Having gone through this experience yourself, many of you truly understand what it is like…how tough it is to lose a parent…no matter what the circumstances and personal history.

And when you have been the caretaker and have seen your parent find peace, there is a wide array of feelings—sadness mixed with relief (which, if your parent was suffering, is actually an expression of your love for them), affection (mixed with resentments that completely wash away), and appreciation mixed with sharp criticism.

It can be difficult and depressing…an emotional roller coaster…to see someone you love slip away. (That’s why it’s so important to have supports around you and to take care of your mental and physical self.)

But it can also be an emotionally and spiritually rewarding experience if you are honest with your feelings and openly discuss them (thereby helping yourself put matters into perspective), and work to have a positive attitude.

Melanie Hack
Author of Who Killed My Sister, My friend
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TV Shows and Clips about the Death of Cindy James