It's hard to know a truly desperate situation until you face one that literally puts your life on the line. And although many of us would pay any cost for a chance to see what the future holds, sometimes that cost is more than we can possibly give.
However, even a situation that dire only seems truly hopeless when you're forced to face it alone.
And if there's any silver lining to 60-year-old Hedda Martin's terrible predicament, it's that she found out how much support she really has.