Yes Alexa taking back control when something terrible happens is one of the best steps towards coping with it. In the immediate shock of the discovery, people usually need support and often need somebody to look after them which is why I recommend our Npanteli to talk to a friend and go to her doctor.
Npanteli explained she is devastated, which is not surprising. It would take a very unnatural person not to feel sorry for someone who had happen to them what she has gone through. People commiserating, supporting, comforting a person in distress is a good human reaction and most people feel better for such support when experiencing the shock of something awful in their life.