The bus isn't worth it. Nor is the AMTRAK. I speak from experience. If it is a family emergency, book a flight and get yourself down there ASAP. Morally speaking, you should NEVER put a price on a family member. (I'm not saying that you are.)
As an alternative and since our Dollar is strong, try looking at flights on
Virgin America. Take a look at their flights from Seattle SeaTAC Airport down to San Francisco International. Drive down to Seattle, park at the hotels for $10/$12 a day, hop onto a flight. Land into San Fran, rent a car then drive up to Oakland/San Jose. Good luck!