JOHNSTON — The high-stakes Constitutional drama that played out in Federal District Court Judge Jack McConnell’s courtroom appeared to be a lesson in how democracy works in a democratic republic such as the United States, according to my reading reports from the hearing.

Both Judge McConnell and RI Attorney General Peter Neronha have showcased the kind of acumen and legal skill that these days is often only shown as TV legal dramas, not historical moments. But this case will be one for the history books, for sure.

From my position in a double-room at the Briarcliffe Manor rehabilitation facility in Johnston, in the midst of a 20-day stay for short-term rehab following an inadvertent dance with a full-sized refrigerator that fell on top of me and badly bruised my kidneys and bladder, I am far-removed from the actual courtroom drama.

But the courtroom drama and the consequences of Judge McConnell’s next decision have often intruded on my thoughts, like when you hear a siren in the distance.

In this edition of ConvergenceRI, there are three other stories: a column by David Cicilline, president and CEO of the Rhode Island Foundation, talking about the future strategic plans of the state’s leading philanthropy and how it intends to pivot to meet the challenges; a news story on the Department of Health’s lead registry and dashboard, with its far-reaching promise to help save children and families from the scourge of lead poisoning in places where they reside; and third, an op-ed by the R.I. Senate leadership team detailing their legislative plans to fix the state’s broken health care delivery system.

One story is visionary, one is practical and hands-on, the third is focused on prescriptive action to fix problems.

Here on the ground at Briarcliffe Manor, much of my energy had been devoted to getting better — and successfully fighting off an attempt by a third-party firm to cut my rehab stay in half and throw me out. I had to call in some chits to prevent that from happening. The social worker managing my case was astonished by my success; something like that had never happened before in her experience. Thank you to those involved; you can never say “thank you” enough.

At the same time, my body was successfully fighting a return flare-up of gout, which had rendered my right ankle painful, swollen, and tender, setting back my progress in rehab.

These battles, while personal in nature, are part of the larger landscape of the caring profession I have encountered during my “close encounters” with the health care delivery system during the past three weeks.

Every day, these caring professionals take care of an increasingly aging population of Rhode Islanders, taking great pride in their interactions with patients — patients who have become dependent on them to help them get better.

There are great stories to tell here — but there exists no place to capture them and tell them, especially during a time of so many false narratives dominating the news flow. My best guess is that there is a niche market to capture and share these rich, personal stories. I expect that the future ConvergenceRI will tilt in that direction, which is good thing. Our own personal stories are still our most valuable possessions, and sharing them makes us human, building a neighborhood where we all can live.

Richard Asinof is the editor and publisher of ConvergenceRI, launched in September of 2013, covering the convergence of health, science, research, technology, innovation and community.