After writing this article, Gerry contacted me and asked if I'd like to have my own mask painted. It had been sitting in my apartment, untouched, for a little over a year at that point (if my memory serves me). I had radiation on my right eye in 2022 in an effort to reduce the mysterious granuloma that had rendered me blind in 2021. While I ultimately had to have the eye removed in May of 2024, in this photo, I hold my mask as a testament to my long and arduous health journey. It's painted with eyeball flowers and eyeball butterflies, per my request. It's quite possibly the kindest gift anyone has ever given me.
Chandler Plante (she/her) is a social producer and staff writer for the Health & Fitness team at Popsugar. She has over five years of industry experience, previously working as an editorial assistant for People magazine, a social media manager for Millie magazine, and a contributor for Bustle Digital Group. She has a degree in magazine journalism from Syracuse University and is based in Los Angeles.
