Kobra wrote:

My worst mistake was that I should have "demanded" a lower altitude and
accepted any heading change. I should have said, "No! I need an immediate
decent, I'll take any heading!" My next worst mistake was not admitting
that I was over-whelmed and needed a vector as other posters suggested.

In an emergency, you don't need permission from ATC to do whatever is
necessary to respond to the emergency. It is good form to let them know
as soon as you can what you are doing, but if you encounter ice, a
thunderstorm, etc., do what you need to do and sort things out with ATC
later.


Matt