trust
We have two beautiful bunnies in our home; they're very much the centre of our little family and centre of my world.
So when they are ill or not feeling the best, the bottom tends to fall out of my world. I would and do do anything and everything I can to help them feel better.
One of our bunnies, our little princess, Forrest, has a delicate and sensitive digestive system (a bit like me... I actually think she mirrors my health). It means she often (at least in the past) gets a dirty bum (which I talk about in this bogpost) and she often goes into Gastrointestinal (GI) Stasis.
GI Stasis is a dangerous condition in bunnies and is the number one cause of premature death in healthy bunnies.
What GI Stasis is, is a slowing down or stopping of the digestive system (ie the bunny stops eating). This then causes bad bacteria to form in the gut which, in turn, builds up gas leading to a bloated and painful tummy. As bunnies are unable to release gas, the bloating and pain further decrease the bunny's willingness to eat.
So GI Stasis is a downhill spiral from which a bunny can not recover and start eating on their own again. In order to save them, intervention is necessary. And the sooner you intervene the faster you can turn the situation around as bunnies can (and do) die between 12 and 24 hours after they go into stasis.
Our little lady, Forrest, used to go into stasis quite regularly, about once every two months. Each time, thankfully, we were home and quickly picked up on the situation (bunnies are prey animals so when they're sick they try to hide it as, in the wild, a sick bunny is easy picking). So we would feed her critical care (ground down pellets mixed with water) through a syringe and massage her tummy. Even though their tummies are sore and they don't want to eat, by forcing a bunny in stasis to eat, you're encouraging the digestive system to keep/start working until the bunny can start to eat on his/her own again.
This went on for about 3 years until we were introduced to a super savvy bunny vet who also had her own bunnies and she advised that we feed the bunnies a dried flower mix. This was like feeding Forrest magic drops. No more bi-monthly stasis!
Although it helped immensely, it didn't stop Forrest going into GI Stasis completely and although the episodes are few and far between (now only a couple of times a year), it is a condition that she still experiences.
When she goes into stasis we need to feed her critical care every 2 hours until she eventually starts to feed on her own. That usually means getting up during the night. When she eats by herself this means she has recovered and is safe. It usually takes about 4 or 5 feeds before Forrest recovers (between 8 and 10 hours). And during that time I stay up to keep an eye on her, which usually means the whole night, waking my husband every 2 hours for her feed.
At the same time I always call on Archangel Raphael, the angel of healing and my 'mucker' (read the blogpost here). I ask that he stays with Forrest and gives her healing and strength until she recovers.
It absolutely breaks my heart when I see our princess so ill. It's in my nature to give her comfort by talking to her, sitting near her and petting her. But what I noticed was that the more comfort I gave her, the further she seemed to sink. When you didn't give her comfort, she seemed to 'get on with things' and fight stronger.
It also meant I was getting in the way of AA Raphael, making his job more difficult because he was healing a bunny who had a tendency to get worse when she received comfort.
I had been going through some trust issues with the angels. Basically I was finding it hard to give up control and just trust that the angels had my back, not just in the case of Forrest with GI Stasis, but in all areas of my life.
Then one Saturday afternoon, Forrest went into GI Stasis. I immediately called on AA Raphael for help and my husband and I gave her her first feed. As soon as the feed was over, I did the hardest thing I have ever done. I walked away. Not only did I not sit by Forrest and give her comfort, not only did I create some distance between us in the room, but I actually left the living room and stayed in the bedroom, only returning every 2 hours to help feed Forrest.
By far that was the hardest thing I have ever done. But I had to let go of control. I had asked AA Raphael to step in and heal Forrest and I had to trust in him, that he would do what was right for our princess.
If you're a control enthusiast like me you'll have an idea just how difficult it is to let go of the reigns, to stop holding on so tightly.
However, I felt, with all the attempts by the angels to encourage me to trust over the recent weeks and months, that this was my chance to openly show them that I could trust.
For me, it was the ultimate test of trust. Because I felt I was putting the life of Forrest on the line.
But I realy had no other option.
Clearly being by Forrest when she was ill and comforting her wasn't working. If anything, I felt it was making matters worse. So by walking away, I was taking my negative vibration of worry and fear with me and away from Forrest and I was allowing AA Raphael's healing energy to reach her, unhindered.
Not long after Forrest's 3rd feed, my husband called me to the living room. There she was eating on her own again. After only 3 feeds! This was the fastest turnaround we had ever had with her.
It was also such an important lesson for me in trust. It was as if AA Raphael was telling me, if I ask him to intervene in a situation and provide healing, he can and will do so. But when I walk away and let him do what he does best without bringing in any negative energy of fear and worry, he can do his job much faster and much easier.
I learnt so much from that experience and have since acted very differently when Forrest goes into GI Stasis. It's not to say I find it easy to trust now. I don't. But my trust muscle has been flexed and is getting stronger.
Viv xx