Family issues!

Just after I posted a question related to family yesterday, I got a very bad news from China about my Dad's family. I don't want to go into detail about it...but it's serious and my Dad is in hospital now. (but he'll be fine).
I called my mom when I was waiting for the 9.30am yoga class just to kill time and talk to her. She said she didn't want to tell me about the situation to not worry me, but when she told me my tears just broke out from my eyes. I was angry, upset, concerned, worried and the worst thing was I could do nothing!!! I'm thousands miles away from them and when they needed me most, I could do nothing!!! I felt impotent! My mom was optimistic as always, she always sees the bright side of the situation. I love and admire her so much! She's such a strong and wise women, the role model for me.
The emotional part of me stayed for as long as the yoga class lasted (yes, I did go to the yoga class because my mom and Star told me to do so, they knew it was going to do good for me). When I walked out from the studio, my emotional part shut down and my rational part came out. What is done is done, I cannot change it. I can't help them from where I am and I know they will be happier if I just continue doing what I was doing and do it better, that's the best reward to parents. (be happy and do what I love most). But I will do something more for them (or for me), call them and talk to them more often, share what I do everyday with them, even it's as little things as what I made for dinner. Because they love hearing from me and knowing what I do and think. I always knew I should call them more than once/twice a week. But my selfish part made me not to because the more I talk to them, more I miss them and sometimes it hurts. However, I changed my mind on this, I will enjoy more time with them as long as they're alive, even it's through voice.

Okay. Recap of food (despite of the news, I did manage to eat good food. Although I didn't have much appetite, I knew I needed to eat well to be strong. Strong for me, strong for my parents, strong to be able to take care of them).
Breakfast: pumpkin flax porridge

Lunch: using the pantry. Packed udon noodles to which I add the leftover mushroom medley and baby spinach Dessert: tea and chocolates Look what I got later: four boxes of holey donuts!!! I won a contest from An Apple A Day, who always hold amazing giveaways!
Needless to say that PM snack was a donut I haven't had donuts for a long long time.. and almost forgot how a donut tastes like. But this one is really good!!!
To balance out I had some gigantic strawberries
Then I did some baking. Another cheesecake. This time I used cottage cheese instead of ricotta cheese, silken tofu instead of firm tofu and add some frozen blueberries. And I cut myself when I was cutting it
Dinner was a sauteed cucumber with mushroom and smoked salmon; seaweed salad and millet porridge. Dessert: dairy free chocolate pudding. (cheesecake was still warm) I know that every family has its own problems and it's not easy to get rid of it.
Question: How do you deal with family problems (not only you and your parents, but also all the relatives)? Are you the one that prefers to stay away from it or you are the active person that try to solve the problem?