Sprinkles was a 2.5 year old hooded rat. For those of you who don’t know much about rats 2.5 years is a ripe old age and she was on her way out anyways but it is still sad.On November 5 2009 I got up and got ready for work. Before I left I gave my two ratties some food (I have another hooded rat named Dipstick who is 1) and changed their water. I gave them both pets and kisses before leaving. They were both healthy and happy. That day I also found out my grandpa has stage three colon cancer. I came home from work early feeling stressed out and a little sick when my mom’s boyfriend (I live with them both.) told me one of my babies was sick. When I saw her I knew she was dying very slowly and painfully. There was mucus coming from her nose and I could hear her gasping for air and wheezing very loudly. So loudly I was able to hear her from the kitchen when I walked in. She could not stand or walk though she tried to when she heard me come in to greet me. I got a shoe box and put some bedding in it and gently put her inside to separate her from Dipstick ( I could not let them say their good byes for fear of Dipstick getting ill too but I think they already said good bye.) I then took her to the vet knowing what I HAD to do. I was crying the whole way there praying for Sprinkles to just hold on and telling her the pain will stop soon. When I got there I could barely speak but they knew. She was put to sleep right away and I held her in my hands and petted her head while she died. It was very traumatic and sad.