I could have written the first half of your post verbatim--but I am not 10 years out yet, just about two. It gives me hope I will return to my old wonderful self. I'm a shadow and shell of the person I used to be!
I saw this, and have been trying to think of another Edith besides Bunker - finally got: Edith Piaf - french singer, "La Vie En Rose"?
I think the song title means 'looking through rose colored glass' or something similar but I thought, with a view of KCL's post, it might fit here. As pointed out - there might very well be a benefit to LWOP for cmja - better still, if it's offered as a plea (with no appeal). And if it isn't a plea, she'll have only one appeal (I think), which might not even make it to court.
In any event, she'll soon be forgotten, and I thank you KCL for pointing that out -and for always being a source of comfort and reason - despite having problems of your own.
(fyi to KCL - you probably know, but appeal of your sister's murderer was a point on the AZ mitigation factors pages (as an example, I think of the importance of VIS, even the convicted has 'mental problems' - I know I saw the case sited there, for a good reason).
I'd almost like that offer to be made - so that if she turns it down, it will be known (hopefully) that she chose a new penalty, knowing she could avoid DP, so that she could exhaust the appeals process and the resources of the State of Arizona, as that would be the only possible difference.
I believe cmja is confident she will do well on appeal - she's had some practice now, has seen some people who suffer with actual ptsd (the Alexanders'), and in my opinion, will attempt to emulate them - she already began with saying she has nightmares.
I hope if she is offered LWOP by the state as a plea (w/o appeal), and does not take it, that a new jury is permitted to know that - I hope the rules allow.