Kim Kerby Dickman, Kip Kerby, Kitridge Kerby December 4, 1946, was the day our dad thought he had the flu. December 6th was the day their doctor confirmed it was polio. December 8th was the day he was taken to the West Texas Hospital. In less than a week, our father’s whole life had changed. His family, school, friends, dreams, …
Shared peer advice from polio survivors about what works for them.
Share your solution:
News about people who have made significant contributions to the disability community.
Share your story:
From a Polio Survivor’s Perspective…Why Do People See the Disability before They See the Person?
Michael Kossove Many polio survivors have experienced it. You enter a room using a brace, a cane, crutches, a scooter, or a wheelchair, and before you say a word, people have already formed an opinion. They notice the disability before they notice the person. Why does this happen? Part of the answer lies in human nature; people are visual creatures. …
Aging with Polio: Why We Were Prepared for Growing Older
Michael Kossove By surviving polio, we unknowingly enrolled in the world’s toughest life-training program. None of us volunteered for it. None of us wanted it. Yet living with polio—and later with post-polio syndrome— taught many survivors lessons about perseverance, adaptability, patience, and determination that now help us face the challenges of aging far better than most people our age. For …
Adjusting to Change
Helen Carter has lived in Charlotte, North Carolina, nearly her entire life. Her earliest years were spent in Asheboro, about an hour-and-a-half drive northeast of Charlotte. She doesn’t remember much about her time in Asheboro but recalls clearly the reason for the move. “When I was 3 years old, I caught a pretty bad case of polio. I was first …
Orthotic Devices for Post-Polio Syndrome: An Orthotist’s Perspective
Alexander M. Miller, CPO, Evergreen Prosthetics & Orthotics, Denver, Colorado The field of orthotics is continually evolving to meet the needs of individuals experiencing upper and lower extremity weakness or deformities. In the post-polio syndrome (PPS) community, lower extremity weakness, often affecting one or both legs, is commonly addressed with orthotic devices such as Ankle-Foot Orthoses (AFOs) or Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthoses …
Mindful Eating
Jann Hartman Mindful eating is my new goal. I just attended a weight loss seminar for seniors here at my retirement community. The first thing the speaker reminded us of was that the first step to losing weight is to stop gaining…MAINTENANCE. Look at the foods you need to stay healthy and eliminate or lessen those that provide little or …
How Polio and PPS Impact Our Character, Personality and Emotional Experiences
Highlights from PHI’s June 2024 Town Hall with Hal Goldberg: I want to talk about the grieving process, because it’s something that is definitely part of polio and post-polio syndrome. Grieving is the process by which we separate from a lost dream. In other words, removing it from the center of our life to focus more on the peripheral, on …
How the ADA Helped Change My Tune
Charlotte Young I regret that I was too late to participate in this year’s “We’re Still Here!” contest, but I am hoping that I might share my own story in hopes that it might inspire others to reengage in activities that once excited and energized them. When I was young, music was my escape, my joy and my way of …
The Impact of Aging on Driving and Resources Available to Assist with Planning
Peggy P. Barco, OTD, OTR/L, CDRS, FAOTA, Professor, Program in Occupational Therapy, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Advancements in medical science have significantly improved the diagnosis and treatment of various health conditions, enabling many of us to live longer, healthier lives. As we age, maintaining our quality of life becomes increasingly important, and for many aging adults, …
A Valuable Resource for Polio Survivors: The National Paralysis Resource Center
At Post-Polio Health International, we are always on the lookout for high-quality resources that support our members in living informed, independent and empowered lives. One such resource is the National Paralysis Resource Center (NPRC), operated by the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation. The NPRC is designed to provide practical, day-to-day support for individuals living with paralysis—no matter the cause—and their …