So this is a long story, so bear with me:
In the past, I've had a good share of issues with my parents (my mom still holds a deep and undying grudge towards me for deciding to become a computer engineer instead of going into medicine like my sister and dad), but we've since mostly made good and don't know what to do. A friend suggested I get another pet for my mom but given her response to my earlier suggestions and how she ended up with Twix, I don't see that ending well. I honestly expect my mom to try to get me to return it if possible, or getting very angry at me if that isn't possible. What do you guys suggest?
And before anyone asks, here are some pics of Twix:
goodbye old friend, you'll be missed
- Growing up, my sister and I always wanted a pet but my parents always said no. My mom didn't trust us to be responsible enough and my dad has always had a problem with pets ever since the dog his parents owned growing up got along poorly with him.
- When she was in college, my sister mentioned to her friends that she wanted a pet but could never get one. So for her 20th (?) birthday, they went ahead and got her a guinea pig. She took care of it a while, bringing it home (the college is two hours away) when she came home for a weekend or two. My mom fell in love with her (the guinea pig) over these trips.
- Eventually, my sister went to Med School, and then her residency. Over time, as part of this process, the guinea pig (her name is Twix, because her coat had all of the colors of a Twix bar) slowly just ended up staying at my parents full-time. When my sister was in Med School, I ended up going to college as well and my mom grew a deep attachment to Twix, treating her as a third child.
- My mom would put in large amounts of work for Twix, going out of her way to find new and fresh types of food for her, going out to the backyard with a pair of scissors to cut grass by hand to feed Twix, deep cleaning her cages often, letting her roam freely outside her cages and setting up small areas for her to sleep in and enjoy. Basically, she gave Twix all the love one would a child, and put as much work into Twix as one would a child.
- However, as of recently Twix got older and started reaching the end of her expected lifespan. I saw a problem here, as when Twix passes away, my mother would get incredibly depressed. I brought up the idea of getting another guinea pig before Twix passes away (to cushion the blow when the time would finally come) but was shot down by my mom--she has convinced herself that getting another pet would be a bad thing because she would end up loving it and putting in the same amount of work, as well as have to bear the loss of losing that pet too when it would finally pass away.
- Today, my dad texted me that they're at the animal hospital because Twix wouldn't eat or drink water yesterday and that her feet were swelling up. They talked to the vet and were told that it was likely a tumor and that the best thing would be to put her down, which my parents agreed with. My dad told me that my mom was devastated at all of this. In the past we've had some scares and my mom would become upset at even the thought of losing Twix, but the time has actually come to pass now.
In the past, I've had a good share of issues with my parents (my mom still holds a deep and undying grudge towards me for deciding to become a computer engineer instead of going into medicine like my sister and dad), but we've since mostly made good and don't know what to do. A friend suggested I get another pet for my mom but given her response to my earlier suggestions and how she ended up with Twix, I don't see that ending well. I honestly expect my mom to try to get me to return it if possible, or getting very angry at me if that isn't possible. What do you guys suggest?
And before anyone asks, here are some pics of Twix:
goodbye old friend, you'll be missed
