# I made the choice, now I am facing the consequences



## Amy27 (Jul 23, 2010)

I usually keep my personal life off RO. But I really felt like I wanted to post this. May be hoping someone would say I made the right choice. Though I know lots of people will probably disagree with me. Atleast IRL, they do. But in my mind, there was no other option. 

Anyway to the story. When Chase got sick almost 2 years ago, I quickly realized that caring for her would financially kill me. I have spent total about $10,000 in health care for her. Not including her special diet. But, I looked into the face of this rabbit who loved life and counted on me to be there for her, through good and bad. I mean, I made that choice when I purchased her right? The love I felt for her was so strong, I couldn't give up on her. So, I made the decision that her healthcare would come first. If we had to live in a cardboard box we would. Atleast she would get the care she deserved and have the chance to live. 

Today, I have offically lost my condo and I am devestated. It is so nice, the animals have so much room and we all just love it. It took me a year to find the perfect place to buy and this condo was it. It was everything I wanted. But now I am losing it. I have about 3-4 months before I have to move out. I am sad. I tried everything to work with the mortgage company. I went to see a HUD counselor, went to mediation today and they basically said with your expenses, you can't afford it. We are going to continue foreclosing. Though I am so sad and know we will all have to adjust to living in a small apartment. I look into Chase's face and am thankful I still have her with me and that I made the decision I made. How could I pick a house over a life? I just couldn't. I couldn't imagine doing it. 

Though for some reason I am filled with guilt that I have to move my animals to a small apartment. My cats will lose the fenced in backyard they love. The rabbits will lose the amount of room they have to run around. It isn't like I can explain to them, I am doing this so Chase can live. 

I haven't really told anyone the real reason I financially can't do it anymore, even family. I just say I can no longer afford it. Though the mortgage company has seen my bank statements to see how much I am spending in vet bills. I know how must people would view this, likeI am crazy. 

I love this home. I had a hard life growing up and never had a "home". I lived in foster care and the children's home for part of my life. This place is like a safe haven for me. But home is where the family is right? I will have all my babies, including Chase in my new home. So it shouldn't matter how small it is. We will all be together. 

I realize some of you might or probablythink I am crazy. I know my friends and family would and do though they don't know the whole story. To think I have ruined my credit and lose my home for a rabbit even sounds crazy to me. But when you see that face and feel the love you feel, it didn't take me long to make the decision that Chase was more important then where we lived. I don't regret the choice I made. I am just sad that I couldn't come to an agreement with the mortgage company so that I could stay in the condo.


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 23, 2010)

How do you say no to this face? 
















I posted this in Let your Hare Down since it was more about my personal issues then rabbits in general.


----------



## Luvmyzoocrew (Jul 23, 2010)

i am so sorry that you are gong through all this, i would like to say you are crazy but i totally see where you are coming from,lol. I am sorry that you were not able to come to some agreement with your mortgage company. Not alot of people would do what you did, and Chase sure is lucky to have you as a slave!!!!!!!


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 23, 2010)

Thanks Fran, I hope my animals feel lucky to have me as a slave. I do really know I am crazy lol but I can't help it. I just can't end a life for a material thing. As much as it hurts me to lose my home, I will just keep looking at Chase's face and it makes it worth it for me.


----------



## Myia09 (Jul 24, 2010)

Amy you are amazing. You really have a heart of gold. I commend you so highly for this.

I know it must be hard..but YOU DID make the right decision. I am sorry things didn't work out for you; but I am sure another condo will come later down the road. A house is replaceable; life is not. And it may be a "bunny life" that many people don't take into consideration, but we do, and it is the right thing to do.

Prayers and thoughts be with you!


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 24, 2010)

Thanks Myia. All my animals are my babies and I would do anything I could for them. Your post really made me cry and feel better. You are so right. It doesn't matter if it is a bunny life or another life, life matters. 

I think the thought of moving into a smaller place may seem really hard right now, but I am hoping once we get into it, we will all love it. Even if it is smaller, having a place to run and play is better then not having one and being PTS. 

Thanks again Myia I really appreciate it.


----------



## fuzz16 (Jul 24, 2010)

i cant even begin to understand the stress and pain you're going through. To loose bits of peices of your life to Chase. But most people see them as pets...not a family member, not a child in-like. You do what you have to to keep them safe, healthy, and alive. kudos to you. i think you're doing the right thing, and if you think its right and it feels right then that is all that matters. the animals will adjust with time and in the end things always have a way of working out for the best


----------



## Rabbit Hero (Jul 24, 2010)

In the end you are choosing love, and that can never be a bad thing. 

I hope that If I where ever in your position I would be able to make the same brave decisions that you have.


----------



## Nancy McClelland (Jul 24, 2010)

we'll keep you in our thoughts


----------



## luvthempigs (Jul 24, 2010)

If it helps at all I feel you did the best you could do and made the right decision for you and your family. My critters are my children and I would like to think that I would also do what ever it takes to keep them safe. 

The condo can be replaced. A home is what you make it and can be made in an owned or rented place. In time you won't even think about if you made the right choice or not.

Have you been able to start looking for a new place to live yet? The only thing I am wondering is how easy it is to find a place that allows pets. I haven't rented in many years so I'm not sure how easy it is to find a place to allow pets. I know in the past it was difficult.

Good luck to you and know that we are all thinking of you :hug:


----------



## SweetSassy (Jul 24, 2010)

Amy.....I'm so sorry your losing your home. But I would be doing the same thing you are doing. I, myself have gone into debt over my animal and spent thousands and thousands $$$. When you love your animals you will do anything for them. 

Having your animals will make your new home a happy home. It sounds like it will all work out. Good Luck


----------



## JadeIcing (Jul 24, 2010)

*hugs* You did what is right for you.


----------



## hln917 (Jul 24, 2010)

Amy~ if you're crazy, then move over b/c you'll have a roommate(s) at the looney bin. 

I'm sure some may not agree, including my family and friends, but my buns are my kids, my life and I would do anything for them. Hubby and I often joke about how we are on a budget dinner so the "kids" can eat good. In fact, we even sold some stocks to pay off their medical expenses.

I'm so sorry forthe situation you're in. I'm praying for a last minute miracle. I think Chase's got the greatest mommy! Thank you for saving his life. Good luck to you.


----------



## otnorot (Jul 24, 2010)

Heres how it works my friend,when you get a pet it is now part of your family and like your family they depend on you.Are you not able to get a better job?Or are you working,dont you have family that can help you out until your on your feet again? 

Bill


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 25, 2010)

Thank you all for the kind comments. They really made me feel better and a lot of you had really good points. 

Maria, I have started to look for an apartment. So far all the places I have looked at having the animals was not a problem. Most places though I will have to put down extra money for a security deposit. 

Bill, I don't have any family to help me out. When I grew up I only lived with my dad for a few years and then he left and we just got back in contact a few years ago and are not close. He doesn't even have a job. I don't talk to my mother, not that she could help me out. She always lived on welfare. I have some good friends that I call my family. I spend holidays with them and they have emotionally helped me out but I would never ask them to financially help me. 

I do have a good job. But I was living pay check to pay check before Chase got sick. I just graduated college last month and so I am crossing my fingers that I can find a new job with my degree making more money. I just don't know if it will be soon enough to save my condo. My current job has made comments about promoting me because they don't want me to leave. But they haven't made an offer yet and I don't know when they are thinking about doing it.


----------



## otnorot (Jul 25, 2010)

Amy you just graduated a month ago and you have a job looking at a promotion. 
Hey there young lady you have the world on a string. It takes years to get where you are so just hang in there start to budget your spending do without for a while until things get better.No more bunnys until things get better. 
If we were related I would be your great grandfather.


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 25, 2010)

Thanks Bill you are sweet. I swear, sometimes friends can be the best family. It has been my friends who have taken off work to go to court and mediation with me. 

You bringing up the job situation is making me think that maybe I need to mention the promotion again to my boss. I talked to her about it in April in my review and my review was great. I got 34 out of 35 points. Then about a week after I graduated I applied for an internal position but not under my boss that would have been a promotion and when my boss found out she freaked out. But not to me. She called my good friend in her office and was yelling and asking what the hell was going on. My friend told her, she graduated, what do expect. So my boss does know I am keeping my eyes open. If I talk to her though I will keep my personal financial situation out of. And just talk about how it would benefit the company to promote me. But I have doing that. But I am going to have to get some guts and do it. If it would save my condo, it would be worth it.


----------



## BethM (Jul 25, 2010)

Amy, I'm sorry you're losing your condo. If I were in your situation, I would have done the same thing. There are lots of condos out there, but only one Chase. 

I don't think you should feel bad about moving your animals to a smaller home. You will all adapt.

:hug2:


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 25, 2010)

Thanks Beth. You are right, there is only one Chase. 

You guys have made such great comments that have made me feel so much better. I think I am going to have to print this thread out and carry it in my purse. Then when I question my decision or feel bad about it. I can pull this out and read all the comments and the good points you guys have made.


----------



## Korr_and_Sophie (Jul 25, 2010)

I would much rather go into debt to save a pets life than to buy a big screen tv or a fancy car. The people who spend $5000 on a new tv every year because they need to next best thing will scold you for spending $500 on 'just a rabbit' that you could have for the next 5 or 10 years. You have Chase to give you a reason that will love you every day no matter where you live, what you drive or what kind of job you have. There will be other jobs and condos, but there is only one Chase.


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 25, 2010)

You are so right Kate. And you are right, my friends that give me a hard time have the newest technology in TV's, computers, cars, etc,. Everything I own is old lol. Most of it is the same stuff I bought 10 years ago when I moved out on my own. Those things would never bring me the joy, happiness, and love Chase does. It may be a rough few months. But we will all get through it and adjust to living in a smaller place. Really what does one person and 4 animals need a 1600 sq feet house for? We will do just fine in something smaller.


----------



## NorthernAutumn (Jul 25, 2010)

:feelbetter:I have my fingers crossed for you, girl... I know it will work out.


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 25, 2010)

Thanks Autumn.


----------



## luvthempigs (Jul 26, 2010)

*Korr_and_Sophie wrote: *


> I would much rather go into debt to save a pets life than to buy a big screen tv or a fancy car. The people who spend $5000 on a new tv every year because they need to next best thing will scold you for spending $500 on 'just a rabbit' that you could have for the next 5 or 10 years. You have Chase to give you a reason that will love you every day no matter where you live, what you drive or what kind of job you have. There will be other jobs and condos, but there is only one Chase.


That is so true! All my stuff including the house, car, electronics and clothes are old but my critters are cared for which in my mind is how it should be (if your going to have pets)


----------



## slavetoabunny (Jul 26, 2010)

I can't believe that your bank will not work with you. I work for a bank and, believe me, we will do just about anything to keep from taking a property into ORE. We have way too many as it is with owners that walk in and drop off the keys, much less those that are trying to work it out.


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 26, 2010)

Wow, Patti that is crazy that people walk in and hand in their keys. In my county, they have a voluntary mediation program. They told me when I went only 10% of people in foreclosure show up. 

I was surprised my bank wouldn't work with me. I only need to lower my mortgage payment a little bit. They wouldn't extend the length of my loan, lower the interest rate, or decrease the principle amount of the loan to change my monthly payments. I tried to talk to them about doing an arm type loan so that for a couple years my payments would be lower and then go back up. I imagine by that time Chase would be better plus with just graduating with a BA degree, I would be making more money. I met when a free HUD counselor who also tried to talk with them. They just weren't willing to budge at all.


----------



## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Jul 27, 2010)

Amy I wish I was closer to you. I know you are doing the right thing. If you were closer I could look into helping you out with the Company I'm working with. 
Ask around and find a Primerica Rep. We have great Smart Loans that will bundle your debt and lower your payment and extend the length plus help you save. Our SMART loans are the same as the banks refinancing but ours are better because we help you by showing you, your options with the freed up money.

:hug:


----------



## Blaze_Amita (Jul 29, 2010)

It's a choice I would have made the same way! Right now I've just litterally as in yesterday, took on a 4th horse, with my 3rd one being bred so I'll have 5 next year and definently not enough acreage to pasture them on. I'm going to the farms around my place and seeing about renting a feild for the spring/summer/fall. As for my buns, I've gone without everything imaginable(including my own medicine) so oen of them could get x-rays and expensive meds even if it was one of the rescue and rehab buns that most people would have just let die. 
I'll keep my fingers cross that everything turns upwards for you.


----------



## kirbyultra (Jul 30, 2010)

Hi Amy. I don't know how I missed this thread. It breaks my heart to read this because you are such a kind hearted person. What others have said is absolutely right - there's only one Chase, and she means a lot to you. Why on earth wouldn't you do what you can to save her, right? You're not crazy at all. I think for a person with so much love in her heart, you will get through this and I'm sure you and your animals will find a way to love a new home as well. Home without love is just four walls...


----------



## Amy27 (Jul 30, 2010)

Thank you guys so much. You have no idea how your kind words have helped me though this hard time. I have to admit, there where times I wondered if I was making the right decision. I really feel like I have made the right decision. But for along time, my credit will suck, when I use to have such good credit. But Chase is worth it. I just wish there was another option. 

Becka, I will look into it. But since I am already behind on my loan, I don't know if anyone would give me a new one. Stinks because I do make okay money. 

Heather, I hope things work out for you too. I have also gone without for my buns. It is amazing how much they can mean to people where they put their bun before themselves. But I believe it is the right thing to do. 

Thanks Helen, I know things will work out one way or another. Regardless of where we live, Chase will be alive lovig life and we will all be together. I just think that people think so badly of people that lose their home. This is something that will affect me for many years. But I am willing to do that. Chase is more important, it is just depressing becuase I have tried so hard to work something out with the mortgage company. 

To make things even worse, I am volunteering at the humane society and fell in love with a rabbit. I know I just can't bring it home. It would be such a bad move. But this rabbit is amazing. She is so sweet and wonderful. She really has to be the sweetest rabbit I have ever met. I can't let her stay in a cage at the humane society. I am hoping if she doesn't get adopted, they will let me foster her. I thought about trying to bond her to Little Bunny. But I shouldn't even be thinking about this! What is wrong with me!


----------



## amalie (Aug 1, 2010)

:feelbetter:Hey Amy, I lost my hometwo years ago - a lovely house which was very much our home, it was really really hard - we loved that place and to make things worse we moved out at exactly the same time we received a diagnosis for our special needs son. 2 years on welivein a smaller rented place and we are slowly but surely getting back on our feet.Even though materially we aren't as well off I can see now that my quality fo life is so much better, we don't have the same financial worries we used to have - we have food, power and a little extra money to spend on things that give us pleasure ( for me that'sthe animalsand dancing!!)

WhatI do regret is having to say goodbye to my darling dog, I still miss her, I feel I failed her and if it meant keeping her I would have sold my house much much sooner. So SMILE because you are so right, home is where family is and you are blessed not to have to say goodbye to your pets. In time your credit score will increase and the pain of loosing that house will disappear completely, but the pain of loosing a pet really only dulls.

All the best- you know that choosing your rabbit over your house was the right decision for you and that's what really matters. After all, there'll be plenty of other houses.


----------



## Amy27 (Aug 3, 2010)

Thank you amalie, I really needed that today. I really appreciate you sharing your story. I love my home...it is so perfect. But my animals do mean more to me and you are right, losing my animals would hurt more and for a lot longer then losing my home. 

I went and looked at 3 more apartments today and am just so down. I hate having to down size. I have no idea how I am going to fit all of us and my things in these apartments. But some how I am going to have to make it work. Reading your story has really helped, so again, thank you for sharing it with me.


----------



## amalie (Aug 11, 2010)

I'm sorry I couldn't reply to this earlier - I hadn't seen it. I know exactly how you feel about downsizing, we ended up living at my parent's for over a year because we couldn't afford our own place, that was incredibly humbling and very painful - we sold everything that we could bare to part with, I kept some of my bedroom furniture, some of my son's bedroom furniture and a wall cabinet - everything else went.

It's quite nice now to look around our house and be able to feel like it's all a new start, a lot of our things might not be as nice as what we used to have but it doesn't remind me of my 'previous life'. 

I've learnt some really valuable lessons and I'm not so attached to my 'stuff'. What I had used to define me - beautiful house at a young age, flash car, nice furniture, wealthy friends. Now it's quite different my stuff doesn't define me and most of the wealthy friends weren't real friends. 

I guess, although this will be the first time I've really admitted it, I'm happier - not just happier than when I was when my finances were going down the tubes (that's a given) but happier than when I was 'wealthy'! 

So, I hope that this can be a fresh start for you too, and I also hope it doesn't last as long as mine did! It is horrid and you have every right to feel awful about what is happening, but keep it in your mind that it will all get better, much much better.

*HUGS*


----------



## Shelley123 (Sep 21, 2010)

I am so sorry to hear this story. 

My rabbit recently got bone cancer, in the end she was in excruciating pain. I got her put to sleep. It was hard, I have lost 6 rabbits now in total due to cancer or intenstinal gaseous problems. I spent a fortune on 1 month worth of meds for hazel for the pain for her cancer. It didn't help. 

I said to everyone, I would do anything for her to be better, sell my scooter, car, house, in the end she had pain so I had to let her go. I don't think you are crazy. The people telling you that you are crazy are crazy. They don't realize how much a pet means to you (the owner). 

as long as your rabbit has no pain, then it's fine. I really admire how strong you are. 

I really wish you the best of luck, as they say in holland, 'alles komt goed'

everything will be alright and work out fine

shelley


----------

