After 48 treatments, we got to know Jack fairly well. I met his wife of 56 years, saw pictures of his great grandchildren, knew about his past career and “retirement career” of 25 years. There wasn’t much Jack didn’t share in our weekly visits. He sailed through therapy and the final day came new year’s eve. The staff gathered in the lobby- we were all masked up and distanced and other patients hadn’t arrived yet. It was a big day for this octogenarian who thought at one point he had lived all he had to do until his wife encouraged one more effort to keep him well. The cancer won’t be a problem for him and even behind the mask I could see the big smile.

What came next surprised me. Jack asked to have a video of him ringing the bell and without asking permission, he swiftly removed his mask so we could see his smile. I stared. After months of “togetherness” here in the center, if I ran into him on the street I wouldn’t know him at all. Jack had a nice big toothy smile and a goatee that was salt and pepper. I realized how for ten months, unless I needed to examine the head and neck area, I had no facial recognition for my masked patients. I have literally seen hundreds of people and have little idea of how they look. Cosmetic surgeons must be suffering. Now people won’t even want injectables with the threat of them swelling with the Moderna vax ( inflammation against the foreign substance.. can you imagine?!).

The billion dollar industry, from makeup to surgeries, to antiaging everything, how different it is today. A reminder that it does not matter how we look to others. If we share our hearts, thoughts, ideas, dreams, experiences and communicate with our eyes which can still smile, we aren’t missing a thing.