7 years ago my life was in a mess.  I'd been disabled all my life and suddenly, at the age of 53, my health took a turn for the worse and I had to become a full time wheelchair user.

I was so depressed, I was at an all time low and went to the doctor for help as I was feeling suicidal.  He put me on Prozac (of course) and though the drug kept me kinda like in a zombie zone I still wasn't happy.

Then I prayed one night and believe it or not as I prayed the answer came to me.  A dog, that's what I needed, to take my mind of my own problems.  I'm never gonna work again so I have the time to give to what would surely be a companion.

Strange thing is, like the owners of Faith, I felt it wasn't just any dog, that one specially for me would be sent my way.  I waited and I waited, nearly a year went by.  I looked in the ads in the local paper but never felt the dogs for sale were right for me.

Then it happend.   I saw an ad and it stood out like a beacon to me.  This was it, a litter of border collie pups for sale.  I just knew then this was my dog.  Trouble was I had no money so had to go round borrowing and begging.  I bought Nacho, a tiny bundle of fur.  

As soon as he came home we both gelled immediately and he lay on my chest to sleep that first night.  As the bond grew I became aware I was no longer depressed.  I told my doctor I was stopping Prozac.  He advised against it, saying I should be weaned slowly.  But I insisted and haven't been back to my doctor for 4 years.  i gave up smoking because I realised it wasn't good for Nacho.

Since his arrival my love of life has returned and there's been no more dark thoughts.  He's real cheeky, if I have cause to moan at him he barks back and gives as good as he gets.

But it's the way he is always so happy to see me.  He follows me everywhere and jumps on my knee, and as I'm in a wheelchair and he's now far too big to sit on anyone's knee this looks comical but he doesn't mind.  If we visit a place where I can't access, like the beach, and friends offer to take him down to the water he refuses point blank.  If I can't go he won't go.

He has epilepsy and takes fits now and again so I have to be there for him.  As he's always there for me.   Dogs are a gift from God, I have no doubt of that.  They teach us to love at moments in our life when we think love has gone AWOL.