I already have some idea of the emotional content and/or meanings in this dream but it hasn't left my mind in a few days and I was hoping maybe I'd found a place where someone could add some insight and perspective for me. First a little background: I lost my father to lymphoma in 2005 when I was 18. We both had our emotional shortcomings and it has taken me up until about a week ago to finally forgive him for the misunderstandings that caused me so much pain when I was younger. My mother is still alive and she and I are very close. I have a 14 year old sister with whom I'm also extremely close.

In my dream my mother had recently passed away and I was still in shock from the loss and fighting to keep it together. My sister looked to me for support and comfort and my father was still alive, although extremely ill and weak as he was near his death. My sister and I both knew that we would soon lose him as well. There was none of the animosity I felt towards my father when he was alive. The odd thing about the dream was that (and this is gonna sound weird) I alternately saw my father sick in bed and as a giant (elephant sized) skeletal vulture. When I saw him in the aspect of a vulture it was in some very surreal no-mans-land, and when I saw him as I knew him when he was alive it was in the home I grew up in, not the house we were living in when he died. When I first saw the vulture it was standing with its back towards me with its wings raised and I had an overwhelming desire to embrace it but I recognized as my father. As I got closer to it it continued to decay and disintegrate. We spoke but I don't remember what was said, the feature that stood out to me was the huge blind, orb-like eyes. I vividly recall seeing bits of tissue rotting away from the face and jaw, the whole image was gruesome and would have been horrifying in a nightmare but I only felt an odd catharsis, closeness, and a sense of loss.

At the end of the dream I saw my sister standing by my fathers bed and I broke down and began crying and apologizing. My father was trying to comfort me by making me repeat back to him a day and time we had agreed to meet for a date, and I cried even harder knowing that he wouldn't be around to meet me. I woke myself crying but felt an incredible sense of accomplishment when I remembered the dream.
So I know my subconscious worked out some big problems and I have plenty of ideas on the release of emotions and psychological hang ups after harboring resentment for 7 years. What I would really like is for anyone to take a crack at some of the symbolism in this dream (if there is any) and give me any insight into some possible interpretations. If you've had the patients to read this far and would be willing to help me break this down I would be very grateful, thank you