So…. We all knew Sampson’s days were numbered. What I HADN’T factored in was Nicky’s health going downhill so quickly. Now I am faced with a yucky decision. When Sampson had his first vet visit back when we got him, the vet and I noticed a mass inside his nose. The vet said that canine nasal cancers were quite fast and aggressive, and they are. At this point Sammy has one blocked nostril, sneezes a lot, and shakes his head a lot. (Which is what made me notice the nose thing, I thought maybe he had an ear infection and that’s why he was shaking his head so much) I think Sammy’s days are very numbered. He already has pain from his arthritis and fused hip… so I won’t let discomfort go on for long with the nose thing. He has had enough I think. It’s just so hard to tell with him because he is SO stoic and is still up and around and happy to see us when we get home and getting up to greet visitors… all the doggy good stuff that the vet said to watch with him. He said when that stuff starts to fade away, then it’s probably time.
My question is… when it is time to take him to the vet, do I tell Sean the truth? He still gets teary about Nicky sometimes. Still has Nicky’s collar in his room and takes his dog tag off the shelf it’s on a lot to hold and look at. A big part of me thinks that it would be better to just tell him that the people who had Sampson got a new house or something and really miss him and want him back. Everyone at work is QUITE split on the issue.
Needless to say… even though everyone in the house wants to… we won’t be going to see ‘Marley and Me.’
8 comments:
No Do NOT go see Marley and Me...My opinion tell him. My father took our dog to the vet, I thought for a check up, when I was Seans age...When he came home he didn't have the dog...he had put the dog down and I was so MAD and upset as I did not get to say goodbye...If you hide it from Sean and he does find out about what really happened he is going to be very upset...Tell him the truth...Be supportive and let him mourn in his own way...Sean in time will get over it and will be thankful that he was able to say goodbye even though it hurt...I am truly sorry...I know how much your dogs mean to y'all and it isn't easy...Michael was sad and upset about our German Shepherd having to be put down...and when I put Scarlett (J. Russell) down he actually surprised me and handled it quiet well, better than I did...We still have our moments but in time our hearts will heal...Take care.
When I was a kid my parents lied to my sister and I and told us our cat "ran away", when she actually died in the dryer!!! I never found out until maybe 5-6 years ago that mumma kitty (that's what we called the cat haha) had died a very tragic death! I think I would lie to my kid. Sean still has a chance to say goodbye when you tell him Sampson is going to go live with his old owners. You can always tell him the truth when he's older. I don't find the death of a cat comparable to that of a dog, but it didn't phase me when I found out the truth about mumma kitty. Tim also says lie. haha
Tell him the truth I say! For one thing, he had known Nicky his whole life! We had Nicky before he was even born so he grew up with him. Sampson really hasn't been here that long and it isn't like he really plays with Sean! I think he will surprise you and not be all that upset about it because he knows Sampson's story and can see how little and hard he gets around! He isn't Cooper or Lucy and that will make a difference.
I gotta say, I think I'm with Kristie. My mom lied to me about our cat and I didn't find out until I was an adult and I was a little irritated that she lied, but I understood why she did. In hindsight I think it was good she did because I don't think either of us could have anticipated all the loss I was to experience after our cat "went to go live on a farm".
I think Sean is a pretty sensitive kid and he LOVES animals, I would be really concerned that he would take this loss really hard in conjunction with the loss of Nicky.
Does he know about the abuse Sampson experienced prior to coming to live with you guys? If he does it might confuse him that you would send him back to a bad place? Just a thought.
How much have you guys talked to him about the reason you brought Sampson home (to give him a loving family and the best last days possible)? If he knows this is why Sampson is with you, maybe telling him the truth would be the best thing.
What an awful decision to make :(
I instantly thought "what would I do with Aidan" and really don't know what I would do. Ultimately, I think telling him the truth would be the way to go.
And OH MY GOD Kristie! What an awful story! I don't even HAVE a cat and I'm probably going to be obsessively checking my dryer before every load!
It's easy to know what Sean's reaction will be if you lie and say "Sampson's off to live the high life in some mansion down by the Ocean", but if you tell him the truth "Sampson's going to be injected with stuff that's going to kill him and Mommy's saying, Go Ahead!" well, his reaction will be sad, maybe not Nicky sad, but it'll be really sad.
Note: By no means do I think putting down an animal is a joke! My family had to put down 2 dogs with a 6 month time frame, VERY VERY sad! But for the sake of this blog I thought I would TRY to make it a little "lighter".
Well.... I think since Rick and "all the experts" are saying to go with the truth... I guess that's what we will do. I think we have some time now to start priming the idea in his head. I do talk as much as I can about how Sampson just came here to have a good last part of his life, so the seed is there, but I don't know how much of that he 'gets.'
And Kristie... I am glad you lightened it up because I felt terrible after I read your story about the dryer thing, it's not funny at ALL... but the 'cat in a dryer' thing is such a cliche joke that when I read your comment first my jaw dropped to the computer desk in horror and "O....M.... G!!!!" ...but then about a bazillion jokes popped into my head, as did that commercial when the cat sneezes and all it's hair flies off.
....and that is my 'post secret' for today. ;-)
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