Area: POST_POLIO Date : Aug 04 '94, 05:36 Dir From : Ann Brown 1:3801/4.0 To : All Subj : PPS article ÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄÄ @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. --- WM v3.10/92-0789 * Origin: The Barn Owl BBS - Elkhart, Texas U.S.A. (1:3801/4) SEEN-BY: 275/1 429 396/1 3615/50 51 3801/4 @PATH: 3801/4 3615/50 275/1