I broke down last night. :(

I was reading Crossing the Bridge last night when I simply broke down and began sobbing. I don't know why I lost control like that, but my heart broke. I don't normally read CTB because it saddens me, but last night I did and I cried and cried and cried.

I love animals a lot, and have had my heart broken many times because of losing them. I feel the pain when I read Crossing the Bridge. It was like being stabbed in the heart. The pain was nearly unbearable. I went to sleep, crying my eyes out, and woke the next morning feeling disoriented and woozy.

CTB is not easy at the best of times. I'd like to be able to go in there more often than I do, to offer support, but I know too well how devastating it can be, and have to choose my times. I think many people have a similar experience. You do what you can, that's all you can do.

its not easy sometimes. There have been times, that i made me feel like i wanted to cry. cause you can tell how bad someone is feeling.

Like many, i dont know what to say, cause i know nothing really helps. But i try to say something small. maybe the person will understand that there are others who can relate to losing a pet that we care about.

I dont get on CTB nearly as much as I would like - it is incredibly upsetting, but I know through losing cats that you can get so much comfort from the posts, so I do try and get on, but I just have so little computer time there is soo much to catch up on.

I have never ventured into that forum, because I know what a mess it would make of me. I have cried buckets in the health forum, while offering conselation. But the passing-away part, i'm not yet ready to handle. I'm afraid it will bring up old memories.
Maybe this is selfish, but one day I'll be ready to go in. Just not now.

I am a regular visitor, and like you, more often than not, I am moved to tears, there are some heartbreaking stories I do like to offer some words of comfort, but I always wonder how it helps and if the OP did actually get some comfort.
I have noticed some of the OPs have come back just to say a 'thankyou' for people words, so I guess it must help at some level
Its always nice to know someone, somewhere has thought about you even for a few minutes of their day !

p.s I think people are ready when they are ready to post in CTB and thats very understandable too, it can be very hard and just a bit too much

I can't read that forum either.

I'm too sensitive and end up really upset for days and days. I know when a pet dies that the person needs extra support (I know I will when it's Chynna's time), but I just can't bring myself to go to that forum very often. Just the thought of it makes my eyes well up with tears

I could never work in a vets office or an animal shelter. I couldn't bear to see sick and hurt or dying animals, even though I know there are success stories in those types of places too. The grief would be too overwhelming for me.

So don't feel bad that you cry when reading about RB kitties. You aren't the only one. *hugs*

I cry there too sometimes. I go on there more now since Napoleon died, as I know how comforting it was at that terrible time to have people's messages of consolation, and I want to do the same for others. But some days I really can't face it, or I only read one or two and have to close.

I go in Crossing the Bridge every day, I respond to every new post there, and I can tell you from experience alone, (that when I posted I was sad because it was fixing to be a year that we had to put our beloved Sambo to sleep,) people responded to my posts, and it did help me to feel better, I could tell that the posts were sincere and were posted because they care.

So that is why I go in there every day, I try to and least them know I understand how they are feeling. And I send them hugs and prayers.

I rarely make an appearance in that forum for that very reason. When I first joined TCS, I was a regular in there, and I would sit at work at my desk and bawl my eyes out reading the threads in there.

It is very heart wrenching. I do try to support those members who have lost their furbabies, but I try not to venture in there too often as to save my sanity.

You are not alone, I think it affects us all that way.

I cant hardly visit in there, for that reason!! When I have been in there, I ALWAYS cry afterwards..........I think its because we are all such animal lovers(yes cats in particular) and so we all can feel the pain for someone else.

Does that make sense?? I know its true for me anyways. I have lost many a pets in my lifetime, so I truly know how the person feels.



There used to be a site I would visit, cant think of what its called right now, but anwyays-its something about rainbow bridge, and I would always always always cry when I went there.

Originally Posted by Fred&Nermal

I have never ventured into that forum, because I know what a mess it would make of me. I have cried buckets in the health forum, while offering conselation. But the passing-away part, i'm not yet ready to handle. I'm afraid it will bring up old memories.
Maybe this is selfish, but one day I'll be ready to go in. Just not now.

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I agree. I want to support those in mourning. I really get upset when I see many new threads in one day.

Originally Posted by catloverin_ks

I cant hardly visit in there, for that reason!!

When I have been in there, I ALWAYS cry afterwards..........I think its because we are all such animal lovers(yes cats in particular) and so we all can feel the pain for someone else.

Does that make sense?? I know its true for me anyways. I have lost many a pets in my lifetime, so I truly know how the person feels.

There used to be a site I would visit, cant think of what its called right now, but anwyays-its something about rainbow bridge, and I would always always always cry when I went there.

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I agree with that and u do make sense to me at least, its just to sad to venture into CTB i do sometimes but I gotta be brave when I do...I get to emotional !! But I do like to and try to be there to support the others

I can't go in there.....I mainly post at work, and it wouldn't look so good if clients came in and I had my mascara down to my knee caps from crying.... I did go in once when sweet Bella passed, that was it. It's too hard for me to even think about.....

Sounds like you just needed a good cry!

No, I am certain that if I read the forum again, I would cry again. Reading that forum causes me endless amounts of pain.

I've never been in Crossing the Bridge and honestly don't know that I ever will. I'm a very emotional person and would spend the rest of my day sobbing if I read even one post. I feel badly, because I'd like to support people who are obviously having a rough time, but I don't think I'm a strong enough person to do that. I've cried until I've made myself physically ill thinking about losing my pets, and I know reading about other people's losses will be no easier.

So Bemyonlyone, you are definitely not alone! I even get a bit teary just thinking about it now...

I am just like Jenny. When I first would go in there it would upset me too much, and I avoided it. Then when I lost my first Smudge very quickly from his initial illness, I realized that it was a great resource both for the person seeking consolation and for those seeking to console. So many people reached out to me, that I really try and check in there to make sure I can offer comfort to those who might need it. But it is still sad and difficult, but I guess that's just the way life is.

It truly is a source of comfort when you have lost a loved one to have people respond to you, which is why I try and make an effort - I am hoping that things are going to settle down lifewise now, so am going to make an effort to check at least one post in there every day, it can be so incredibly hard, but so important for the person who is grieving. But, like many things, it isnt something that everyone can do, so you shouldn't feel bad if it is too upsetting for you.

Originally Posted by booktigger

It truly is a source of comfort when you have lost a loved one to have people respond to you, which is why I try and make an effort - I am hoping that things are going to settle down lifewise now, so am going to make an effort to check at least one post in there every day, it can be so incredibly hard, but so important for the person who is grieving. But, like many things, it isnt something that everyone can do, so you shouldn't feel bad if it is too upsetting for you.

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That is kinda the way that I feel, it does make me sad to go in there, but then the person that posted in there about their pet is sad too. So if I can go there and somehow let this person know that I am thinking about them, then it is worth it to me.

I just like to try to make people feel better if I can.