Chapters 299 – 303

Chapter 299 - Back To The Hospital

At first, things seemed OK. Abigail could still hobble around inside her ex-pen as she did when she broke her front leg. Just like with the previous break, there was nothing the vet could do but let it heal on its own.

Abigail didn’t like to complain, but it was painful. And it was tiring. It was much harder to balance without a back leg than a front leg – which made it hard to eat and hard to rest. She couldn’t really even sleep well, because she’d fall over. The only time she could really relax is when she cuddled beside Dad. She felt safe, warm, supported, and could lie down and stretch out.

Dad felt terrible. He spent hours and hours snuggling with her on the couch so she could rest. He did his best not to move too much so he wouldn’t disturb her. It reminded him of the many hours he spent with her on the couch while she recovered from head-tilt, many years before. He learned to do many things with one hand.

On Sunday, three days after she had broken her back leg, Dad came into the living room to say good morning. Enzo and Merlot ran over to him and circled him. Then they ran over to Abigail’s pen. Enzo was worried and thought, “Dad! Abigail not good. Do something!” Abigail was flopped over on her side, looking exhausted.

Dad did his best to get Abigail to eat something, but she was having trouble standing and didn’t feel much like eating. She had used up all her reserve energy recovering from thymoma and then her first broken leg. She had lost a lot of weight and was out of energy.

Dad was worried. She looked so tired that he wondered if she would make it through the night. He mixed up some Critical Care and fed it to her with a syringe. Normally, Abigail hated Critical Care, but to his surprise, she lapped it up. That was encouraging. At least she was hungry.

He cuddled her on the couch all afternoon and evening so she could rest. Abigail drifted in and out of sleep. Every so often, she woke up and realized that she was in Dad’s arms, tooth-purred, and then went back to sleep.

That night, Dad placed her in a cuddle pod on a heated blanket next to him on the bed so he could keep an eye on her. Every two or three hours, Dad fed her a little bit of Critical Care to help her keep up her strength.

Abigail hung on through the night. The next morning, Dad rushed her to her super-vet. Dr. Stern said, “I think we’d better keep her here. Her temperature is low. It’s good you kept her warm last night. That probably saved her life. We’ll keep her in an incubator and give her subcutaneous fluids to hydrate her. We’ll assist feed her and take some blood tests to see what’s going on.”

Dad whispered to Abigail, “I’m sorry, sweetie. I’m going to have to leave you here. You’re in the best of hands, though. Don’t worry, I’ll be back for you. Just rest and eat. You know you are very much loved.”

Although she was very tired, Abigail knew.

Chapter 300 - Where's Abigail?

Enzo and Merlot stared inside the empty ex-pen. “Where’s Abigail?” asked Merlot. “I dunno,” replied Enzo. She wasn’t inside her pen. In fact, even her orange food tray and purple water bowl were missing.

Enzo hopped off to look for her. Merlot followed behind. First, he looked behind the couch. No Abigail. Then, he went to the dining room. Still no Abigail.

Next, he searched the guest bedroom. He looked everywhere. No sign of Abigail. Merlot sniffed around, too. “She not here,” declared Enzo.

As they wandered down the hall, Enzo ducked into the bathroom for a look, just in case. No Abigail.

They laid down in the living room and waited.

Finally, Dad came through the front door. The two of them ran over to him and circled his feet. “Where go Abigail?” thought Enzo.

Dad knelt down and petted them both, “She’s in the hospital, guys. Hopefully, Dr. Stern will fix her up and she can come home in a few days.”

Enzo laid down beside Abigail’s pen. He was sad. He missed her.

Chapter 301 - Hospital Visit

It was a gloomy, rainy day. Traffic was crawling. Whenever it rained, there was usually an accident on the highway leading to the vet, and today was no exception. 

Dad’s heart was heavy. He was worried about his little girl. Despite getting fluids and stabilizing her temperature, the vet reported that she remained listless. He had hoped the fluids would perk her up, but it didn’t. Nonetheless, he looked forward to seeing his little girl.

After slogging through the traffic, he arrived at the hospital. Becky, the vet tech, brought Abigail into the examination room for a visit. “Here’s your little girl,” she said. Abigail laid between two rolls which helped support her. She looked so tired.

“Hi sweetie, how are you?” asked Dad. Abigail’s ears perked up. It was Dad! She opened her eyes. She was too tired to stand up, though. “I’ve missed you so much!” he told her, “Everyone sends their love and is pulling for you!”

“She was eating her Critical Care, but then she slowed down and didn’t want it anymore,” reported Becky. Dad mixed up some of the apple/banana Critical Care that Abigail liked and placed the syringe in front of her mouth. To his surprise, Abigail lifted her head and began lapping it up! “Good girl!” he said.

He pulled out his phone and played “Thousand Years” by Christina Perri, which was the song he played for her every night before bed. Abigail lapped up four syringes of food and then he let her rinse her mouth with a syringe of clear water. “Good girl!” he praised her.

Gently, he picked Abigail up in his arms, being careful to support her back legs. Abigail relaxed. She always felt safe in Dad’s arms.

Abigail listened as Dr. Stern discussed her condition with Dad, “We got her temperature back to normal, and she is eating and pooping a little. But she is so weak. Honestly, I don’t know if we’ll be able to pull her out of this one.”

Abigail thought, “You’re not going to give up on me, are you?” Dad looked down at his little girl and said, “I’ll do everything I can for you as long as you’re willing to fight. If you decide you just don’t have any fight left in you, then let me know.” Abigail thought, “Okay.”

She knew Dad would always take care of her. Many years ago, he had vowed “…in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” She remembered Dad had said, “When I adopted you, I knew I could promise to look after you for the rest of your life. No matter what. I know that your life is in my hands. Literally.”

Dad concluded, “I’m going to leave her with you until you can figure out a stable treatment of medication that works best. If what she needs is regular medication and frequent small feedings, I can do that. The only time I see her totally relaxed is when she’s in my arms, so I can do that, too.”

Dad nuzzled his little girl and said, “I’m going to leave you here a little longer. But don’t worry, I’ll be back for you. You just rest and eat. I love you.”

Chapter 302 - Emotional Roller Coaster Ride

The next day was another gloomy day as Dad headed over the mountains to visit Abigail at the hospital. The day had not begun well. A text came from the vet: Abigail is very weak. She does not want to eat. I don’t think she wants to be alive.” Dad was mentally preparing himself that it might be time to say goodbye. He was not looking forward to this visit.

At the hospital, he waited in the examination room for her. The vet tech brought her out and said, “Here she is. She’s not looking too good.” Indeed, Abigail looked listless. In the most cheery voice he could muster, he said, “Hi sweetie! How are you?”

Abigail heard Dad’s voice. Her ears perked up and she lifted her head to see him. “Hi Dad!” she thought. Dad said, “I hear you’re not eating. Let’s give it a try.”

Dad mixed up some of her favorite apple/banana Critical Care with some warm water and put the syringe up to her mouth. Surprisingly, she lapped it up. Dad offered her some banana, her favorite treat. Abigail sat up and wolfed down the banana! After she had her fill, Dad carefully picked up Abigail in his arms. She began grooming herself! She was definitely not ready to say goodbye yet!

Auntie Heather from The Rabbit Haven rabbit rescue had come to visit Abigail, too. Heather, who had recently broken her leg, shared her experience, “It was very painful and exhausting. All my energy went into healing. All I wanted to do was sleep. I lost my appetite. I lost 30 pounds and felt so frail.” That described Abigail’s condition perfectly. Suddenly, Dad understood. The fact that she was sleeping a lot, but still eating, meant she wasn’t dying, she was healing!”

Dad knew he could give Abigail the 24/7 attention she needed, so he packed her up and brought her home. Twice a day, she needed two pain medications, one oral, one injected. She also needed two oral antibiotics to fight her on-going tooth infection. She needed syringe feeding, three to four times a day. The rest of the time, Dad cuddled her on the couch so she could sleep soundly during the day and stay warm. At night, he placed her in a cuddle pod on an electric blanket beside him in bed so she would be warm and know that she was safe and could sleep.

Over the next few days, she continued to improve. As much work as it was, there were also hours and hours of cuddle time, and the two of them bonded even more. By Saturday, she was eating her full portions of syringe feedings. Things seemed promising. Dad dared to think, “It may take some time, but maybe she will recover from this!”

Chapter 303 - The Final Act

Abigail woke up when she heard Dad move. It was a Sunday morning. She was tired, but she opened her eyes and saw Dad lying next to her. She was warm and cozy in her cuddle pod, so she went back to sleep.

“Good morning, sweetie!” said Dad. “Are you OK, little one?” he asked. Abigail didn’t feel much like moving. “Let’s go get some breakfast. Maybe that will perk you up.”

Dad carried her upstairs and prepared her medication and breakfast. After feeding all the other rabbits at the House of Buns, he turned his attention to her. Slowly, he fed her some Critical Care and her oral medication. Abigail didn’t feel much like eating, but she tried her best and finally finished. She just wanted to sleep.

Dad carried her into the living room and placed her next to him on the couch. All afternoon, he stayed beside her as she slept.

The sun was low in the sky when Abigail woke up. She heard Dad say, “How about some lunch?” Abigail wasn’t hungry. Dad took her to the kitchen to feed her. She felt the syringe against her mouth, but she didn’t open her mouth. “Just a little?” asked Dad. To make Dad happy, she ate a small syringe of Critical Care. That was all she could do.

Dad didn’t like the sign of this. “OK, we’ll try again later,” he said. He served an early dinner to the other rabbits and went back to snuggling with her on the couch.

Later that evening, Abigail woke up when she felt a syringe against her mouth again. “How about some dinner?” asked Dad. Although she was not interested, Abigail tried to make Dad happy and ate another small syringe of Critical Care and drank a little water. Then she closed her mouth. Dad said, “Oh sweetie, that’s not enough for you to survive.” He tried again, but she refused.

This time, he laid down on the couch and placed her directly on his chest and covered her with a soft, heated blanket. With the little energy she had, Abigail pulled herself up under Dad’s chin to be closer to him, so he could read her thoughts.

She thought, “Dad, you know how you said to let you know when I didn’t want to fight anymore? Well, I’m letting you know. I’ve tried really hard. I made it through the thymoma treatment. I healed from the first broken leg so we could spend another Christmas together. I’ve tried really hard for a couple of weeks to recover from this broken leg, but I just don’t have any more energy. My teeth are a mess. My leg is broken. I don’t have any fight left in me. I don’t want to leave you, but it’s time for me to go. Please help me.”

Abigail had never been “just a rabbit” or “just a pet” to Dad. Abigail was Dad’s child. She was his first rabbit. She was the love of his life, and the most important living being in the world to him – more important than any other animal or human. For over 7 years, she had brought him happiness, made him laugh, taught him all about rabbits, shown him love and trust, and helped him get through difficult times. Through her stories, she had entertained and inspired others to make the world a better place for rabbits. And she was the “star” at the House of Buns.

For the last three weeks, Abigail had given Dad the gift he had always longed for – to be his snuggle bunny. She had overcome her natural instinct to flee and cuddled with him for hours and hours. It brought them even closer together.

Tears welled up in Dad’s eyes as he tried to decide what was best for his little girl. She was so weak that he could no longer see a path to recovery. As much as he wanted to keep her around as long as he could, he didn't want her to suffer a slow, agonizing death through starvation or organ failure. Although everyone likes to picture a peaceful ending at home, her vet had cautioned, “The truth is, it rarely happens that way. It can get ugly. And usually at night or on a weekend, when we are closed.”

As much as he didn’t want to do it, putting her to sleep would be the best gift he could give her. It would be a peaceful end and he could be with her. Dad cried as he wondered, “But how can I decide to end my best friend’s life?” Then he remembered when his mother died, and watching her slowly wilt away. He would never wish that upon anyone – especially his little girl!

Abigail hung on through the night. In the morning, Dad tried in vain to get her to eat and drink, but she only took a few drops. In his heart, Dad knew it was time. The day he had always dreaded was here. He called the vet and made an appointment for late afternoon.

That afternoon, Abigail snuggled peacefully on Dad’s chest. She knew he’d help her like he always did. In the background, she heard their song, Thousand Years playing, as Dad watched the video of her in her younger days at the House of Buns. Running, binkying, and happy to be freed from her cage. [Click here to watch Abigail’s video.]

Fondly, Abigail recalled all the warm summer evenings where Dad would hang out with her on the floor. She remembered playing toss the ball with him. She thought about the first time she bravely ventured onto the couch to see if he was trustworthy. She remembered the thousands of meals of fresh greens that he had served to her on her orange tray. The magical Christmases together. The funny birthday cakes he would make for her. Getting him to play chase when he spent too much time on the computer. And how every night, he would play their song while he pet her. And now, snuggling on his chest. She was happy and content.

Abigail thought, “Dad, before I go to sleep forever, I just want to thank you for giving me a good life. You’re the best bun dad I could have ever hoped for. You freed me from that cage and let me run free. You gave me a nice home, always took care of me, listened to me, spent time with me, and loved me unconditionally. I’ll love you for a thousand ears.”

In her final moments, Abigail thought about the others in her life, too:

Aunt Chelsea, thanks for encouraging Dad to adopt me!

Auntie Lauren, thanks for being my god mother. It was fun having you stay with us. Be happy.

Belinda, thanks for taking a chance on me and hiring me to be the Resident Novelist for Small Pet Select. I got to fulfill my life goal of making the world a better place for rabbits. You’ve been a good boss and great friend.

To all the bun pals I’ve met, especially Duffy and the Fluff Brothers, Jack in the Bag, Gyzmo, Benjamin, TJ & Mitsy, and Goober and Raisinet, thanks for being my friends.

To all my human fans, thanks for all your support. Please make time for your buns. We are only here for a short time and it goes so quickly. Love them. Be patient with them. Treasure every moment with them.

Bentley, you’re the number one bun at the House of Buns now. Take care of Dad. All of you need to watch out for Dad. He’s going to need a lot of extra bun love. Enzo, thanks for trying to protect me. As Belinda would say, “You’re a good egg.”

Abigail had one final thought for Dad, “Dad, don’t be mad at Merlot for chasing me. She was just being a rabbit. So was I. I will always be your first bun love. No one can take that away.”

All too soon, the hour arrived. Dad held Abigail in front of Enzo and Merlot so they could say goodbye. Enzo sniffed her a few times and said, “G’bye, Abigail. Thanks for letting us move in with you. I sad. I miss you.” Reluctantly, Dad got in the car and held Abigail in his arms while his friend Ken drove them over the mountains to see Dr. Stern.

Abigail laid in her cuddle pod listening to Dad talk with Dr. Stern. She heard him say, “I think she has lost ‘critical mass.’ I can’t see a path to recovery, and I don’t want her to suffer. But, I need your professional opinion before I make the final decision.” Dr. Stern looked at poor little Abigail and replied, “I agree. We’ve tried everything. She’s too far gone. She won’t be able to regain that weight. I don’t see a path to recovery, either. If you wait, it could get ugly. It’s time.”

Dad rubbed Abigail’s head to distract her as the vet tech gave her the first injection to sedate her. Then, she left the room.

Tears welled up as Dad buried his nose in her fur one last time. She smelled good. He played their song on his phone. His voice broke as he whispered, “I don’t want to do this, but I’m sorry, I can’t save you this time, baby. I don’t want you to suffer. I promised I would take care of you till death do us part, and I’m here. I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you better, I didn’t realize how fragile you are now. You’ve always been such a good little girl. Thank you for being patient and teaching me all about rabbits. You’ll always been in my heart. I’ll never forget you. I love you.”

As her eyes began to glaze over and the music faded from her ears, Abigail thought, “I love you, too, Dad. I’m really sleepy. Goodnight.” She drifted off to sleep for the last time. The vet tech returned and checked her. She administered the final drug.

Dad held Abigail in his arms. She took a last breath and her tiny body went limp.

Abigail, his beloved little girl, the tiny rabbit who made a big difference, was gone.

Dad felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. All he could do was sob.

In lieu of flowers, Abigail asks that you consider making a donation to her favorite rabbit rescue, The Rabbit Haven at https://www.therabbithaven.org/donate

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