Talk to your advisor at school immediately.

I don't know how some people manage to keep a career or their education going through the absolute worst crap life dishes out but if you're not one of those (and neither am I), don't worry about how it "looks". Work every sympathy you can to make this as easy as possible because it's hell. Getting the outside stressors relaxed will help you be a better person for your mom. Doing the best for your mom now will make you feel better about yourself forever.

I think that we make comments like that ("I might fail out altogether"), because we're subconsciously bargaining with a higher power. You know what I mean? Hoping God or whomever/whatever overhears it and says "oh yeah, I forgot he had a physics final, this can wait until next year".

I don't know why we're always surprised when death and disease gets all close and intimate with us for the first time. It's not like we didn't expect our loved ones or ourselves to die. But there it is anyway and it's the worst thing any of us faces.

Wow, I am so sorry for your mother. That sounds like an absolutely horrible scenario. On the other hand, I'm super glad she has her family around to ease her through this.

I'm a mom too and my biggest concern in regard to cancer/death, is that my babies (now 21 and 25), are equipped to handle their own lives and that I don't scar them too horribly as I transition from young to old to dead. If your mom is like me, she'll be more comfortable knowing that you've taken care of yourself and that she's left a positive mark on your future.

I know it's really hard to construe that when you're full of angst and sadness but give it a try and see if it doesn't brighten her spirits just a little.

I'm only guessing, of course.

You hang in there. I can't help you take a physics test or I would.