

Area: POST_POLIO

Date : Aug 04 '94, 05:36                                                   Dir 
From : Ann Brown                                              1:3801/4.0
To   : All                                 
Subj : PPS article                                                           


@MSGID: 1:3801/4 86F50180
                     Polio Survivors at War

     "Polio Victims from the 1940's and 50's are getting
Polio again."  These words zeroed in on my brain like a bullet from a
.44 magnum.  There was no way to dodge, I'm one of those victims.
Vaguely I remembered an article that I had read two years ago and had
dismissed into the inner recesses of my subconscious mind. Pulling from
that information, made me know, I needed help. In 1943, at the age of
nine months, Polio struck.  After spending seventeen years in Physical
Therapy, clinics, more Doctors than I care to remember and enduring
extreme mental and physical torture to rework and develope muscles that
fought me at every turn, I won.  I was a "Polio Survivor." A slight
limp, muscle cramps, and a hinderance to do some physical activities was
all that remained of the dreaded disease. Twenty one years later I
started losing some strength in my legs.  "I'm growing older," I told
myself.  "I'll cope."  The pain and muscle cramps increased.  Pinched
nerves caused my arm and shoulder to go numb and useless for a few
minutes at a time. Doctor's verdict was bone deterioration in neck. Then
problems developed in female organs, emotional ups and downs, and
extensive body swelling. Doctor's comments were "probably menopause."
[age 38] Back pain increases, headaches extreme at times, hot and cold
flashes, sweating excessive [just on face], fatigue, more muscle
cramps, and crying for no reason, I was told, "Symptoms are related
to menopause". Seven years pass, my son and daughter-in-law come to
visit and deliver the words that rocked my world to it's foundation.
Immediately I started looking for help.  Thinking back, I remembered
another woman in my town that had polio when I did.  I called her.  She
was in a motorized cart.  She couldn't walk anymore. It scared me badly
to know just how much she had regressed.  She gave me the phone number
of the Dallas Rehabilitation Institute.  I called them the third of
April, 1988.  They told me the Polio Clinic's were on Fridays and they
were full until the 22nd of April.  I made an appointment and they sent
me papers to fill out about past medical history.  I sat back to wait,
and worry. Three weeks passed and the closer the date got, the more
sleep I lost.  "My conscious mind was dealing with it but my
subconscious mind was driving me crazy." April 22. we arrived at the
clinic, walked to the desk at 8:35.  We were told the desk wouldn't be
open until 8:45.  My nerves were so raw that I had to look down to see
if I was bleeding.  I sat with my husband and son until 8:50, then went
back to the desk.  The woman was already working on my papers. She gave
me directions to Occupational Therapy.  I sent my husband and son to the
cafeteria. I was greeted and ushered into a cubical.  The therapist was
very friendly and understanding. She checked my muscle strength in upper
body.  "Very good," was her verdict.  Relief showed in my face. She
referred to my symptoms on my chart and started to explain the theory of
Post- Polio Syndrome. The anterior horn cells, located in the spinal
column were attacked originally by the Polio virus. Some were killed
outright, others only damaged, and some remained healthy.  These cells
tell the muscles what to do.  By retaining some of the cells, the
survivors were able to rebuild muscles and return a lot of functions to
their bodies.  All people over forty start losing some [up to 30%] on
these cells without any noticeable damage.  Polio survivors don't have
many of these cells to spare. When this process of aging starts, the
Post-Polio Syndrome begins. Then with my husband and son we went into
the Doctor's office. He smiles his all knowing smile and my heart jumps
up into my throat.  He tells me that my right leg is very weak. Then he
hits me right between the eyes with his next statement. "Your left leg
is showing a lot of weakness also."  My mind is racing, no, that's not
true.  I can always count on 'ol lefty'. It has carried me through all
these years.  The Doctor continues, "Post Polio Syndrome will affect the
whole body.  Your legs will get worse and get to the point where they
will not function." The Doctor informs me that I will have to make major
changes in my life style.  There can be no strenuous activities, no
exercise programs, and to lie down and rest five times a day.  I must
conserve my muscles for later years.  He couldn't tell me how much I
should conserve because he didn't know. They wanted to put me in a brace
because my right leg is drawing and it causes me to fall. It's estimated
that there are about 300,000 Polio Survivors. I had no way of knowing
that others were experiencing similar difficulties.  I felt alone,
confused and angry at what I thought was age.  I could find no medical
help and no emotional support. The clinic, at least, told me where I
stood and let me know that I was not alone. They didn't realize the
psychologically devastating information that they had dumped on me.
     The war had begun all over again.  This time my stubbornness and
hard head couldn't be used as weapons, as they had so many years ago.  I
would lose the hard won physical abilities that I had gained by sheer
will power.  These had been my badges at the end of the first war. The
badge they wanted me to wear now was a brace that symbolized a
percentage of defeat that I wasn't ready to submit to.  "Cope instead of
succumbing" is the motto of most Polio Survivors.  We are a determined
lot and even with defeatism echoing in the words of most Doctors, we
will overcome.  The war isn't over yet.

 * OLX 2.1 TD * Things have gotten worse, send chocolate.


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