Axios 'GET' request is pending but it never reaches the server - node.js

Question

I am using axios on my React app to get data from my server (Node). My GET request stays pending in chrome developer tools and does not reach the server if I refresh the app on the provided route (e.g., http://localhost:3000/category/5d68936732d1180004e516cb). However, if I redirect from the home page, it will work.
I have tried different variations of making sure I end my responses on the server end of things.
Several posts have had related problems (e.g., request not reaching the server, POST request does not reach the server) but unfortunately not been helpful in my situation.
Here is my main call in my react app:
componentDidMount() {
console.log('I am here!'); // this gets executed even on page refresh
axios.get(`/api/categories/${this.props.id}`)
.then( (res) => {
this.setState({
title: res.data.category.title,
module: res.data.category.module ? true : false,
...res.data
})
}, (err) => console.log(err))
.catch(err => console.log(err));
}
On my back end I call this function after going through user verification:
module.exports.publishedCategories = async function(req, res) {
try {
// some code that I removed for clarity
res.json({
category,
children,
flagged: flaggedCategories
});
} catch(err) {
console.log(err);
res.sendStatus(500).end();
}
}
Some more code regarding my routing:
index.js
<Route
path='/category/:id'
render={ (props) => {
return <Category id={props.match.params.id} />
}}
/>
I do not get any error messages...

Answer 1

I was overzealous with my initial solution of switching to componentDidUpdate(). This only worked for page refreshes but not for redirects (i.e., I had the reverse problem). My final solution is as follows:
componentDidMount = async () => {
setTimeout( async () => {
this.loadCategory();
}, 10)
}
componentDidUpdate = async (props, state) => {
if(props.match.params.id !== this.props.match.params.id) {
this.loadCategory();
return;
}
return false;
}
loadCategory = async () => {
let result = await axios.get(`/api/categories/${this.props.match.params.id}`);
this.setState({
title: result.data.category.title,
module: result.data.category.module ? true : false,
...result.data
});
}
I am not sure why adding a setTimeout() works for componentDidMount().
As per the documentation componentDidUpdate(), it is good for netork updates however you need to compare prior props with current props.
Unforunately I am not sure how to get around the setTimeout() hack but it seems to work.