• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

When it gets too much

Hugo's There

Hugo's There

Wise Old Thumper
Do you ever feel so overwhelmed caring for a sick bunny that you feel like its suffocating you and the walls are falling in on you. Nothing you do works, you spend every minute of the day and night worrying about it and trying to fix the bunny but there seems like there is no path forward, no light at the end of the tunnel :cry::cry:

Thats where I am now, I feel like I will go mad if I don't have a break soon, but i can't have one and i know if i did I would just be fretting any way Aaarrgghhh :(
 
I cannot imagine how hard it must be to have so many poorly animals. I struggle when one of mine is poorly, I get so stressed.

Would it be possible for you to have a weekend break maybe going to visit a friend or relative and letting your husband take care of the animals for you for a couple of days?
 
sort of understand that feeling.
mine is more of a ditatchment issue, all my bunnies keep dying of freak illness's that i cant forsee coming,
therefor being unable to prevent them
Its made my passion for rabbits wane considerably.
going out to check on them is a chore and the one thing i fear most.

Ontop of medicating poppet who hates being handled and trying to socialise Both Poppet and Oliver who i cant bond yet so having to split time with both and somewhere find time to grieve and take time out.

So i certainly understand the seeing no way out.
What you do is a wonderful thing and you must remember the bunnies you take on are all poorly/old, they wont last forever all you can do is help them last as long as possible and be happy with the lives they have left.

Go sit with Dave and co and take a deep breath and remember these animals are HAPPY and safe because of youtheir gaurdian angel!
 
Much as I love Steve and he is great with what he does to help there is no way on earth I trust him to care for the bunnies full time ;) I am sure he would be the first one to admit he wouldn't have a clue what Trevors needs are or even what meds she is on!

Plus I have no where to go with out him anyway :oops:
 
I know exactly how you feel. Obviously you have so many special needs bunnies at any one time. Caring for my deaf, sweet Barnaby (RIP), started taking it's toll on my health. I, like you so needed a break, but it wouldn't be a break as the care,love and worry would still be there. You just can't turn off caring. Wish you could at times as life would be so much easier and simpler..............I think anyway.

Sending you strength, determination and above all some calming wishes your way.

Bless your heart.


The more you care, the harder it can be.


:love::love:
 
Mrs. Bunnykins said:
I know exactly how you feel. Obviously you have so many special needs bunnies at any one time. Caring for my deaf, sweet Barnaby (RIP), started taking it's toll on my health. I, like you so needed a break, but it wouldn't be a break as the care,love and worry would still be there. You just can't turn off caring. Wish you could at times as life would be so much easier and simpler..............I think anyway.

Sending you strength, determination and above all some calming wishes your way.

Bless your heart.


The more you care, the harder it can be.


:love::love:
Click to expand...


This is exactly it, I fought so hard for Bundy and lost last week :( And Trevor really is a constant battle at the moment. I am trying everything I can think of to keep her safe and comfortable but nothing is working, even the people around us are questioning if her continuing is fair :( But she has come so far and fought so hard I feel so responsible for her making it and getting the life she deserves and even though I know its not my fault she is self harming I feel so responsible and guilty that I can't find away to stop it :cry: I just can't loose her to this when her legs and heart are doing so well, I would never ever forgive myself. It seems so completely unfair on her. She is completely reliant on me for everything and I am letting her down and don't know what to do about it:cry::cry:
 
Hugo's There said:
This is exactly it, I fought so hard for Bundy and lost last week :( And Trevor really is a constant battle at the moment. I am trying everything I can think of to keep her safe and comfortable but nothing is working, even the people around us are questioning if her continuing is fair :( But she has come so far and fought so hard I feel so responsible for her making it and getting the life she deserves and even though I know its not my fault she is self harming I feel so responsible and guilty that I can't find away to stop it :cry: I just can't loose her to this when her legs and heart are doing so well, I would never ever forgive myself. It seems so completely unfair on her. She is completely reliant on me for everything and I am letting her down and don't know what to do about it:cry::cry:
Click to expand...

when you say self harming forgive my ignorance but what do you mean?
is she chewing her back legs?

I was just wondering if thats the case would amputation be an option, maybe its like a form of bunny body Dysmorphia?
 
Snow-White said:
when you say self harming forgive my ignorance but what do you mean?
is she chewing her back legs?

I was just wondering if thats the case would amputation be an option, maybe its like a form of bunny body Dysmorphia?
Click to expand...

She is chewing her stomach and groin because she is getting strength and sensations back in her legs. Every time her legs improve the self harming gets worse :(
 
Have you tried a TENS machine on her lower back. It might negate the nerve sensations she is now getting which appear to be distressing her.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Have you tried a TENS machine on her lower back. It might negate the nerve sensations she is now getting which appear to be distressing her.
Click to expand...


Thanks Jane I will ask her physio, I am scared to do too much in case I do more harm than good. I just know if we can get her past this chewing she will really be making good progress. Her legs are getting stronger by the week but as the muscles get stronger she gets terrible spasms and I just can't stop them even with the techniques the physio gave me. This is when she starts chewing as they are really painful spasms, and once she starts she just can't stop :(
 
Yes, I know exactly how you feel. Trying so hard to win and knowing you cannot win is so very draining.
Sadly I have failed and lost all my very terminal ones recently.
I still have ones who are terminal but not immediate I don't think ( I hope), but at any moment another can go downhill quickly.
Basically there is no escape, all you can hope for is a lull. Mike and a friend were in the process of arranging a night away for me, but I had to decline- as you say, although Mike loves them and cares for them, he doesn't know them or would struggle to even get the meds down the cats, so I stay here and get on with it. I find a challenge is the best thing to keep me going- at the moment preparing for winter is the main thing.
 
little-laura said:
Can you get some TRUSTED volunteers in and train the for times like these when you need a break?
Click to expand...

I know it sounds awful but I wouldn't trust anyone :oops: I even follow behind Steve changing what he has done :lol:

Seriously though, the problem is things change from day to day. The problems we are having with Trevor now are different to a couple of weeks ago and we are learning along the way too so it is hard to predict and "train" someone else in advance. I also feel it would be really unfair to put anyone in such a position of responsibility we are constantly assessing the quality of life our bunnies have and I don't think anyone else would want to have to do that for someone else's rabbits. I would be nervous enough looking after someone elses healthy rabbit so would poop my pants at looking after a sick one!


We cancelled our honeymoon because we had a terminally ill bunny and knew her time was days may be a couple of weeks at the most. One because we didn;t want anyone else to have to take on the responsibility of deciding when it was her time and two because I didn't want to miss a single day of what was left of our time together :love:

And we still haven't had a honeymoon or even a day trip since!!
 
halfpenny said:
Yes, I know exactly how you feel. Trying so hard to win and knowing you cannot win is so very draining.
Sadly I have failed and lost all my very terminal ones recently.
I still have ones who are terminal but not immediate I don't think ( I hope), but at any moment another can go downhill quickly.
Basically there is no escape, all you can hope for is a lull. Mike and a friend were in the process of arranging a night away for me, but I had to decline- as you say, although Mike loves them and cares for them, he doesn't know them or would struggle to even get the meds down the cats, so I stay here and get on with it. I find a challenge is the best thing to keep me going- at the moment preparing for winter is the main thing.
Click to expand...

I'm glad someone else is the same as me. Its hard to explain, when you are complaining how stressed and tired you are and need a break, and then a break is offered and you say no you don't want it :oops: :lol:

I actually feel a little better this evening as Trevor has kept her bandages on for 6 hours now without them coming off. Hopefully that means they are there to stay over night and I can go to bed a bit more relaxed :D
 
Just had a thought, Trevor has not got gunked up ears has she. I ask as with my hind leg amputee Harry, if the ear on his no leg side gets a wax build up he cant scratch it. So he pulls at the fur on his chest.

Probably not gunky ears that are causing Trevor to chew herself, but thought I'd mention it just in case.
 
Jack's-Jane said:
Just had a thought, Trevor has not got gunked up ears has she. I ask as with my hind leg amputee Harry, if the ear on his no leg side gets a wax build up he cant scratch it. So he pulls at the fur on his chest.

Probably not gunky ears that are causing Trevor to chew herself, but thought I'd mention it just in case.
Click to expand...

Thanks Jane, I check her ears daily and they are fine :D
 
Hugo's There said:
Do you ever feel so overwhelmed caring for a sick bunny that you feel like its suffocating you and the walls are falling in on you. Nothing you do works, you spend every minute of the day and night worrying about it and trying to fix the bunny but there seems like there is no path forward, no light at the end of the tunnel :cry::cry:

Thats where I am now, I feel like I will go mad if I don't have a break soon, but i can't have one and i know if i did I would just be fretting any way Aaarrgghhh :(
Click to expand...

Wow. It's like you're inside my head. :(
*hugs* I'm really like this with Grim right now. :cry:
 
Now I've read the whole thread and I've decided I will come over to yours and you two will have your honey moon!
Although I don't trust anyone with Grim, which is why he comes 'on holiday' (to my parents) with me... I couldn't do it while I'm looking after Grim but when my life has a special bunny sized hole I might need to fill it with some other special bunnies for a week, so the offer is there if you want it, although I hope it won't be for a long time. Now I need to hug my Grims.
 
I feel for you Liz, I have a much smaller version of what you are going through here.

Not sure if you have seen Ellie T's story. She self mutilates. Has done before she came to us and has continued to do since she has been here. Numerous ops to fix her holes in her chest, so many things tried and no answers why she does it, and she doesn't stop for long.

She wears an elizabethan collar 24/7 now to stop her reaching her chest. It has worked and she is totally healed, but we haven't got an answer so she can't be rehomed. No one can suggest anything to try that we haven't already. Not even The Royal D ick could offer any suggestions over what we've already done. :-( And long term prognosis is PTS if we can't stop her entirely.

I have so many other poorly buns these days too, some my own and some rescues who will likely never get an offer or a new life. I have turned into a sanctuary too.

I know how you feel. I just want to escape for a few days, but I can't.

I guess you must have good days and bad days, I hope you have some more good ones soon.
 
Thank you all. Vikkivet gave me a few more suggestions to try on Trevor last night which has given me a little more hope.

I think besides the tiredness and stress, there are feelings of helplessness and guilt because as a bunny mummy I should be making her life better not watching her get worse.

At least now I have vikki's suggestions there is another glimmer of hope x
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

keletkezes
Barrie has lost a lot of weight
Replies
17
Views
456
a reader of books
a reader of books
X
Stasis stress!! :( Day 5 - still no poops!
2
Replies
27
Views
808
xEMMAx
X
Leesa
Snuffles Protocol
Replies
1
Views
282
bunny momma
bunny momma
Back
Top