In God’s Hands

By Michael David Hughes

We have all faced challenges in life. This book is a look into my life and my continued cancer journey. In the past few years, I have been challenged with the death of my mother, and cancer diagnosis of my close friend. In God's Hands is a book written as a continuation of Elevation by Grace a book that was written in 2020. This is our story of how two friends have supported each other in a time of need. The blessing is that God has placed his hands on our lives to endure challenges to fight through adversity in the fight for life. Look inside my world and I pray that you are awaken.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Mar 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781669813699

Michael David Hughes

Michael David Hughes is a former United States Army Officer. and for the past thirty-five years has served the military community of Hunter Army Airfield, Third Infantry Division. As the installation Sports Director, athletics and intramural sports program manager. As a leader Hughes has demonstrated in-depth knowledge and skill in administrative functions and conducting, training and counseling individuals on professional development and problem solving. As the professional sports authority on the installation he serves as the principal advisor to the installation commander, unit commanders on sports. He also provides technical assistance conducting unit level sports programs. Michael’s background reflects experience in supervision, administration, business management, sports and sports programs. As a Doctoral Candidate at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta Georgia, Michael, leadership and focus is the church as a center of resources as an institution of God. The church is in constant battle with forces that attack the community. The support is embodied in the people who make up the church as God embodied Jesus as the one, he sent to his people. For the past 8 years Michael has fought a cancer journey that has changed his life. He continues to have faith in God to when the battle. Michael Hughes is a graduate of Savannah State University Master’s program in Public Administration and the University of Tennessee with a BA in Political Science.

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Copyright © 2022 by Michael David Hughes.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Rev. date: 03/08/2022

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CONTENTS

Dedication

Introduction

Chapter 1     The Beginning, 2020 — Cancer Diagnosis

Chapter 2     In the Wilderness — The Blind Seeking Light

Chapter 3     On the Battlefield

Chapter 4     Free Falling — Now Free

Chapter 5     In God’s Hands

Chapter 6     The Transition

Chapter 7     Continue to Fight into 2021

Chapter 8     Reflection

Chapter 9     Thanksgiving for Everything

Chapter 10   Christmas Blessing

Chapter 11   2022 — The Year of Transformation

Patricia’s Cancer Journey and the Life

Transition and Passing of My Mother

DEDICATION

The writing of this book came at a time in my life

when I was faced with many challenges. I want to

acknowledge my family and friends.

To my cohorts throughout my doctoral-degree-in-

theology journey, you were there with me and for me

when I faced the transition of my mother.

Reverend Jeff Howard, Reverend Antonio

Proctor, Reverend La Shan Perry Marr,

Reverend Charles Rhodes

Mrs. Selena Webster Bass, Ms. Deborah

Halstead, Reverend Shelia Crabb,

Reverend Tim Jordan, Ms. Robyn Williams

To my doctoral leadership, Dr. Joseph Evans and Dr.

James Perkins, your guidance and counsel will

always be my holy ground and redemptive turf.

Dr. Lavonia Kess McIntyre for your motherly council.

I dedicate this to Patricia Dykes, who has been there

for me even through her own challenges, and my

son Aaron and my daughter Felita, who are facing life’s challenges.

May God continue to hold you in his hands.

INTRODUCTION

I have been a caregiver and caretaker of Michael Hughes for the past eight years. In all this time, I have supported him and traveled to medical appointments at Emory University Hospital and the Cancer Center of America in Atlanta, Georgia and now Florida Cancer Specialists Hospitals. We have experienced cancer treatments, operations, and appointments to doctor visits.

This is our story of how two friends have supported each other in a time of need as well as the blessing that God has placed on our lives to endure challenges to fight through adversity in the fight for life. It is also the story of my mother’s transition and passing as well as their effects on my life. This is our story, and I pray that you will be Elevated by Grace by reading our story and God’s blessing through any challenge. We are in God’s hands.

CHAPTER 1

The Beginning, 2020 — Cancer Diagnosis

"My body had been changing for a couple of months. I am at the age now for a change of life to set in. I really did not pay attention to it because as a woman, these things happen with age, so I just went on with my routine. It is now April, springtime flowers coming alive from a long winter of death in nature.

Michael would ask from time to time how I was doing, but I never think about what he says because he is funny like that, so I tend to not pay attention to it. We had been through a lot of challenges the past eight years with his cancer treatments. I am supporting him [alongside] . . . his appointments. Traveling up and down the road to Atlanta and other places in between.

I had never thought that much about Patricia’s physical look because she was sensitive to things like that. Women are beautiful beings, and to mention anything about their looks is a no. We had just been on the road to my mother’s birthday celebration in January. We had a wonderful time, celebrating eighty years of life for my mother and with my family.

In March, the entire world changed; a virus had taken everybody’s attention. All over the world, this virus called the coronavirus was killing people from China to the United States. People were dying, and death was everywhere. It took the world by storm, and everything stopped. Business was closed, people were losing their jobs, and hope was nowhere to be found.

Throughout this world change, Patricia and I would continue our normal routine. I was placed on administrative leave on March 19th. Everybody was told to stay inside their homes, and masks had to be used on your face. If you went to the grocery store or ran a simple errand, you had to wear a mask. Social distance was ordered by the leadership of states and the federal government. People were being laid off jobs, and unemployment seemed the order of the day.

I would talk to Patricia every day like normal. She was still going to work, so the crisis did not affect us too much. We would talk about where this virus came from, and you would hear so much on the TV about this virus killing everybody from Seattle, Washington, to New York.

Patricia would have some upcoming doctor’s appointment, routine stuff that women have each year. We also discussed my upcoming cancer treatment at the Cancer Center of America that would take place on April 20 and 21, how we would have to leave on the nineteenth to be there. I would have a bone scan injection, labs, a CT scan, and a chemo injection.

Easter season was approaching, and the world, from Christians to religious congregations, was anticipating the resurrection of Jesus. Muslims would celebrate their Ramadan later in the month. It felt like a holy time for all believers in religions.

Patricia had a doctor’s appointment on March 26 to have a colonoscopy. This was her first time with this procedure, and we had talked about what the procedure would entail, not thinking about it. She made it through the appointment with excellence, but there were some polyps that had formed and had to be removed. She felt good about what was found. Lab and blood work were taken, and it would be a couple of days before she would find out the results. April 1, April Fools’ Day, was approaching, and the month came in with turmoil in the world all around. The virus had every soul on the planet in a state of confusion, and people were dying by the minute.

I was at home finishing a new book I was writing and the end-of-the-semester schoolwork to be done. I called her on the first to see if she wanted spaghetti from Carrabba’s Italian Grill for lunch. We ate there a lot for this time of day and liked the atmosphere. The staff and manager were very attentive and treated us like family.

With all the focus on COVID-19 going around, you could only have takeout orders. I arrived early and ordered the food, and the plan was to sit in the car and eat our food. She arrived a few minutes after and got into the car. Patricia had a funny look on her face, but I did not ask her what might be wrong. She just got in and began to eat and talk at the same time.

I knew something was wrong because her eyes were watery. She was upset about something, but she had not revealed what it was. She was an extremely sensitive person, so I waited for her to mention what it might be.

Patricia turned and looked at me with tears in her eyes and said, I have been diagnosed with cancer.

As she was talking, I really did not hear her. Her eyes were so watery.

Then she said it again— I have been diagnosed with cancer.

The lab and doctor had called her with the news. Thirteen of the twenty-two lymph nodes were cancerous, and she was at stage three.

I just did not know what to say at that point but I am here for you.

Then I began to think about all we had been through—with me having cancer, my ex-wife having cancer, and my mother having cancer, this was an April Fools’ joke. I was also thinking this was Easter week—what news during this time!

On April 9th, she was hospitalized to have a port placed in her body.

It was Good Friday, and I was wondering why it was Good Friday. It seemed to me that it should be Holy Friday. I was waiting to celebrate this religious holiday with prayers for her and the grace of God for both of us. With all that was happening, I was praying for all those people fighting against the coronavirus and cancer as well as a world resurrection back to God.

It was Easter Sunday, and I rose early in the morning. As I was lying in bed, it was still dark outside. I could see through my sky window the stars in the early morning sky. I focused on this one star in the night that was moving to me. I could not figure out if this was a sign to me that God was in control of the heavens and a message to me that he was communicating to me. It was funny that it was the resurrection of Jesus on this day. I just stared at this moving but did not worry about what I was witnessing. I continued to look for the different signs that God sent throughout the day to let me know that his spirit was alive.

After a while of looking at the star, I got up and showered, and as I was in the shower, my mind drifted toward thinking about Patricia. She came over on Saturday to eat lunch with me and brought spaghetti for us. I was excited to see her because I had only talked to her on the phone when she went to the doctor to have her port placed in her body. I wished I were able to take her to the appointment, but her sister accompanied her.

As she drove into the driveway and got out of the car, I could tell that she was different. When you are diagnosed with cancer, there is a distinctive look that you get on your face. It is like all the things you think about come out in your movement, your expression, and your walk. She was so sensitive, and with all that was going on about this coronavirus, it was a lot to grasp with being told that you had cancer. I could tell that she was developing that walk and having that unknown look about what would be next. Her next appointment would be on Wednesday to meet her oncologist, and then the treatments would start.

I remember when my ex-wife was diagnosed with cancer. She had the same look of the unknown. I did not say anything because this would be her journey, and everybody is different.

When I was diagnosed with cancer, I just said, Where do we go from here? not fearing that the battle I would fight would be an eight-year journey thus far.

My assignment now was to assist her throughout what was to come. My Easter Sunday church service was now on Facebook, so I prepared to listen to the Easter message from my pastor and church. As the program was about to start, my thoughts turned to all of my University of Tennessee football teammates and friends. I called each one of them and wished them and their families a happy Easter. Some of them, I had not talked to in thirty years, but I wanted them to know that I was still here. I prayed after contacting them that they would be fine.

This would be my Easter message during this uncertain time—that I was doing well and to stay in God’s word. Although we could not be together on this holy day, we could, with the grace of God, still reach out to one another and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and be thankful that God was in control.

It was now Easter Monday, and I would continue my daily routine—get up early in the morning, walk my two miles, and start my day. I was trying to finish my latest book, Elevation by Grace. I had been in constant contact with my publisher and was almost finished with the interior galley selection. In my mind, I was still trying to get over Patricia’s diagnosis.

All weekend, I had been trying to wrap this around my mind and talk to her about her feelings. It was important that I keep her in a positive mood, knowing that she had been diagnosed with cancer. She would have a return doctor’s appointment in the morning on Wednesday, April 15. This appointment would be with the oncologist about when her chemo treatment would start. I was in a state of mind where God was the only source of my understanding to the test that we both faced. I was trying to convey to her about the challenge and keep her spirit up for the traveling that we would have on Sunday, April 19. My doctor’s appointment was coming up.

She called me late that Monday evening with the details of her treatment schedule, and the only thing I could say was We will fight this together.

The rest of the week, we talked at night about what the reaction of treatment might be, but you know that everyone is different.

Patricia came over on Saturday. I grilled steaks for her, hoping that this would make her day a little better. On Sunday, we would rise early for our trip to the Cancer Center of America. We got our showers and dressed for the ride. With all the world on hold because of COVID-19, there were hardly any cars on the road. It was a smooth ride up Interstate 16 to Macon for breakfast. When we pulled up to the gas station for the fill-up, it was silent. It was a Sunday morning, and no one was out at stores or riding up and down the road. This pandemic had changed the world for a long time.

We drove over to IHOP and had to order from the front entrance. There was no seating in the dining area; it was closed for inside eating. This was the new normal that everybody had to adjust to. We ate our breakfast in the truck, and when we finished, we were back on the road to Atlanta. It rained the whole way, and when we got closer to us exiting off the road, the rain was even harder. I would have some business in Atlanta before we would proceed to Newnan.

Our check-in at the hotel was at 3:00 p.m., so we had some time to visit some friends. We arrived at about 2:30 p.m. at the hotel. I was tired and ready to find something to eat and rest. We decided to go to the Applebee’s close by. We ordered pickup, came back to the hotel, ate our food, and then rested. I would face labs first thing in the morning.

Patricia and I rose early on Monday morning, showered, and were on the road to the IHOP in Newnan. I know, yes. We liked the restaurant. Again, we would eat in the truck and be off to the Cancer Center of America. I was facing a CT scan and bone scan today, along with contrast and an IV administered for the contrast and scan.

While in the hospital, we saw one of my nurses, and I revealed to her that Patricia was diagnosed with cancer. She was so supportive of her because she had had her own fight with cancer. She said she would see us tomorrow for my doctor’s appointment.

When you walked up to the hospital, you had to be screened at the entrance for a temperature check and be asked questions about being out of the country because of COVID-19. Everything had changed so much. Everybody walking around with masks on—it was such a different atmosphere.

We left the hospital early with my appointments. The way my appointments were scheduled