metaphor for feeling out of control

Having trouble coming up with a good metaphor for the feeling I had when I found out my father was having a heart attack and could die. I had used this "I felt as if I were standing at the edge of a cliff with gusty winds threatening to send me into the abyss." I've been told the cliff image is overused. I'm wracking my brain for something else. Anyone have advice?

My advice is to write down four or five strong words that describe the feeling, then get out your thesaurus and look each one up. I can pretty much guarantee you will find the perfect way to say it. Please let me know if this helps you!

Hmmm...I'm not really looking for a synonym. I was trying to come up with a metaphor. I am describing the feeling I had when I found out my dad was having a heart attack. I liked the metaphor I used (I quoted it above), but I was told the standing at a cliff metaphor is overused and trite.

hmm... make a lists of strong words and use thesuaurus to look it up

Maybe feeling like his fate was out of your hands. You may have felt like you could not control his destiny.
You felt like you were watching him in a car spinning out of control with inevitable fate.
um
You felt like you were watching him from behind a glass window.
I don't know. Maybe pick something that has connections with your life and other things mentioned in your app.

Lexmonti - I like those. Thanks so much.

if you want to go with the idea that you couldnt move due to fear or what ever i suggest

"My heart pounding, I tried to move, but felt as if i were encased in ice only able to move my eyes to observe his suffering.

might be a bit dark not sure