Byzanthine,
I am so sorry what you went through with your father. I hope you are finding peace now! It is difficult to see the jekyl and hyde affect that the "poison" has on loved ones, and family. I call my husband's Rum ~ Jerk Juice, as that is what he becomes after having it. He almost drank a big bottle of it in one day (not the 750 ml, the bigger one), one drank of rum and coke consisted of half a pint and a little coke. I am personally feeling stronger, now that I have clearly set my boundries, getting support and making my daughter's and my peace paramount over not upsetting him. I know things must have been different in your mother's time, there is so much more known about alcoholism now and so much more support for those of us dealing with this devasting disease. We have to search out this support or we ourselves will go crazy!
We have to save our children....