Title says it all really. We arrived in Sydney on 29th June, moved into our house after three weeks and I've only just started to feel settled. My dad went into hospital shortly after I left for an operation which initially seemed to go ok, but he then deteriorated rapidly and now his GP says it's the "beginning of the end" (he's 82) so I have spent the last week trying to decide what's the best thing to do (I think I was just in denial). I finally decided that I really need to go home and try and see him while he's still alive BUT it's APEC in Sydney and not the best time to travel. I'm now booked on a flight out of here on Monday, arriving in Ireland on Wednesday, and the whole thing is just horrible. The anniversery of my mum's death is coming up and my dad is now in the same hospital where she died with pretty much the same symptoms. My only family is a sister 200 miles from where my dad is (she said she'll come for a night or two while I'm there) and I just feel so crap. I've booked for two weeks and can't really stay much longer (leaving DH and three kids in Sydney). I really want to be there for my dad but apparently he can only cope with visitors for 10 minutes or so at a time and to add insult to injury the hospital he's in is over an hour's drive from where he lives so it's not like I can pop in a few times a day. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH. Just ranting really, but wondering how anyone else coped so far from home when it all goes tits up!