Welcome to Gaia! ::

Well, my problem is probably common, but it's not one of those made up s**t-threads. My dad just died on July 3rd, the day before his favorite holiday, and he's been living in the hospital nearly the last 7 years of his life. I can't remember a time when he's said he loved us, and him and I never got along.

Yet, I can't help but feel sad and miss him. I understand life must go on, but....I guess I'm still in the denial stage...he just died earlier tonight...I can't believe it...

I dunno....comfort or advice?

You don't have to read this story/part of my post if you don't want to.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Since before I was born, my great-grandmother had alzhiemers (sp?) disease. For those of you who don't know, it's when as you get older, your brain doesn't function correctly. Not like becoming senile. Severe memory loss occurs, both long-term and short-term. Maturity rapidly goes down.
By the time I was born, she had become violent, because of confusion. When I was ten, she finally lost everything altogether.
The past two years, it had been hard for her to function at all, such as eat, even lay down to sleep.
She died in February of this year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My point is, you don't have to know someone, like someone, or get along with someone in order to love them.
I never knew her real personality, and I've always been close to any part of my family, but I still loved her and grieved her loss anyway.

It's normal.