Final bit of advice from JGuy is don't follow the book. Always follow your inner compass.
Im sure everyone here wishes you the best, JGuy. I know that I do. In reading, it looks like all of the advice you received was the best intentioned thoughts of untrained people going through similar experiences as you.
That said, I know I trust the trained advice based on hundreds/thousands of similar cases (the information presented in the book) much more than my inner compass (my emotional feelings in a situation I have never encountered).
