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.

Computer Comfort

Whatever difficulties you are grappling with - visual or hearing impairment, mobility challenges, invisible disabilities and chronic conditions - there is a way to access cyberspace. Computers bring the world to you and enable you to enter the world. Communication, education, entertainment, shopping, employment--it’s all available thanks to ongoing technological advances.

Weakness

New muscle weakness is the hallmark of post-polio syndrome and can significantly impact activities of daily living. Some amount of new muscle weakness is likely to occur in about half of post-polio individuals (Jubelt & Drucker, 1999). Muscle weakness is most likely to occur in muscles previously affected during the acute poliomyelitis followed by a partial or full recovery (Cashman et al., 1987; Dalakas & Illa, 1991).

How My Vent and I Underwent Radiation Therapy

Richard Daggett, California

Just because we have one disabling condition doesn’t make us immune to other health problems. I am a respiratory polio survivor who uses trach positive pressure ventilation fulltime. In February 2005, a biopsy of my prostate detected cancer. The initial prognosis was not good. I tried to keep a positive outlook, but it seemed that with every new test the prognosis got worse.

Keeping Mobility Equipment Together

A few months ago I flew to the east coast for a cruise and needed to take both my scooter and manual wheelchair. The problem was that both “vehicles” had loose parts and I was worried that something would get lost in the baggage compartment during the flight.