Dear Alan,
very sorry to hear this, know that I feel with you.
I am also distracted in a similar manner, my mother is on ICU in artifical coma and lung machine, my father was a few days before. I am thankful to God that I could save their lifes by taking them straight into the emergency unit of a hospital a week ago.
Only deep praying helps (and it helps), together with the confession that we aren't that omnipotent as we usually think we are. There is something bigger, independent of us... Sciences does help, but it is not a God.
The contest renders meaningless in such trials, but anyways these contests are quite meaningless in themselves since they cannot deliver the big answers desired (and needed).
Warm regards,
Stefan Weckbach