Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Flopsy's Friends

Everyone who has ever met the Flopsy bunny knows... she is tiny, she is shiny, she is soft, she has levels of adorableness for which there are no words. When people hold her, instead of words, they utter unintelligible endearments, squees, sighs, and unrefined sweetnessess.

She is cute. Was cute. Is. She is cute.

But her cuteness, well, it seems a superficial thing, now. Of course we adored her pert tiny nose, her loppy ears, her darling face... but her best qualities are in her heart. She hops around, curiously, and nibbles her veggies adorably. She lets you hold her, like a baby. She will sit in your lap, then bound around, like a happy child. She is a pleasure to be with. This has not changed... she is still a pleasure, still mellow, and gentle, still a Flopsy bunny.

Grant, June 20, 2012

Of course, she's bigger than when we brought her home last June, when Grant first met her.

Nate, Bambi, Janece, Alex, and Max, June 26, 2012

The attack she suffered two nights ago did change things... we have to wait and see what the long term effects will be. She was bit around her eye, and on top of her head. Her third eyelid is torn. The doctor stitched her up on the top of her head. Her injuries are raw, sympathetically painful to look at.

It was surprising how calm she remained while having her eye cleaned out, then her head stitched. I thought she had been sedated. She lets us hold her. She sits quietly, as though biding her time. Maybe, if she had a FB account, she would whine, and complain, and regularly post about how unfair life is, but no. She nibbles the carrots and apples we hold for her. She leans into my hand when I nuzzle her cheek. And she quietly bides her time. I hope she is recalling visits on the lawn, being held and adored, then nibbling greens.

Matt

I hope she knows how much we love her. We have said, "She is therapy. She is calming, peace-generating, healing therapy." We want to be that therapy for her.

In the barn, Maria and Flopsy, July 1, 2012

Her injuries are not cute. She definitely looks rough around the edges, and thinking how it must feel makes me wince. But we still want to sit with her, stroke her fur, watch her step around, and nibble alfalfa. No one is looking at her any differently. We see her the same. And I thought I was being mature, and sort of clinical about it, but the children have been completely at ease and natural... no squeamishness, no reluctance to be with their dear Flopsy bunny.

I wish we could take away what happened to her. Poor innocent bunny. I'm sorry she had to go through that. I am sorry for all the tragedies and injustices... others' pains make me wince, and I feel sympathetic aches.

Austin, Katalina, and Maria, August 10, 2012

Thank you, everyone, for your comments, and phone calls, for the messages of kindness and sympathy, for understanding our sadness, for sharing in it. Your caring is a comfort. Thank you, friends who have met the Flopsy bunny, and held her, and been delighted by her cuteness, the fun-ness of her. By sharing your kindness, I feel like you have made her the sweet, mellow, fun bunny that she is today.

Flopsy meets Puff, June 20, 2012

Alex and I made improvements to Sanka's rabbit loft, and we believe it is attack proof. Flopsy is back to living in the barn, instead of her hutch. She has a quiet, familiar place where she can rest and heal. It's hard to tell, just yet, whether her eye, her vision, will completely recover. We are using eye-drops, and she'll be seen again by her doctor on Thursday. This morning the top of her head looked a lot better, but she does have a Frankenbunny look going on. But, gosh she's a really adorable little Frankenbunny.


8 comments:

Mama Spark said...

OMGosh Nat, I am so sorry to hear about her attack. What do you thank attacked her? I hope it can't get at her again. We just found out that our dear sweet Jack is in kidney failure. Sadness abounds, but I am trying to do all I can to extend his stay with us. He is my favorite! My boo boo kitty, and I can't bear to think of his being gone, so I don't! Prayers for Flopsy and your family!!

XOP

Nancy said...

I once had a little black kitty, CB, that was hit by a car. She managed to get to my doorstoop, how I will never know. The doctor had to remove her eye, she had a cracked skull and a dislocated hip. After 2 days at the vets, they let me see her and she leaped into my arms. The vet wisely said, let her go home, she will heal better there. He told me she might never be the same again, and she wasn't. She was even better! She never looked back and after her little baseball seamed head healed, she only looked liked she was winking at you. She lived to be 18 years old! And a more loving cat you could never wish for. Blessings to Flopsy and her speedy recovery. And learning to have compassion for a hurting animal is a very hard, but wonderful thing for kiddos. I do believe it helps make them better adults. Blessings to your family!!

Miriam said...

I imagine that the gift of love exchanged between your family and Flopsy - the kind of love that protects and heals and is completely independent of looks or usefulness - is like a cloud of silvery mist spreading on the wind all throughout the world, making it a better pace for all of us. You can tell I'm no poet, and I'm sorry for the clumsiness of my words, but the beauty of your story inspires me to try!

judy in ky said...

Your precious little bunny is in my thoughts.

Kim said...

I am sending healing thoughts in your direction (for Flopsy, and whoever else might need them)
I'm glad she is on the mend and hope it's a smooth recovery. Gosh, she is REALLY cute.

Alison said...

Natalie, it's been hard for me to have quality time with Chickenblog, since my computer at work freezes up on your site (it's got like version 6 of Explorer). Anyway, I wanted to tell you your recounting of Flopsy's Horrible Terrible Night was absolutely riveting. I know it was not a good night, but your writing is so, so wonderful, both descriptive and emotive.

And now I understand your fears about Flopsy, but honestly, I have found that, infections prevented, animals heal amazingly fast--especially young ones. As Nancy pointed out, chances are Flopsy's healing ability and thick fluff will "disappear" most or all of her injuries. So take some pictures of your Frankenbunny, because in the future you'll probably be saying, "Can you believe how different she looked!?"

Also, cheers to your vet for willingly caring for your bunny. Lots of vets can't be bothered with "exotics." Pfffft.

Sara at Come Away With Me said...

She probably knows she needs to be quiet in order to heal...I'm glad she's getting such good care. Lots of love to little Flopsy from me.

Jenny said...

Thinking of Flopsy. She's in good hands there (so many loving hands).