Hey, Hunter, why shame-faced? It's not as though we are all competing to see who has experienced worse experiences...

I cannot imagine what it would be like to lose both parents...especially at such a young age...and having to deal with that without your siblings...must have been terrible.
My sister, who is 22 is studying in another city, and just talking to her, I am able to see how much better I am handling it than she is...I put this to being surrounded by family and friends...

I think we have all and all will, experience really bad times in our lives, and perhaps they will not even be comparable,but for the way we feel at the times...what I am trying to say, is that the way I feel about my dad right now,could be the way someone else feels about his/ her dead dog...it may seem that my loss is greater or whatever, but their pain is still just as real, and may even be of equal magnitude (if pain has a magnitude).

I dont know quite what I am trying to say...I'm not sure I understand what you are going through Hunter...in fact, I dont think I even understand what I am going through...I just know its bad.

But, it will all get better...so long as we believe that, we will be ok I guess.

thanks everyone for your condolences and sympathy.