The love and support of his wife of 58 years, Mary Lois McKenzie, their strong faith in God and the a strong support network of family and friends has helped him to persevere and be remarkably upbeat.
"I think I'm one of the lucky ones. My wife is my best friend and my best supporter and our entire family is very supportive," said McKenzie.
McKenzie, 83, had no idea anything was wrong other than having a regular feeling of urgency to use the bathroom when he had a checkup with his family doctor in 1992. His doctor, Dr. Cory Miller, informed him he found traces of blood in his urine and said it may be bladder cancer. He referred him to another Williston doctor, urologist Dr. Salem Shahin, and after further tests he was diagnosed with invasive bladder cancer.
McKenzie was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for a second opinion, where his diagnosis was again confirmed. "The doctor said 'if you follow what I have planned, we'll see what we can do'," said McKenzie.
He said the surgery could have been done there, but he and his wife felt it was more comfortable and convenient to have it done in Williston. So they came home and began a series of procedures to combat his affliction.
McKenzie had a series of treatments, vaccinations and underwent what is called a segmental cystectomy. This is a surgery to remove part of the bladder.
"It seemed to go into remission for a short time and then in 1998 they said it had returned and it had to be removed," said McKenzie.
At that point, the doctors had to do a urinary diversion, or create a new way for the body to store and pass urine. McKenzie said they built a path from his kidneys to the urinary tract. They did so by building that path, or stoma, out of a piece of his intestines. There is then a pouch attached to store urine that must be emptied each day according to one's level of daily waste.
"That's what you have to live with the rest of your life. You become used to it after awhile. You have to look at it as 'well, you're alive' and you just accept these things," said McKenzie.
As if the original diagnosis and relapse hadn't been enough, in 2000 he found out he had more problems. He was told the cancer had spread to another part of his abdomen and he had to go to a specialist in Bismarck for treatment. He later had multiple surgeries, radiation treatments and other treatments.
Years later, there was another bit of bad news.
"They say after about the fifth year, your chances are good you're in the clear. In the fifth year, Dr. Shahin said it had come into the lymph nodes and they referred me to M.D. Anderson in Houston," said McKenzie.
McKenzie said a series of radiation treatments, followed by chemotherapy treatments, were done in Williston.
"They said if I didn't have chemotherapy they gave me a three to six months range to live," said McKenzie.
He came back and did the treatments.
McKenzie said the entire staff at Willisotn's Mercy Medical Center and the Nelson Family Cancer Treatment Center have been outstanding. He said the same for each of his doctors who've assisted him, as well as Dr. Brock Whittenberger of Billings, who visits Mercy at times and has helped him in the past couple of years.
"I think I was very fortunate. I can't express enough how great they've been at the center; there's a staff that's unbeatable. The people you deal with take a personal interest in you and I wouldn't want to be any place else," said McKenzie.
McKenzie said the best part of it all is he's been doing OK now for nearly three years. He was getting checkups every three months and at his most recent appointment he was told not to come back for six months.
McKenzie said he and his wife stay busy by doing some working out a few times a week, along with other activities inside and outside the home. They also have been members at the Mercy Cancer Support Group at the hospital since the early 1990s. He said being in the support group is one of the best support systems outside of family.
"It helps unbelievably. When you're diagnosed, it's a frightening thing and we'd like to help as many people as we can. Working through a group like that, you come into contact with a lot of people," said McKenzie.
McKenzie considers himself very lucky and some are even luckier. He said one of the most heartbreaking things over the years is seeing young children with various forms of cancer or seeing others who let it completely get them down.
"Some people become so overwhelmed and depressed, but I never really did. Attitude is always so big, there's always someone out there who's a lot worse off," said McKenzie.
Through the tough times, painful procedures and treatments, McKenzie said it's difficult not to get down and want to give up. He said his faith and the simple fact he's still alive gives him the strength to keep going.
"Without your faith, I don't think anyone would be able to go through these things. When you've had something for 17 years, your faith becomes one of those things that keeps you going.You live every day and don't take things for granted. I thank the Lord every day, no, I thank him many times a day," said McKenzie.
McKenzie urges anyone else who has cancer to not lose heart or faith and to continue to fight. He plans to make the most of whatever time he has to keep helping others at the Mercy Cancer Support Group.
"I think God's definitely still got more things for me to do. Maybe that's why I'm still alive."
The McKenzies have lived in Williston since 1950. They have four children, eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. None of their family members live in Williston.
The National Cancer Institute states about 38,000 men and 15,000 women are diagnosed with bladder cancer in the United States each year. There are three types of bladder cancer that can originate in cells in the lining of the bladder. Symptoms of bladder cancer include, but are not limited to, having blood in the urine, pain during urination, lower back pain and either frequent urination or feeling the need to go without being able to.
For more information on bladder cancer, or any kind of cancer, visit the National Cancer Institute Web site at www.cancer.gov.
For more information about the Mercy Cancer Support Group at Mercy Medical Center, contact Merrill Tikalsky at 572-2991 or Denley McKenzie at 577-2247.
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