Living With Polio

Millions of individuals who had polio are living in all areas of the world. Survivors range in age from a few months to nonagenarians (in their nineties). Aftereffects vary greatly depending on the number and location of the nerve cells destroyed by the poliovirus. The challenge or ease of living with polio varies for each survivor, depending on the availability of medical care and rehabilitation opportunities, and their family and social support.

Advice, hints, explanations, etc., are categorized by topic and are searchable. The source of the material is identified.

Reminder: PHI’s post-polio.org and IVUN’s ventusers.org or ventnews.org features numerous articles to assist in living with polio.

Worried about Father (and Mother)

Post-Polio Health, Volume 27, Number 1, Winter 2011.

Dr. Rhoda Olkin is a Distinguished Professor of Clinical Psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology in San Francisco, as well as Executive Director of the Institute on Disability and Health Psychology. She is a polio survivor and single mother of two grown children.

Lonely and I Eat

Post-Polio Health, Volume 26, Number 4, Fall 2010.

Dr. Stephanie T. Machell is a psychologist in independent practice in the Greater Boston area and consultant to the International Rehabilitation Center for Polio, Spaulding-Framingham Outpatient Center, Framingham, Massachusetts. Her father is a polio survivor.

Question: My husband died a year ago and I am lonely. When I am lonely, I eat too much. Do you have any suggestions for me?

Cure Products

Post-Polio Health, Volume 26, Number 4, Fall 2010
Ask Dr. Maynard
Frederick M. Maynard, MD

Question: I have seen advertisements for products that claim to “cure” PPS. From all I know, there is no cure. Do these products have any beneficial ingredients that may help us?

Regain Strength and Muscle Mass through Exercise

Post-Polio Health, Volume 26, Number 4, Fall 2010
Ask Dr. Maynard
Frederick M. Maynard, MD

Question: I read with great interest the question and answer about knees collapsing in Vol. 26, No. 2 (www.post-polio.org/edu/pphnews/pph26-2sp10p7.pdf). I had polio at age 1. I’m told that I made a full recovery and that our local doctor used me as an example of a “miraculous” recovery.