When I was little, our family also had a sweet natured St. Bernard named Neil. I don't know if you remember an old sitcom called "Topper" but their was a ghost St Bernard in the show who had a habit lapping up alcoholic beverages and his name was Neil.

My parent's got tired of his drooling and my father gave him to his mother who left him tied out to a dog house all the time. The local kids teased him so much he became mean. He wouldn't let us near him when we would go to my grandmother's to visit.

I think the ups and downs of the disease is probably about the worst part. On your days the meds work like a charm you have hope of living a more painfree, normal life. But when the bad days hit, you hit bottom and feel there is no hope of being normal ever again. I guess we will just have to learn to figure out a new meaning for what normal truly is.

Vicky