How old were you when your parents died?

[kyb01]

38 when my father died and 56 when my mother died.

[BereniceUK]

My father died when I was aged around 34-35. Felt no sadness or sorrow when I was told he'd passed away, and haven't since; not all fathers are good people.

[ComingHomeK]

My mom called me my dad had a stroke. She said he was drinking too much coffee recently. I was drinking coffee, somehow the taste is even bitter than usual.

[fallingwater]

My father passed away 6 days ago. He was 74 and I am 46. He had been healthy for most of his life until the last year. We always joked how well he did for being a smoker and drinker but that obviously caught up with him. He was diagnosed with COPD and started to become ill with it. The week before New years he became very ill. He developed double pneumonia and while in the hospital he contracted the flu. It was too much for him. It was an extremely stressful 19 days as at one point he started to get better. I am still grieving and then go into a shock about it.

Mom has been in the hospital since before Christmas. She almost died of a severe kidney infection. She will be on dialysis for the rest of her life. She got better and moved to rehab. The infection came back so she is back in. She has a host of very serious health issues and never smoked nor drank. She is 75. My parents divorced 30 yrs ago. Mom took Dad's death pretty hard. Its been a very stressful period. Mom is so frail now, this last issue really took a toll on her. Even her voice sounds frail. I try to be positive but I can't help but think 2018 is the year I lose both of my parents.

[harry chickpea]

Fallingwater, I am sorry for the loss of your dad and the illness of your mom. What doctors are often not inclined to share is that over half of the factors eventually leading to our deaths are genetic and nothing that we (at this point in history) can do anything about.

When we grieve, we often can ascribe causes to the death and rail against those, but eventually comes acceptance that we all eventually die, whether we are teetotalers or drink, abstain from smoking or live like George Burns. Dialysis can be difficult for people. The best you can do is be supportive and understanding and enjoy the remaining time with your mom to the best of your ability.

[Marlow]

I was 39 when my father died at the age of 78, and 52 when my mother died at the age of 88.

[kjg1963]

I was 24 when my father died - he was 53 and 29 when my mother died - she was also 53.

[lucky2balive]

I was 45 when my dad died...he had acute leukemia...
he died cancer free...the cure killed him

he was sitting between me and my mom...on hospital bed...I was holding him up
my brother and sis in law were there...his brother and wife were there...

he took his last breaths as I held him up...my big strong dad's body finally could take no more
I looked at my mom and told her "this is it...he is passing"...the look on her face when I said this still haunts me...3 years later

he would take a breath...few seconds take another...then just stopped

my mom is still alive and doing well...misses my dad like crazy...we all do
it has not gotten easier at all...3 years later and it might as well have been yesterday
holidays are rough...