Thumper, my Bubba

Was thinking about you all day yesterday.

Once again I'm sitting here thinking that I can't write anything that will get across just how much you meant to me, and how much you still mean to me even though you are no longer here. I'm not sure where the last 12 months have gone. I was saying to Sparky last night that I can't quite get my head around it. It doesn't feel like that long ago that I was saying goodbye to you and yet it feels like forever ago that I saw you last.

When I was a kid I was always told "no pets!", time and time again. I managed to get them to stretch to hamsters but they don't live very long and I was always so sad when they died. I wanted something more, something that I could care for in the long term. I guess they thought I would get bored of caring for an animal and they would end up having to care for it. Boy, we proved them wrong, didn't we Bubba?

You were found in the May and when Mum and Dad went on holiday in the August, OH came to stay with me so I wasn't on my own. Well, of course, you had to come too didn't you?? Who else would look after you?? Needless to say, you never left. The minute they drove down the street, I had you in the house. For months, nobody said anything about you still being there, even when they were stepping over you in the living room and when we were trying to coax you out of your hidey hole in my wardrobe, then randomly one day my dad said to me "you think I'm stupid don't you?". I knew what he was talking about straight away and I just laughed Turns out he knew all along what my plan was. When he helped carry your hutch out of the van, he knew you were there to stay.

They didn't want a "pet" but that didn't mean they could resist your charms! They all loved you too. The following summer, they were going on holiday again and they were leaving for the airport in the middle of the night. Not long before they left, I heard the back door close and I wondered what they were up to so I went to the window at the top of the stairs and there he was. My dad. Picking grass and feeding it to you I never ever told him I saw him, but I always wondered how often he visited you after I had put you to bed.

I only wish that I'd been able to convince them to let you be a 100% house bunny. You spent a lot of time in the house anyway and I used to worry myself sick about you being outside. When we moved to the flat, I wasn't sure about taking you in for good as you had spent so many years outside that I didn't want to unsettle you. You decided yourself though that enough was enough, it was time to move indoors. You made your feelings about that very clear, and I'm glad you did because I knew without a doubt that we were doing the right thing.

It was the right thing for both of us as I've no idea how I would have coped without you as a house bunny when we were in the flat. I will forever be grateful for your company during all those sick days I had from work. You gave me something to drag my butt out of bed for. You stopped me from climbing the walls. I would have been so lonely without you. I repaid you in the only way I could. I made sure you were never alone for any longer than when I was at work. When we had nights out, I used to send you to Mum and Dad's so you had company. Mum would take you back to the flat before she went to bed and then we would see you when we got home. People thought I was mad, but it was only fair! You stopped me from being lonely, so I did the same for you.

I remember having a conversation with J years ago about you not eating hay and how you were just not a typical rabbit and he said to me "that's because she is treated like a child" I guess he had a point there!

I've spent much of the last 12 months mulling over old threads on here, wondering if I should have done anything differently. Should I have pushed the vet to remove your tumour? Should I have taken you to another vet? Should I have let you go sooner? I would have if I'd thought you were in pain, but it all happened so quickly. You were still bright eyed, affectionate and loving your mange tout right up until the day before you died. When I went to bed that Friday night, I never imagined in a million years what would happen the following day. I remember picking you up and holding you and pleading with any god that would listen to please not take you away from me, but I knew your time had come and that I'd have to say goodbye to you

The whole day is still so clear in my head. I remember the last thing that you ate. I remember everything OH said to you in the house just before we left. I remember the last thing I said to you before you died. I'll never forget the feeling of you slipping away in my hands, and me saying to OH that you had gone. I remember stroking your head throughout the rest of the trip to the vet, even though you weren't really there anymore. I remember sitting in the car when we got to the vet, just you and me, and thanking you for being the bestest bunny ever and telling you how much I love you. I remember looking over my shoulder as we left the vet and seeing you that one last time, wrapped up in your big green towel. I remember being sick.

I so wish that we'd stayed at home just 10 minutes longer, so we weren't in the car and you had been at home when you died. But I'm so glad that you and I had both got used to going places with me just carrying you, so you were sitting on my knee when your time came, and not in the carrier.

I think about you every single day, several times a day and I miss you more than I could ever put in to words. It makes me sad that with every day that passes, I get further and further away from you

I know we were lucky to have so many years together and not all bunny mum's and dad's are so lucky, but that doesn't mean I miss you any less. My world was turned upside down when you died and picking myself up has been tough. It's been the worst 12 months of my life but it has been worth it. I got almost 11 years with bestest bunny and friend I could ever have asked for.

You were worth the wait and you are worth the pain. I'll love you forever Bubba and I'll think of you always x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

She was amazing

I can completely relate about the feeling you describe,sometimes it seems like forever has passed, but at the same time you cant believe its been as long as it has. x

xxxx

Oh that message to Thumper made me well up. It was so lovely.

Binky free beautiful girl

She is looking down on you from the bridge with love and a smile, I know it.

Hope you are having fun up there sweetheart, you are missed by all of us xxx

I didnt know thumper for that long, but she was obviously a real Character and a one of a kind bun, arent they all!

Its a lovely way of remembering her, and it brought tears to my eyes as some of it reminded me of Davie and Skye. I cant believe its only been a year, it seems so long ago, yet i remember you posting about it when she left for the bridge like it was weeks ago.

She was a really special girl - it shines out from her pictures and from what you say about her

Thumper - I hope you are having fun at the bridge sweetie, binkying around with the other buns and with a huge pile of mange tout all to yourself. And a pile of hay to scatter around without actually eating, of course

awww thumper was a special gorgeous girl
i think she looks down at you and binky's for you to send you her love

I'm welling up Anyone can see after reading that how much she meant and means to you. Time goes so fast it's hard to comprehend isn't it?

Big

You can see from your posts she was a much loved bun. She will be looking down on you and smiling, remembering all the good times you had together too.



Love your new profile pic

I know I'm cutting it fine, but I hadn't forgotten that May is your gotcha month. I wanted to find the perfect video of you, to bring you to life on this thread, but tbh I still can't watch the videos of you on my hard drive. I've watched the ones on my phone countless times but I can't bring myself to watch the ones I haven't seen in such a long time.

I was talking about you at work today. About how amazing it was to have you in my life for nearly 11 years, about the day the vet found your tumour and then about the day you died. I struggle to think about the day you died and talking about it is even harder.

This video was recorded not long before you died. I'm sure some of the hoppers will remember me buying the green oat hay for you, and how I almost peed my pants with excitement when I thought you were eating it. I came to realise that you weren't! I thought I was being clever sprinkling plantain on it to encourage you to eat it but you were one step ahead of me, as usual!! This is you rooting around the basket picking it out

Over the years, I tried you with every hay I could think of but you refused it all. You were in denial about being a bunny, weren't you Bubba?

So here it is...



I still think of you and miss you every single day. I miss our cuddles, and you dozing off on me. I miss feeding you your mange tout, and listening to you grunt with excitement

Love you, Bubba. Wish you were here with me x x x

You're such a special girl, Thumper, and still remembered often and fondly

The cheek of your hu-mum, putting hay in amongst your plantain - you showed her, though

I hope you are dozing in the sun at the bridge, gathering up some energy for evening binkies when it cools down a bit

Binky free, Thumper

These are for your humum

I had such a massive soft spot for you thumper,loved..... Loved seeing pictures of you I hope your having fun at the bridge

It's been 2 years today since you left and not a day goes by when I don't think about you.

2 years. Where has the time gone. There's not much I can say that I haven't already said, or that you don't already know. But that doesn't mean I think of you any less than before.

Life has changed so much since you left and I so wish you were still here, to enjoy the journey with us. You're an absent member of our family.

I don't think I'll ever get over losing you. You were the perfect bunny, who was loved by many, but by no one more than me.

You were bouncing around nanny's garden in my dreams on Saturday night. It was sooo lovely to see you Please come and visit me more often.

I hope it was a sign, you trying to tell me you are happy where you are now. I really hope you are, but I still wish you were here with me where you belong.

I love you, Bubba and I miss you every minute of every day x x x x x

That was so touching. Made me a bit   reading it. Thinking of you today xx

I still think of you often too, Thumper - you were such a special lady and we miss you ever so much     

I'm glad you are visiting your Humum in her dreams and making her smile.

I really hope you are having the most amazing time at the bridge  

Sending hugs.

I'm sending big hugs for you

Thanks guys

Can't believe it's two years   

   

Me neither Maysie

On one hand it seems like yesterday she and Pud were still here but on the other it seems like an eternity ago.

There isn't really anything to add that hasn't already been said. Thinking of you, and Thumper