Cancer: an avenue to ‘The Joy of Living’

Story: Barry Eaton and Anne Morjanoff

In learning to deal with cancer with a diary, a book was born.

When Barry was diagnosed with cancer of the throat and thyroid, our joint effort evolved slowly. Due to the bombardment of medical information, Barry made audio recordings. There was so much information, it became overwhelming. Using an audio diary proved indispensable. With it, we revisited the consultations or differing advice for clarification.

The diary became a weekly update of Barry’s experiences as he recounted the physical effects of treatment or noted responses to emotional ups and downs through various stages of therapy. Anne kept notes for follow-up on reactions Barry had to treatment or to help him process issues such as blistering skin on his neck during radiation.

Barry navigated hurdles with everyone from practitioners to oncologists to dentists and dietitians. Eventually, Barry opted to combine mainstream and holistic methods. His saving grace was a program of meditative practices and natural healing therapies, including hypnotherapy, visualisation, and frequent sessions on a crystal healing bed (loaned to him from a member of the John of God Centre in Brazil).

“The Joy of Living: Postponing the Afterlife” wasn’t in our thoughts until much later. Our main objective was full attention to the treatment process and significant events. At first, they communicated with Skype and phone, but when treatment began in earnest, Anne went to be with Barry.

Her role came to the forefront when Barry couldn’t think clearly. She knew the bigger picture and kept him on track. While he dealt with everyday effects of his condition, she helped with decisions, such as whether to remove the other half of his thyroid.

Personality foibles came into play and had to be handled. Writing from personal viewports helped us compare notes and clarify memories. We included post-cancer activities such as dietary changes and a much-needed holiday. When it came to jotting down important issues, and recording our experiences, however, we understood the far-reaching potential of passing on useful hints to others on a similar path.

We found a way through this life crisis—from facing initial fears to recovery. Also important was getting back to our “normal” routine—though we wondered if anything would be normal again. We are now writing about travel and cancer together.

About the writers

Well-known radio and TV personality at ABC and commercial stations in Sydney, Australia, Barry Eaton also is an author, journalist, and documentarian. Anne Morjanoff was a caregiver for her mother and father and eventually made it a career. A student of numerology and symbolism, she finds both helpful when caring for others.