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I remember the polio scares of the late forties and early fifties. The Iron Lung was reported to be a cure for or at least an arrest for polio.
My cousin wound up with polio and had to wear leg braces for a long time. After taking them off, he continued to limp for the rest of his life.
And then there was President Roosevelt.
And my husband.
Indeed. I have met a number of people that were partially (as opposed to completely paralyzed) affected during that period of time. It was, indeed, an epidemic. I am truly glad it did not reach the proportions of the Flue Pandemic of 1918.
I had Polio in 1954. The treatment used for me was the "Sister Elizabeth Kenny's polio treatment. " That was done by soaking blankets in "very hot" water, and then covering my body with them, leaving them that way until they cooled off, then doing it again. Fortunately, I wasn't left crippled. I was one of the lucky ones. I have Vertigo now, sometimes terribly bad, and I asked the Doctor if there could be a connection with my having had Polio, he said "nah!" I know what "they say" happens to cause an attack of Vertigo, and I've done all of the "exercises," but, only time gets me beyond the dizzyness and nausea! Since I have had Vertigo, there are SO MANY people that I talk to who also have it. It seems to be very common! So, just keep smiling, and "get over it!"
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I was a pre-teen during this time, but I remember being told not to play with the children visiting their grandparents who were neighbors of ours. These children seemed to have been warned also, as they didn't seem inclined to join in our games as they had been used to doing. It wasn't something that was easy to understand at that age. Later we learned that President Roosevelt had been a victim of polio and that was the reason he was lame. His lameness wasn't something that was readily apparent in the newsreels and pictures that we saw of him. He was careful to keep it hidden as much as possible. And for you younguns, the March of Dimes was started because of him. A new dime was minted with his likeness and we were all encouraged to contribute to help fight this disease.
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With age comes knowledge, if not wisdom.
It seems to me we had a little card on which to insert five or ten of those Roosevelt dimes.
You must be older than I thought. I seem to remember that, too.
Bonnie, Al had polio in 1951 when he was 5. He was in the hospital for about 8 weeks and remembers those hot wet, wool blankets very well. To this day he hates the smell of wool and pine oil. The polio vaccine came to late for him but he still has his "polio pioneer" pin. He was diagnosed with ''Post Polio Syndrome,"in 1995 and it has been a battle ever since. He has become quite an expert on it and is a member of a great support group. They are just like you all. They have "take no prisoners" humor and soldier on no matter what. Their mascot emblem is a little dinosaur because they hope that when they are all gone the disease will also be extinct. I asked Al last night if he knew of any connection between post polio and vertigo. He said that if it really is true vertigo, and not a brain connected balance problem, there is no known connection, as far as he knows. He would be happy to talk to anyone off line about post polio.
I remembwe my own Mother being so afraid of polio in the summer time. Charley Angell was a good example of what polio could do to your boddy. I always admired how he handled it.
Bonnie, Al had polio in 1951 when he was 5. He was in the hospital for about 8 weeks and remembers those hot wet, wool blankets very well. To this day he hates the smell of wool and pine oil. The polio vaccine came to late for him but he still has his "polio pioneer" pin. He was diagnosed with ''Post Polio Syndrome,"in 1995 and it has been a battle ever since. He has become quite an expert on it and is a member of a great support group. They are just like you all. They have "take no prisoners" humor and soldier on no matter what. Their mascot emblem is a little dinosaur because they hope that when they are all gone the disease will also be extinct. I asked Al last night if he knew of any connection between post polio and vertigo. He said that if it really is true vertigo, and not a brain connected balance problem, there is no known connection, as far as he knows. He would be happy to talk to anyone off line about post polio.
Thank you, Diane.....I had an MRI about a year and a half ago, to make certain I didn't have a brain tumor or something like that to cause the vertigo, (and I didn't) so mine is of the "true vertigo" variety. Most of the time it's something I can handle. With vertigo, though, you might feel O.K. one minute, and the next minute.....not! I just have a lot of faith, and keep making plans to do whatever it is I want to do, and, it usually works out just fine!
Diane, aren't we going to feel bad, the day so many of the people on the Forum are enjoying all of that great fellowship and good food, and I'm out here on the west coast, and you're on the east coast! But, that's another time we'll have to "just get over it!"
Ladies, never fear
You might not be here
But we will be thinking of you
And talking about you.
For you are quite dear.
I worked in India in the late 1970's for Phillips for a couple of short stints and the effects of Polio were everywhere. It was so sad to see the large amount of people crippled by Polio. It is evident that India was very slow in getting the vacine plus the living conditions were so bad that it spread rapidly and over a large portion of the population. In the cities there were thousands of people that got around on little boards with 4 wheels and they propelled them with their hands on th pavement or concrete. That was another time that I was thankful to be an American.
Frank
My Dad had polio in 1952 at the age of 36. Believe me I had my share of polio shots and probaly 5 other peoples shares.
What a nice poem. Yes, I will miss not being there, but the next one...look out!
As the old song goes: "Please don't talk about me when I'm gone."
But, the best thing is, only Jo knows me really well, and Judy knows me, so, they'll just say good things, I'm sure!
You all will have a really good time!