike and played a lot of Scrabble. The chemo drugs made me very sensitive to the cold, but Bob bought me slippers and a coat. After that, it was a whirlwind. We timed our trips around my chemo schedule. I would have chemo for two weeks in Southern California and then I’d spend a week with Bob. We were married in May 2007.
AOL Health: How would you say your colon cancer changed your relationship?
KH: Many cancer patients will say that their lives have changed, especially their personalities. The way I view the world and other people changed after cancer. I no longer sweat the small stuff -- every cancer survivor says that, but you’re just less affected by minor nuisances. For me, I got more in tune with myself and my place in the world and universe. I’m more grateful.
BH: One thing I learned was that no matter how bad I had it, someone always had it worse. I was career driven, but when you only have a 40 percent chance of coming out of an illness, it makes you realize that you want life to be a certain way.
AOL Health: What do you hope others learn from you cancer diagnosis?
BH: Colon cancer is completely preventable, but it doesn’t discriminate. More often than not it happens to someone who is otherwise healthy. You have to be aware of your body and take good measures to prevent colon cancer before it happens.
More on Cancer:
Cancer Symptoms Men Ignore
Cancer Symptoms Women Ignore
