It does take time to hit. My mother died five years ago, and every once in a while it will still hit me like a fresh blow. Twenty years before she died, my mom had a neural aneurysm as a result of her drinking and then a subsequent stroke, and so her last twenty years were spent in a lot of physical pain and dealing with the disabilities the stroke caused. It makes me sad still to think that my Mom never really got to live a normal life--first the drinking, then the disabilities. But it lightens the load a little to know that I was a source of happiness and comfort to her, as I know you were to your Mom. Another thing that helped me in the immediate aftermath of her death was to have work and a routine. Are you planning on going back to school? I think keeping busy and focused on life goals can help to keep from falling too hard into grief. We are here for you!