Day 1: Bravery in the Aftermath

The view of the Napa Valley was breathtaking. Surrounded by great company and beautiful weather, I sipped on my wine glass taking in the magnitude of the evening at the Doctor’s Company reception, yet something didn’t feel right. Something was lacking. Something was making me feel unsettled and unnerved. I couldn’t get her picture out of my head, her enormous smile and bright eyes—sweet Alyssa. I nearly felt selfish about socializing and enjoying myself when I physically could not stop thinking about the bomb Carol dropped on the group during closing remarks as we wrapped up our first day. I couldn’t help but think about how we failed Alyssa. We failed Carol. We failed the entire family.

It has been an emotional day. The beginning of the session set the tone for the entire week. This is why we’re here. These are the situations, as pain staking to sit through,… Continue reading →