Survivor Story: Kim Ruder

I was born in Hays, Kansas and moved to Austin, Texas when I was 20 years old. I have lived in Austin for 28 years. I manage a doctors office and love what I do. I have two beautiful daughters and a wonderful supportive husband. My hobbies are riding my horse and reading.

I was diagnosed with colon cancer 10 years ago. I thought I had a spastic colon. I had bowel problems off and on for 20 years. I felt a lump in my stomach and then I went to see a doctor. I had surgery to remove three feet of my transverse colon and chemo. My tumor was the size of a large tomato and all my lymph nodes were negative.

Now I live life to its fullest with new meaning. I worry a lot less about the small things. I worry a lot more about getting cancer again though. I constantly try to loose weight and struggle with it every day.

I also try to do something fun at least once a week, like going to a movie. I coped by trying not to think about what the next chemo session was going to be like. I really coped by not letting the cancer be a part of my life. I know it sounds crazy, but if I stayed busy and didn’t talk about cancer, I was happier. I still feel that way today, my husband likes to tell people about it but I just want to forget it ever happened. That is my coping skill.

Going through the chemo and cancer was scary but not as scary as hearing people that were cancer free for several years got it back. I hate what cancer does to your fear factor. I am a 10 year survivor and that is so important for other people to hear, to give them hope. That is why I am writing this. I want to give hope to people. I think more people like me should be shown, it is amazing what it does for people dealing with cancer. Hope is all you have.