Pet Forum / Mammals / Rabbits / July 2008

Hi Everybody,

It has taken me this long to reply to all the emails that I received for
Cocoa's passing. I wanted to do that before I posted the memorial here.

I can't believe it's almost been a month since my dear Cocoa passed away. It
seems like just yesterday he was here, and in some way it feels like years
since I've seen him.  I find I miss him more as days pass: his little face,
the warm kisses on my nose, his sweet smell...how much he loved me.
It's kind of weird really. I was telling Nona in an email that maybe I'm so
used to missing people: my family or close friends who move away, that I
really don't think of Cocoa as passed away. It's almost like Cocoa is just
far away and I'm missing him like when we would go on vacation.  I just feel
like my heart is only on hold. I guess that in fact is true. I do believe
I'll see my boy again. I just hope it might not be too long away.

I wanted to share with you Cocoa's Memorial: a collection of pictures of
beautiful cards and flowers we received, his obituary from our local paper,
and his grave site photos. Look at the full size shots of his grave to get
the best view.
Here's the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cocoa3c/ The album is Cocoa's
Memorial. I even had a call from someone here in town who saw Cocoa's
obituary, they have bunnies and wanted to give their condolences. That was
sweet.

I also wanted to thank you all so very much for your kinds words and care
for my boy during his life and after: that's ten years! A long in cyber
years :) and I hope to carry on our friendships for as long as possible.
It's odd when someone passes away. You think you were strong in that moment,
but when you look back, you realize that you must have had help from God and
that you really did get strength from the support of your friends. Funny
having so many friends I've never even met.

An unusual thing happened to me a couple of days before Cocoa passed that I
think is significant. On my way home from my house cleaning job, I stopped
to pet a basset hound in his front yard (I pretty much pet every dog I
meet...LOL). The owner was outside and suddenly the dog started barking like
crazy and running to play with me...charging up the stairs and back down
like I was his long lost owner. For a basset, that's quite an effort. The
lady said she'd never seen him act that way before...ok, so I went on my way
wondering. Then a few streets along, this young black lab tears out of his
back door and runs right to me like he's known me all his life. I grabbed
his collar and took him back to his house. The woman there wondered where he
had gone when he charged out the back door. Again, I thought this was
unusual, but I started to think that something was attracting these animals
and I that perhaps it was God or his angel drawing close to me, because
Cocoa was going to pass soon. Two days later, Cocoa did go. Often animals
have been with me at moments when I've felt some special leading by the
Lord. You can take that how you will, but it seemed special to me :)

Now that I'm bunless - though I don't feel bunless with everyone else's buns
around me, I want to keep on helping people with their bunny care,
especially on my disabled rabbit group. There are lots of disabled rabbits
out there! Every week, people find that group with a bunny who's been hurt
or ill and lost the use of their back legs. So often vets just tell them to
put them down unnecessarily.

Cocoa's story is actually in a book that's just been released called "When
Your Rabbit Needs Special Care: Traditional and Alternative Healing
Methods". It was written my a gal on my dr group named Lucile Moore. I can't
really remember what I sent to Lucile about Cocoa...it was a while back LOL,
but I'm looking forward to seeing the book.

I am really looking forward to travelling some this summer. Next month, I'm
going to Calgary for a few days to a "Space 1999" convention...weird huh -
anyone here remember that show from the late '70's?? LOL I'm a fan of that
show and it's something kind of crazy that I've never done before: going
somewhere I've not been, on my own,  to meet total strangers, and share a
room with a total stranger. After three years of being house bound, I need
an adventure.

My family is excited that I'm coming home in August...they'll be aghast at
how many wrinkles and grey hairs I have! :D

In the autumn, Ray and I want to go down to New York at the invite of Nona
to visit her and see the city! I really hope that happens. I want to meet
the Cleland bun Clan, and Ira too of course :) Perhaps I'll meet up with a
few of you there at the same time. A mini bunfest luncheon or something. I
can just see Ray's face now...the invasion of the bunny people!!!
AHHHHHHHHHH! LOL

I guess this has gotten somewhat long...well, stuff that I've been saving up
for a month. This weekend, I'm cleaning up all the hay and vacuuming bunny
poo from some corners.

Thanks again all. I love you and I know Cocoa does too.