You're making a lot of very good points there - plenty of "right things", and if it read as real and emotive to you, I'm definitely considering that a compliment, so thank you. And very good point about the real women who suffer similar situations, still - I'll have to admit I was moving on the fictional level entirely in terms of the plot, so that was not a direction my thoughts went, but you are absolutely right.

The italicized comment was a moment that I'm sure a lot of people have experienced - knowing there are dreadful news awaiting, but not managing to go and face them... I know I've been there a few times, myself.