Rest in Peace, Dear Vivi

My good friend died last week.

Vivi was a film director, a gourmet cook, a lover of chocolate and wine, and she gave the best hugs. I miss her adorable Finnish accent, her beautiful smile, and the great girl talks we’d have over multi-course French meals.

She was 44 when she died (almost a year older than me). She had just directed her first feature-length film. She had finally met the right guy and they were planning to get married and hopefully have kids.

She was way too young to die. Her life was just starting to really take off.

Vivi’s death came as a shock to me. I knew she was fighting breast cancer, but I truly believed she was going to get well.

She didn’t do conventional treatments like surgery or chemotherapy. She did alternative treatments right from the beginning. But it didn’t work. After almost a year of treatment, the cancer spread from her breast to her brain.

I found out that she had died on Facebook. The last time we talked was right before Christmas — she texted me that she was in a cancer clinic in Oklahoma.

The day after she died, after I stopped crying, I became determined to take Vivi’s death as a sign that life should be lived as fully as possible. I resolved to love my family, love my work, take more vacations, eat more good food, drink more wine.

Mammography vs. Thermography

Then I started researching thermography. Everyone tells you to go for annual mammography appointments after 40. But I had read that mammography is bad for you.

Thermography is supposed to be the safe option.

I’m scheduling an appointment this week, and I intend to go back every year from now on. I know that early detection of breast cancer can save your life.

More to Come About Breast Cancer Prevention

I’ll be posting more about breast cancer prevention and thermography. I think this topic is so important and I want to explore it with you all.

Stay tuned.

In the meantime, please say a prayer for Vivi’s boyfriend, and for her family and her friends. I know Vivi is doing well; I believe in an afterlife. But I feel great empathy for the people who are missing her like I am. Send them your prayers, please.

And go and hug someone you love. Tell them how much they mean to you. Call your mom or dad and tell them how much you adore them. Book a trip to Hawaii or somewhere else exotic. Quit that job you hate.

Life is too damn short, and it’s over before you know it.