Learning about the Illness of a Loved One My entire life, I have always known that my family was me, my sisters, and my parents. My parents, from India, left behind all the things they cared about in search of better possibilities. Friends and family had been left behind for opportunities. As a result, I never really got to know my family in India. When my father became ill it was discovered that he had acute myeloid leukemia. I was 16 at the time and devastated. My father would be taken from me and I would have to face the tragic death of a loved one. Because of this, my entire family dynamic has changed. For the year and a half that passed between his diagnosis and his death, I found myself constantly torn between supporting my father, caring for my sisters, and looking after my own well-being. My family lived in limbo, wondering if it would get better and how the rest of us could survive without the breadwinner to guide us. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay My mother had become the breadwinner of the family and could not afford to waste time. He started working more hours to provide for my entire family. There was no one to take care of me; I had to learn to take care of myself and others. I often cooked hot meals and did household chores so as not to stress my parents. But day by day my father became weaker and weaker and finally we got the news that he only had a couple of months left to live. A lady from the Hospice Center came to the house and told us about the illness. I didn't want to believe her. This was my father. I never thought my father would die so soon. I wish I had understood the severity of his diagnosis and spent more time with him instead of running away from the issue at hand. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Dealing with the Death of a Loved OneIt is difficult to deal with the loss of a parent. It's worse when you have to face it at a young age, but eventually one comes to face it. I still have my moments where I miss the sound of his voice. I'll start crying about not having my dad around when a lot of people have their dads, but I can't keep wishing for him to come back. There was nothing we could do here on Earth. My father's death changed my entire perspective on life and death. I cry for the people who die, but I praise the people God has allowed to walk this Earth. Even if you prepare for someone's death, you are never truly prepared. People can be taken from you at any time. You just need to know that life is not promised and continue to love the person who is dying until their last day and every day after that. It hurts to know they are gone, but with time the pain fades. You will be able to celebrate the good times you and your loved one had. After losing my father, I learned to respect and love everyone the way I want to be loved and respected. You never know what pain they feel in their life. (Many never knew the pain I felt as my father was dying.) It was hard to get to this point, but I'm happy that my family gave me the strength to overcome this terrible experience and helped me find a lesson inside it..