Aviva

When I got on line a few days ago and looked at my mailbox my eyes welled up with tears and a big knot formed in my throat. I knew what the email from Patty was going to say. It was too soon to be getting another email, way too soon. Over the past several years I'd gotten a long detailed email from her every few weeks. She sent out a mass mailing to dozens of people, keeping everyone up to date on Aviva's condition. Some from the hospital here in Miami, some sent from a place in Texas, quite a few from a hospital in Israel. Every few weeks an update. Always about her older daughter Aviva and her battle with leukemia.

A few days before I'd spoken with Pat on the phone. They were at the hospital again. Aviva was going to go back to the hospital in Israel, but this time Avi, her dad, was going with her. Just a few weeks ago it looked like the desease was in remission, that she was getting better. Then things took a turn for the worse. Between the anti-rejection drugs for the bone marrow transplant and the chemo-therapy Aviva couldn't keep food down, she had no desire to eat. In Israel the had her on another drug, a marijuanna derivitive, that got rid of the nausea. She started eating again, even gaining back a bit of weight. That had been the good news. She and her mom came back home. Then a couple of weeks later it was back in the hospital, plans made for the return to Israel, but she never made it. She passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, the 16th of April, in Mt. Sinai Hospital.

I don't know who shot the above photograph a few months ago. Patty emailed it to everyone! Pat is on the left, Daniella in the center, and Aviva on the right. Even with no hair, and dangerously underweight, she was able to light up the room with her smile. At three PM today she was lowered into the ground, at last feeling no pain. There were a lot of people there to see her off on her final journey. She'll be missed.