Carolyn, it is great to have you back on-line with your firsthand insight (and much research) into this very important topic. I can't begin to tell you how brave I think you are to go where few have gone before and blaze a trail for all of us who one day may have to follow in your footsteps.

I'm not sure that I'm pioneer material, but that's a call none of us can make until we're in the moment. To be fair, we must recognize that each of us has very different personalities and tolerance of risk of any kind... and this is who we were before we were PWP. I know people who would never dream of crossing the street except in a crosswalk, and others who diligently plan every excursion so they will not have to make a left turn without a traffic light and an arrow. How could I ever expect them to understand why sham surgery might be an important part of clinical trials, much less why someeone would accept such risk.

Everything in life has pros and cons, and each of us must form our own conclusions and live with the natural consequences. I'm not a person of faith nor great scientific knowledge, just a pragmatist. If only the choices we have weren't so lousy.

Sheryl