Am I the Only One??

kittkatt

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I've tried, several times, to offer words of comfort & support to those who have lost a beloved pet in the "Crossing the Rainbow Bridge" section of TCS. But whenever I start reading all those heartwrenching stories, I always break down crying: I just can't handle it.
So I normally just stay away from there (unless I'm having a day where I think I CAN handle it..
.). I know that seems "selfish", but it just makes me so depressed and sad.


Am I the only one who can't handle the Rainbow Bridge section??


~KK~
 

rachelh1018

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No, I can't either.
It always makes me realize that one day Tiger will be gone too.
 

pookie-poo

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I've tried, but it rips my heart out. It brings back the pain of Spooky's death and it's just too much for me to handle. I feel bad that I'm not capable of offering condolences to people going through one of the most difficult times they will ever go through.... I try to keep people in my prayers...
 

strange_wings

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I tend to stay away from any sort of thread like that. I feel awful for the peoples loss but for some reason no matter how sincere my words are they always seem fake to me?
So, I leave it to those that are better at consoling others.
 

jugen

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I try to offer words of comfort, but I am not very good at it. I just want everyone that has lost a pet to know that it rips my heart out to read anything like that.
I am a very sensitive person when it comes to loss and I just don't deal with it very well, so I can't go to the Bridge forum as much as I sometimes wish I could.

I know someday I will need words of comfort too, so I try my best to give them though. I am always there for everyone. No matter what. It's just hard for me.
 

worriedmommy

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I have a hard time as well. Since I just lost Marbles just three months ago it makes it harder for me to deal with it. Even before losing him or my other RB baby , I would have had a hard time with it too. Don't feel bad. I am sure a lot of people understand.
 

AbbysMom

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It's funny you mention this because I was going to start a similar thread. Most of the time I am able to offer support in Health and Nutrition for the poor sick kitties on the owners that are facing the tough decision of "is it time?". Although it hurts, I can normally offer my sympathies in Crossing the Bridge. The past few days it has become apparent that I can't read those for a bit. My Molly's
anniversary is coming up in less than a month and I tend to turn in a big blubbering mass when reading those near her anniversary, so I need to steer clear for a bit. A few of the threads lately have really gotten to me.



Originally Posted by strangewings

I tend to stay away from any sort of thread like that. I feel awful for the peoples loss but for some reason no matter how sincere my words are they always seem fake to me? So, I leave it to those that are better at consoling others.
They do seem fake, don't they? Or perhaps just a repeat of what everyone else is saying? I always feel the same. The thing is, for the person who is going through it, it means a lot to know that others cared enough to read about their baby and to offer their condolences, no matter how trite they may sound. If you are going though it, it doesn't sound as contrived and it is much appreciated.
 

natalie_ca

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Originally Posted by KittKatt

I've tried, several times, to offer words of comfort & support to those who have lost a beloved pet in the "Crossing the Rainbow Bridge" section of TCS. But whenever I start reading all those heartwrenching stories, I always break down crying: I just can't handle it.
So I normally just stay away from there (unless I'm having a day where I think I CAN handle it..
.). I know that seems "selfish", but it just makes me so depressed and sad.


Am I the only one who can't handle the Rainbow Bridge section??


~KK~
No you aren't the only one! I can't even open a thread in there without crying
so I rarely go there
because it makes me feel not only sad but physically ill too. I also don't go to the "SOS" or the "Health" forums very often... very rare actually...because it has the same effect on me.

I deal with the deaths of people on a daily basis with my job and it doesn't impact me like the death of an animal.
 

jessy

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Nope, I can't handle it either
I can't bare to think that I'd have to say goodbye to either of my two ever.
 

jcat

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I'm another person who tends to avoid the Bridge section, not only because it upsets me, but because my words always seem so inadequate.
 

lunasmom

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I've been in there once or twice, but never for very long. I'll start to cry otherwise.

I kind of view the Crossing the Bridge section more a form of therapy; a way to get the death off your chest. I know if I lost one of our cats, I would be upset and really I wouldn't care who responded or how many responded...I would just know taht I needed someplace to get things off my chest.
 

momofmany

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Originally Posted by jcat

I'm another person who tends to avoid the Bridge section, not only because it upsets me, but because my words always seem so inadequate.
Same here.

Having lost a number of furbabies over the years, I understand completely what people are going through, and realize I don't have anything that I could possibly say to console anyone.

But on the flip side, when I do post in that forum, I feel better when I get a lot of replies, even if it's a simple I'm sorry. But I still find it hard to respond on that forum.
 
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kittkatt

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Originally Posted by jugen

I try to offer words of comfort, but I am not very good at it. I just want everyone that has lost a pet to know that it rips my heart out to read anything like that.
I am a very sensitive person when it comes to loss and I just don't deal with it very well, so I can't go to the Bridge forum as much as I sometimes wish I could.

I know someday I will need words of comfort too, so I try my best to give them though. I am always there for everyone. No matter what. It's just hard for me.
I'm not very good at it, either.
I just don't know what to say sometimes.
And like a few others have mentioned, I don't want my condolences to sound "fake" or "hollow".

I want so badly to be able to offer my sympathies, b/c I know how it feels to lose a beloved pet; but it just gets to me so badly that I can't deal w/ it.


Maybe I'm having a difficult time dealing w/ it b/c of Geronimo & Winchester's FIP diagnosis.
I know that there's a possibility that they could go out of remission at any time, and it's heartbreaking to know that.
I can almost feel others' pain over there, and I know how I'll feel when the time comes when I lose one of my furbabies.
I'm not very good at dealing w/ pain & loss..


~KK~
 

taurus77

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I am the same way, too! I cannot go in there without breaking down and bawling. My BF gets so mad at me--he says, "you know you'll cry and get sad, why do you bother reading those?" He's right, though.
But, I think the RB section is more beneficial as a release, a way to grieve, to get out your sorrows rather than a place where the people are seeking advice or condolensces.
It would be for me, anyway. I always feel better after I write down my problems.
 

icklemiss21

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Originally Posted by jcat

I'm another person who tends to avoid the Bridge section, not only because it upsets me, but because my words always seem so inadequate.
Same here, I find it hard to cope with so much loss and tend to only go in if linked to a thread by someone.

I also feel, that as much as my empty (IMO) words may comfort someone, I can do more good in the health forum where the animals can be helped, and if I posted on Bridge threads I would likely log off afterwards and so not answer those.
 

gayef

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As much as I hate to admit it, I am also guilty of neglecting that Forum ... but I also well remember how uplifting it was when I had to post there about my beloved little Sealy Point RB girl - the replies were both plentiful and rang sincere to ~my~ broken heart.

Thank you for the gentle nudge I needed to remember that the members in the RB Forum need us greatly - even if only to say how sorry we are they lost a companion. No matter how insincere it may sound to us, it means the world to them.

I am going to try to be much, much better about it from now on.
 

carolpetunia

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I can't go there either. I used to try, but... I just can't handle it. And I'm one of those, also, who can't bear it when people post stories of serious abuse in the Lounge where I encounter them without warning... I hate myself for being so weak, but it's just more than I can bear, reading such things.

I cannot express how deeply I appreciate those of you with the emotional fortitude to go to RB and SOS and provide support to people there.
 

white cat lover

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Words of condolances always seem hollow, but I believe our actions speak louder than words. The fact that we read the thread, we said something, no matter how meaningless it seems....says so much.


I know when I lost Sandy Paws...it did help. Because, honestly, IMO, the thread is for the kitty, not the person. That was my way of telling Sandy I'm sorry.
 
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