Rachel, I lost almost a month of my life when one of my precious babes disappeared. I took holiday from work to scour the area and further afield, and I would cry so much at night that my OH took to sleeping in the spare room, because he couldn't stand how raw my feelings were at the time, so yes.
So many others here will tell you the same. It's the most heart-rending experience, because try as you might, your imagination kicks in, and your sense of loss takes over. It's easy to forget that cats do go missing and do end up being reunited with their delighted owners, so hold on to that thought, and don't give up hope yet. It's great that others are keeping an eye open for Babs. The more people who are looking, the better.