ABSTRACT
This chapter suggests that a concept of nothingness can serve as a fruitful heuristic devise when theorizing the fear of loss, activated when a parent is to die from a critical illness. It focuses on the process during the illness, in its pre-terminal phase, where the family anticipates the as-if situation of death impinging. Danish society, is organized in ways so that most teenagers are spending most of their time outside the home and family sphere in order to pursue projects regarding their engagements in relationships with peers/friends/ girl- and boyfriends, and school-related and spare-time activities. The situation simply alters their perspective on what is important and subsequently how to spend and prioritize time and tasks. Most seem to be able to participate in various activities, where they can escape awareness on the illness from time to time. The illness onset was dramatic since it was Amanda who found her mother, who had passed out in the living room.
