Winston Is A Champ

Original Post

Following is Update #2 - About 2 weeks ago 

You know what one of the biggest lessons I've learnt since beginning treatment for PTSD? Not everyone is an arsehole! Most people seem to be wonderful and kind. I say seem because this is a generalisation and I haven't met everyone in the world. I'm also still messed up by years of trauma and my go-to trauma brain thinks everyone is a prick and untrustworthy.

I say this because it amazes me every day and I'm so grateful now. Ridiculously so. If it wasn't pandemic times I think I might hug people when before I could barely make eye contact. Crazy!

So the original vet hospital I took Winston to were amazing. Even though I was triggered and losing my shit for not being able to administer an injection, they were amazing. So professional, sympathetic, and all-round wonderful.

Then my local vet, not an exotics vet by the way, have been wonderful too. I was able to arrange with them to bring Winston over for his daily injection without a consultation which would have really f'ed me up financially (what finances though? LOL). Even better is they are a block away and within my 5km radius (I'm in a covid-19 red zone at the moment).

Winston Needs Medicine and It's Triggering

 I have two rabbits. Winston and Hazel. Hazel is the youngest at around 4 years old. Winston is my oldest, at roughly 9 years, and MY BOI. Back in 2012 I was socially isolated and not coping. Instead of adopting a dog, as I was going to do with my ex, I went with a rabbit.

I didn't realise back then I had CPTSD and my hypervigilance was off the charts. I love dogs. I love all animals. I just couldn't be around dogs because they would trigger my startle response with their barking. I thought it was the ME/CFS sensitivities at the time, but now I know better. I was intensely startled every time a dog barked.

Long story short, yes there is more story, I went and adopted a rabbit. It wasn't Winston. It was my beloved Fiver whom I named after Fiver in Watership Down by Richard Adams. Fiver saved my sanity at the time and unfortunately he passed away after six months of me adopting him. That's a trauma story I am saving for Mrs Yellow.

I was still socially isolated, suffering from depression, and quite unwell after Fiver passed. I lasted two weeks before the lack of sound little padded feet made started to drive me madder and I adopted Winston in 2013. That's a long time to have a bunny companion. He has been there for my depression, kept me going when I was suicidal, gave me a reason to get up in the morning. We bonded hard when I adopted him. I have been dreading him getting older...