Tyson, I don't know about anyone else here on this forum, but I'm just "old" enough that whenever I hear about someone as young as you who has this disease I am hopeful that doctors will find something that will allow them to live a full and rich life, free of the shackles of this illness.

If anyone is "deserving", it is someone like you - someone who has their whole life ahead of them.

I'm "only" 51 (and Lord knows, I certainly don't think of myself as "old" ), but I've had the opportunity to do all of the things that you haven't. I'm willing to bet that a lot of other folks on this forum feel the same way.

What you are talking about is risky, and there are no guarantees that it will make you better. But it sounds like there is HOPE for a better life, and when a person is younger, the benefits can many times outweigh the risks.

Ultimately, it is going to be your decision, and I know that everyone on here will support whatever decision you make. You're going to have to take a leap of faith, one way or another - that's always a scary proposition.

You are a fine young man; don't sell yourself short. It's not as if someone else is NOT going to get this treatment if you take it, right? So you're not denying someone else the same opportunity.

What you are experiencing, though, is actually quite common in people who receive a life-saving organ transplant (someone else has to die for them to live). Your situation obviously isn't quite as drastic, but I would imagine you are feeling some of the same things that those patients do. You may find it helpful to read about their experiences.

Regardless, we are all here to support you, no matter what your decision may be.