Chapter 1 Summary and Analysis

Author Cathy Crimmins described the incidents surrounding her husband Alan's traumatic brain injury or TBI in June 1996. The couple had won a vacation to a secluded lakeside cabin at Bob's Lake through a raffle at their child Kelly's school. Kelly was age seven at the time. They were very excited, but the trip was much harder and less relaxing than they had planned. They had to fetch water a long distance to their cabin, and a local man tried to rip them off with a boat rental.

Friends arrived at the cabin, some of whom were long-time friends dating back to Cathy and Alan's days together in graduate school. Despite days of rain, the travelers attempt to have fun - swimming, telling ghost stories. The vacation's end soon came, and Alan loaded dirty laundry and garbage on their boat rental to...