Mark's Metastatic Colorectal Adenocarcinoma Fight

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Hi, my name is Jessica Burns. I am the daughter-in-law of Velisha and Mark Hodge - I have had to pray for weeks now to decide if I should share with you the journey my in-laws are on and make sure it was okay with them. It is hard to keep quiet when one person's life touches so many others.

In 2022 she had a cancer scare. She has Fibromyalgia, Degenerative Disc Disease, and numerous other health issues. However, she went to Southern Bone and Joint due to her arm feeling numb and tingling. She assumed it was a pinched nerve. During this visit, they spotted a lesion on her C-3 vertebrae. Needless to say, before it was all over and done with and several visits later - she had an X-ray of her neck done, a MRI, CT scan without contrast, a Bone scan, CT with contrast, a biopsy of a multisile lucent lesion in the lamina of the vertebrae. These tests aren't cheap, but thankfully she has insurance and had to pay co-pays, but over time that all adds up. She missed work, but she kept pushing forward believing that God had her covered no matter what the news. The final diagnosis is that she has fibrous - osseous lesions and tends to favor fibrous dysplasia. Praise God it wasn't cancer, but she still has to go every six months to get a CT scan to ensure that it has not changed since the 1st CT scan.

She does need surgery to have the disc in her neck removed and replaced with cadaver bones and a fusion of C-3, C-4, C-5, C-6, and C-7. She thought that perhaps when she saved up enough Paid Days Off that she would be able to have this surgery and hopefully relieve some of the pain. She would need to be off work for 6 weeks.

However, things happen, and their plans quickly changed and her medical needs have taken a back seat for now. However, she is still trying to pay off doctors for what she had billed to her. This story isn't about her though. It is about her husband Mark. The man that she has loved for over 15 years through good times and bad times.

So, here is the journey that they have been on for the last 8 months. Mark fell backward onto a log while doing some work outside and he just assumed that the pain was due to the fall. However, as time went by this pain had other symptoms join in. He had a lot of discomfort when he was having a bowel movement, and some slight rectal bleeding, not much at first, but over time it became more and more unbearable. (When he was younger, he was told by a physician that he probably had internal hemorrhoids.) Well, it wasn't getting any better, so my mother-in-law finally convinced him to see a physician to get a referral to a GI specialist.

They went to the AFC clinic nearby and the MD referred him to a gastroenterologist. They patiently waited and finally got a call for an appointment to see Dr. Lamb. However, it would be a while before they got Mark in to see the specialist. They decided to go to the Emergency Room because the pain and the bleeding were getting worse. There wasn’t much the doctors could do for him other than to give him steroids and pain medication and for him to follow up with the GI specialist. He still needed a colonoscopy.

Finally, on April 3, 2023, he gets to see Dr. Lamb (GI specialist) and he believes that Mark has an internal fissure or internal hemorrhoids. He schedules a colonoscopy, but it isn't until May 9, 2023. The GI office told them they could call every day to see if they have a cancellation so that they could get him before the 9th of May. So every day she would call to see if they had a cancellation.

April 4, 2023 - the baseline lab work is completed. The CEA level should be <5 but Mark's level is 7.15 ng/ml. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) test measures the level of CEA in the blood. If the CEA level doesn't go down during treatments, then that means that the treatments aren't working.

As a desperate move, she scheduled an appt with Dr. Kettunen to see if he could possibly get him in sooner for a colonoscopy, but that was not in the cards for Mark. So, she kept calling to see if Dr. Lamb could get him earlier, and finally one day they had a cancellation and they were able to get an earlier appointment. The colonoscopy would now happen on April 21, 2023.

April 21, 2023 - The anesthesiologist came in to do his pre-op Q&A and told Mark "You are the healthiest patient we have had all day" and looked at his nurse and said, "Get this man a red balloon". Needless to say, Mark didn't get the red balloon.

What he actually was told by Dr.Lamb is bad news. Mark was told that he has rectal cancer and that multiple samples were taken to have a biopsy done. They also removed 3 other polyps that had to be checked. Due to the area of the mass and size, it is a Stage 3, possibly a Stage 4. No fissure, no hemorrhoids, but Cancer!

There is a 5.0 x 2.2 x 2.8 cm rectal mass extending from the anal verge approximately 5 cm above, located below the peritoneal reflection encompassing greater than 70% of the rectum with involvement of the vascular pre and extending beyond the serosal layer 6 mm with numerous enlarged mesorectal lymph nodes. There are numerous enlarged mesorectal lymph nodes, measuring up to 8 mm. The rectal mass also extends approximately 6 mm beyond the serosal layer of the rectum with multiple segments of the lower rectum.

April 25, 2023 - Mark had to have a CT scan done to see if the cancer has spread anywhere else.

May 1, 2023 - Dr. Adkison is the radiation oncologist at the Cancer Center in Dothan, AL. He informs them that he believes that it has spread into the lungs because there was an 11 cm and 8 cm nodule in the lungs (bilaterally). There is no cure for lung cancer is what we are told so we are praying that the cancer did not spread to the lungs. So, he orders a MRI of the pelvic region and a PET scan, and more lab work. If it has spread elsewhere that means it is a Stage 4 metastatic.

May 8, 2023 - 3 a.m. in the morning they rise and prepare for their early morning trip to Southeast Hospital in Dothan, Al. 5:45 a.m. is the MRI of the pelvis, with another hour of waiting for the radiation to spread throughout his system to do the PET Scan. Then off to see Dr. Adkison again at the Cancer Center. This time they knew for sure that he had been diagnosed with rectal cancer and the surrounding lymph nodes are affected and then get told it has spread to his lungs. He is now being told that his cancer is Stage 4. He is now officially diagnosed with rectal cancer and lung cancer.

The next move that day was to put the temporary markers where they need to be. So off he goes to have another CT scan to have markers placed for the upcoming radiation treatment. The markers are now in place and they are instructed not to wash them away while bathing and radiation will start in about two weeks.

They visited a local Herbs and Spice Holistic Healing shop to get some information and this person had a lot of interesting information. However, they are still in need of more answers.

May 10, 2023 at 8:15 am they will be meeting the Chemo Oncologist for the first time. So many questions, and so many decisions to be made. Some people say to do it, some say don't do it. Medical Care or Holistic Care or Both? Not sure about it. Either way, the Oncologist said that to remove the mass in the rectum they would need to do chemo and radiation to make it smaller, then do surgery to remove it.

Today Mark found out that he no longer has a job with his current employer due to all these appointments. Mind you this is a small construction company, so they don’t blame him though because he has a business to run and once Mark starts chemo & radiation he most likely won't be able to do construction. Only God knows the future and the obstacles they face.

Mark & Velisha have a lot of faith in their Lord and Saviour and know that God is going to heal him one way or another. He has been down a few rough roads in the past, but he has come a long way, rededicated his heart to Christ, and would help anybody that he could. He has always been good to us and our children.

April 10, 2023 - Visit with Dr. Valassareddi this morning. He must have a biopsy of the lung on Monday, but they will call with an appointment time. This will allow them to choose the best option for him.

The plan is still up in the air about the chemo if it will be oral at first possible for a few weeks then by way of a portal. Not sure when he gets the portal yet. The IV chemo will be 5 days a week concurrent with radiation. Mind you that it is in Dothan at South East Cancer Center.

They are going to do other tests on the biopsy sections already removed. So they are still awaiting more answers before getting started on Chemo.

No cure for lung cancer. Just a lifelong treatment. If it comes back positive for actual lung cancer they can't cure it, only maintain it. The doctors want to keep it from spreading to other places.

The Chemo doctor said she will know by next Wednesday what the plan for treatment is. She is going to send him to the dermatologist as well because chemo can cause his psoriasis to get worse.

This information is taken from numerous text messages from my mother-in-law. She is not one to ask others for help. This is where I come in.

Medical Cost, Co-pays, traveling to and from appointments, wages missed, and so much more comes along with Cancer. The bills still must be paid, groceries bought, mortgages/rent up to date, and so much more.

He has way more faith than the size of a mustard seed and I know she does too, but this is the path they are on right now and I know that God is with them as they walk along this path. I know that Love never fails.

May 10, 2023 - lung biopsy of the largest nodule is this next week.

May 18, 2023 - Lung biopsy completed

May 23, 2023 - Stage 4 Metastatic Colorectal Adenocarcinoma is the Chemo Oncologist diagnosis. The lung biopsy came back with the same Markers that are in the rectum mass. Lung parenchyma with metastatic moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma consistent with colorectal origin. Strongly positive for CK20 and CDX2. Not a candidate for immunotherapy.

Discussing with the physician about the treatment plan. Xaledo will be two weeks on and one week off. Xaldeo 2000 mg twice a day orally. The IV Chemo will start Thursday. Will explain more on that later. We were given statistics but we are praying for God's will, not man's statistics. Mark is having a port placed for access for the doctors to use for blood work and the chemo. Genetic testing is happening this week as well. The Chemo doctor does not want to do radiation at this time since it has reached the lungs. We need prayers!

5/30/2023

Mark had his first IV Chemo last Thursday. It makes him very tired. His tolerance to cold things feels like a burn to him. He tries to cook while wearing gloves, but even then it is a difficult task. The Colorectal pain is horrible for him. A heating pad and a tub of warm water seem to help some. It is tough going from being the "husband" to being a "patient". Even tougher from being a "wife" to a "caregiver".

6/7/2023

Mark is doing pretty good and continuing on oral chemo and goes for another IV chemo on the 15th. He is having pain that comes and goes but is tolerating it pretty well with as needed pain medication. Please continue to pray for him. He has some stomach issues with the chemo, but it is tolerable at this point.

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Mark has family and friends, and they are all trying to help him out the best they can. My mother-in-law is a nurse and has no paid days off currently and she, unfortunately, must work, and she is the only income at this time. She is going to be there for her husband regardless of work. They have family that loves them both and they will get through this together.

They mostly need prayers for answers and healing. They will continue to praise God through this storm. Send positive messages, please.

They have had many friends ask how they can help them, so with encouragement from others I decided to open this Go Fund Me account for those that want to donate and keep track of their journey. His wife is the beneficiary due to her bank account set up but the funds will greatly benefit Mark since this is what this is about.

Please consider donating what you can and as they share their journey, and I will update you.

I would also encourage you to share this with others and for everyone to keep not only Mark but his entire family, in your thoughts and prayers. Mark is a fighter and if anyone can get through this, it's him.

Thank you in advance. We all appreciate the support and prayers. Please pray for pain relief.