Had this one this morning at work as a hot tea but double the leaf that’s normally used for a hot tea; I didn’t get much sleep at all last night and I really, really needed the caffeine but wasn’t feeling an iced tea. Flavour wise, doubling the leaf didn’t actually hurt the taste that much though – it was a very intense, pretty sweet tangy strawberry lemonade with undertones of sweet, earthy mate and raspberries. Just a little bit tart.
Trigger Warning: Discussion of Animal Death Below
I debated whether or not I was going to write about this or not, but Steepster has always been a place for me where I’ve felt comfortable talking about pretty well anything and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want some community support right now…
My guinea pig Eilert died yesterday quite suddenly and traumatically. He’d been somewhat sick for a while now and had been losing weight at a very noticeable rate along with not eating as much as he usually did. We had plans to take him to the vet at the end of the week to see what could be the reason he was losing the weight/not eating.
Last night I had him on my lap, on my bed and was trying to coax him into eating a baby carrot – his favourite treat. He wasn’t eating it, so I started rubbing his back to try and soothe him at the very least. Without warning he just sort of freaking and jumped from my arms towards the edge of the bed, which was right next to a bookshelf. He hit the bookshelf head on quite hard, and almost immediately started gasping for air.
I immediately picked him up and ran upstairs, calling out to my mom that we needed to get him to the vet immediately because something wasn’t right. The entire time he was cradled in my arms desperately gasping for air, not making any noise. He died in my arms on the drive to the vet. We’re having him cremated and will bury him in the Spring when the ground has thawed out.
It looks like he snapped something in his neck upon impact.
I don’t really know what I’m looking for right now; but I feel awful. I can’t help but feel like I did something to cause this – if I hadn’t tried to make him eat, and if I hadn’t obviously pet him in a way he didn’t like, and if I had better reflexes, if we had left the house sooner…
I know that’s probably the wrong way to think about things, but I can’t help it. And I can’t get the feeling of his small, warm body going limp out of my head. And I can’t sleep.
Friendly reminder that I do not numerically rate DAVIDsTEA blends as I’m currently employed there and it would be an obvious conflict of interest. Any blends you see with numerical ratings were rated prior to my employment there. These reviews are a reflection of my personal thoughts regarding the teas, and not the company’s.
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It wasn’t something you did. You cared enough to try and feed him. That care is just your love for its well being as you were making an attempt for his well being.
I am so, so sorry for your loss. I understand how you’re feeling, but you can’t blame yourself – you cared enough to try and help, and that can’t be wrong.
Poor, poor thing. I am sorry for your loss, Ms. Strange. It is not your fault that Eilert died. Be very kind to yourself, Ms. Strange.
Oh, I am so sorry! That second guessing is perfectly normal, and feel awful. I agree with the others, its not your fault. Please be gentle with yourself, and you have all my sympathy.
I’m so sorry to hear about Eilert! It is so hard to lose our animal family members, and you did all you could to help him. Peace to you.
I’m so sorry to hear about your fur-baby. Guilt is a normal part of the grief process; it is completely unfounded, but there is nothing unusual about feeling it, either. Relax with cuppas that sooth you and work through that grief and now you have plenty of fellow tea-lovers sending you positive energy in your hard time right now.
Aw, I’m sorry about your loss but you did the best you could. One of the reasons I haven’t owned a pet in a long time is knowing it will eventually go and the sadness that comes with it.
It wasn’t something you did. You cared enough to try and feed him. That care is just your love for its well being as you were making an attempt for his well being.
I am so, so sorry for your loss. I understand how you’re feeling, but you can’t blame yourself – you cared enough to try and help, and that can’t be wrong.
Poor, poor thing. I am sorry for your loss, Ms. Strange. It is not your fault that Eilert died. Be very kind to yourself, Ms. Strange.
Oh, I am so sorry! That second guessing is perfectly normal, and feel awful. I agree with the others, its not your fault. Please be gentle with yourself, and you have all my sympathy.
I’m so sorry to hear about Eilert! It is so hard to lose our animal family members, and you did all you could to help him. Peace to you.
I’m so sorry to hear about your fur-baby. Guilt is a normal part of the grief process; it is completely unfounded, but there is nothing unusual about feeling it, either. Relax with cuppas that sooth you and work through that grief and now you have plenty of fellow tea-lovers sending you positive energy in your hard time right now.
Aw, I’m sorry about your loss but you did the best you could. One of the reasons I haven’t owned a pet in a long time is knowing it will eventually go and the sadness that comes with it.