Lisa's F-Cancer Blog

For your viewing pleasure:

Last night was the second annual 412 Thrive Casino Night, where all the concept photos from the shoot were on display. Each was six feet tall, accompanied by a poster board with a photo of that person’s scar and their story.

The event was held at Acrisure Stadium (formerly Heinz Field), and was very classy and well done. The video from the photo shoot is beautiful; I can’t wait to get the link so I can share it. Hopefully everyone’s portraits will eventually be on 412 Thrive’s website; they’re all incredible. I’ll also get the digital version of the photo. We got to take home the one on display. Now, where to put it??

My story is copied and pasted after the photo, for easier reading, followed by some pictures from the event.

My breast cancer story could be anyone’s – with one crucial difference. What makes mine unique is that I was born profoundly deaf. I interact by reading lips and speaking. Going through breast cancer treatment in 2022 and 2023 meant I also had to deal with universal masking required because of COVID. My only means of communication was effectively cut off. 

“Adfl etgjw ilserj mjikas!” That’s what a person wearing a mask sounds like to me, if I can hear them at all. I was never more cognizant of my disability than during the pandemic, and having to advocate for myself on multiple levels made my cancer journey even more exhausting.

It all started in July 2022. When in the shower, I felt a long, hard mass in my right breast that seemingly appeared overnight. But I didn’t think a 4.0 cm mass constituted a breast cancer “lump.” 

Boy was I in for an education!

When it didn’t go away, I scheduled a mammogram. That was immediately followed by an ultrasound, and later, a biopsy. 

Then came the diagnosis: Invasive ductal carcinoma. Triple negative.

I was told I needed chemotherapy – something I’d always been afraid of. I had immunology along with 16 rounds of chemo (AC and Taxol) and experienced almost all of the side effects. Next were a lumpectomy and sentinel node biopsy. A few days after surgery, I discovered a blood clot and had to go on blood thinners for three months. Twenty rounds of radiation later, I finished treatment. My taste buds didn’t return to normal for months.

During my biopsy and port placement, one nurse wore a clear mask and stayed on my left side to give me a play by play and hold my hand. I can’t have an MRI because of my cochlear implant, so I had a PET/CAT scan. I had to sit still for an hour after being injected by dye – an exercise in patience, since I couldn’t rely on anything audio to help pass the time. The scan presented some difficulty because I couldn’t communicate with the tech while in the machine. We came up with hacks to make it work.

During chemo treatments, I couldn’t talk to any patients in the room. I missed out on that sense of community and sharing of information. And even though the medical professionals wore clear masks for me, the most commonly available ones either didn’t provide protection for the wearer or had a too small clear window. My favorite one, the FaceView (in my photo), isn’t FDA approved for healthcare providers. 

When it comes to clear masks, they benefit everyone, not just those of us with hearing loss. Fifty-five percent of communication is visual, and facial expressions are important for perceived empathy and building rapport. They help us retain our humanity. 

Going through cancer is difficult and isolating enough. Going through cancer as a deaf person was even more challenging. I can only hope that having me as a patient has made the Pittsburgh medical community realize that accessibility needs to be improved. 

After all, breast cancer doesn’t discriminate.

I had my regular checkup with Dr. Brufsky today. The front desk person joked that she almost didn’t recognize me (because my hair is growing in).

I actually emailed Dr. Brufsky last week because of pain in my other breast (I never had pain in the cancerous breast). He said it could wait until today. I noticed it went away with Ibuprofen, and it’s a lot better this week. All looks fine. He said it miiiight be a sign that my period will come back – apparently that happens. What? I haven’t had mine since September 2022 – one good thing about chemo! I recently gave away all my products! Hopefully the Crimson Tide never comes back!

Another thing I learned today: I thought if my cancer doesn’t return in five years, then it won’t return. Triple negative, however, is different because it’s aggressive. If it comes back, it tends to come back within the first three years. Since I was diagnosed in August 2022, if it doesn’t come back in the next 18 months, it won’t come back! 

I’m glad the timeline is shorter, though it’s also scary. I try not to think about it but it’s always there. At least I’m halfway through!

Because I’m doing so well, my next check up with Dr. Brufsky isn’t for six months. Going from check ups every three months to six – another milestone to check off! 

The proofs I chose from the Thrive photo shoot are in from the amazing photographer Dominique Murray! I’ll get the third (conceptual) one after the fundraiser gala on April 12.

If you’re confused about this, you must have missed my last post!

Anyway, as promised, for your viewing pleasure…

The local breast cancer group, 412 Thrive, is holding its second annual Casino Night fundraiser in April. Held at Acrisure Stadium (which locals will always call Heinz Field), it has dancing, silent and live auctions, and casino games (without money or prizes), and a Casino Night Gallery. 

As the website says, “The images…showcase each woman’s beauty. They were all given the opportunity to be photographed in a vision they have always wanted to bring to life. From couture gowns to gold makeup, we wanted to allow each woman to experience their inner and outer beauty during their journey with breast cancer… Behind each portrait, you can read their story and see images of their scars from the battles they have or are experiencing. These images are intentionally made smaller as a reminder that you do not see their daily experiences. This gallery is here to help you understand and see what it is like to be on a journey with breast cancer. Each story is unique, and each person is all the more beautiful for undergoing this journey.”

If you visit the embedded link above, you can see some of the photos from last year. There’s also a video. The woman with the gold crown is Sam, who founded 412 Thrive and is the executive director. The woman in the beige shirt is Tica, who has since passed away. The woman with the cane is Cara, the president of Thrive, who has metastatic breast cancer.

An email was sent in early January inviting people to apply to be part of this year’s gallery. The application included sharing your photo concept. 

I figured, what the hell, why not apply and use my deafness to my advantage? I wrote about how difficult it was to be deaf during treatment, especially during COVID when masks were required and I couldn’t read lips. I suggested showing my cochlear implant and hearing aid in photos, and doing something with clear masks. 

Requirements included being available for 3-4 hours on February 3rd or 4th for the photo session and having a short consultation call with the photographer, videographer, and makeup artist (who are wonderful supporters of Thrive; they came to the first wellness retreat last year to capture it on film, and Dominique, the photographer, offers her studio for support groups, etc). We also had to be comfortable showing our scars.

Eight people were chosen; I was one of them! 

It looks like last year they had a stylist as part of the team. This year Domninique, the photographer, helped out. I probably drove her crazy as we shared links back and forth trying to come up with an outfit. I knew I wanted something blue, because it’s my favorite color and brings out my blue eyes. It also had to be something editorial. I ended up with a navy tulle skirt and off the shoulder top.

We were told that Thrive is gifting us three photos from the shoot, one of which is going in the Photo Gallery at Casino Night. We also get two VIP tickets for the event. Very nice!

My shoot was yesterday; I was first up. Photo and video (by Denzel (whose video production company is 2U Visuals) were taken of my scars and of me in makeup and the fancy outfit. We did something cool with the clear mask; that photo will be in the Photo Gallery so I can’t talk about it until after it’s unveiled. Denzel also had each of us answer a few audio-only questions for the video. 

The two women who followed me had amazing concepts. I can only imagine what the others did! It was a fun experience. You can bet I took advantage of being made up (my first time wearing fake eyelashes!) and told Aaron we were going out for dinner. Those of you who know me know that I only wear lipstick and on rare occasions, mascara.

When I was telling him about my day, he said, “I can tell your hair was done by a professional.” Nope. ‘twas I!! Danielle, the hair and makeup artist didn’t even touch my hair!

I didn’t go to the Casino Night last year, but found some pictures on Facebook. Blown up photos from the shoot were hung throughout the event. Eek! I’m nervous to see the video as well. 

If you want to see a preview, check out 412Thrive on Instagram. They started posting to their Stories after my session (thankfully, haha). *This only applies less than 24 hours after this post; if you’re reading this later, it’s already gone!

Ultimately, I hope by participating in this, it will help educate others about my unique journey. 

Since I’m posting this today, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention that February 4 is World Cancer Day. This year’s theme is “Close the Care Gap: Everyone Deserves Access to Cancer Care.” The website says, “We call on governments around the world to promote health equity, enhance cancer service accessibility, reduce disparities in cancer incidence and mortality, to finally close the care gap. I was lucky enough to get the care I needed and quickly. Not everyone is able to. We need to change that!