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.

PPS as Main Focus of Relationship

Post-Polio Health, Volume 26, Number 2, Spring 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.

Rebuff My Attempt to Help

Post-Polio Health, Volume 26, Number 1, Winter 2010.

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.

Tired Husband: Guilt and Talking about It

Post-Polio Health, Volume 25, Number 4, Fall 2009.

"They just want me to be like I was."

Post-Polio Health, Volume 25, Number 4, Fall 2009.

Question: I am getting weaker and my friends and family encourage me the find "the answer" and get irritated with me when I say there isn't one answer. I think they just want me to be like I was.