Thanks, Christina. I will be sure to call my dad every day during my vacation to check on him. Luckily my brother lives with him and is a support. As for my vacation, it's actually been quite nice, considering. I just hope there are no more tragedies for a while...at least.

I understand the pain and grief of losing a parent. My family lost my mother about 15 years ago, when I was 33 years old. It was horribly sudden and unexpected despite her dying of bile duct cancer. Honestly, we didn't even really know exactly what took her until after she passed away. I had been very ill with bipolar disorder when she was unwell. So much that I was absent from her, in a sense, during that time. Her sudden death pushed me over the edge. I had 10 psych hospitalizations in three and a half years, soon after, plus at least a combined total of a year in psychiatric IOPs/PHPs. It definitely took time to start healing a bit. I know that the wound is never fully healed, but we must go on. I must emphasize that I was definitely not the only one in my family injured by the loss. Their stories of grief and injury are long and rough, too. My youngest nephew was also particularly affected. He never really recovered, despite his youth. As hard as it all is, time helps, particularly with continuing support. It must be processed.

Tecomsin, if you like this friend, perhaps you need only tell him that his invitation makes you uncomfortable. Perhaps he'll take that to heart and never mention such things to you again.