#1, so sorry about your mom. i hope if she pulls through she finds the motivation to quit the drink.

you are right, an animal is a huge commitment and the expense is not small. maybe you could start small with a goldfish or a cactus plant. once i kept snails in a goldfish bowl. they were impossible to kill. i named them diligent because they were so good at procreation.

i am also sorry people are mean. i wish sometimes they could see themselves. i have experienced it and it is no fun at all. i hope you encounter some who are not mean. shunning is about as mean as it gets.