Shared peer advice from polio survivors about what works for them.

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News about people who have made significant contributions to the disability community.

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Can’t Care for My Wife Like I Used to Do

Brian Tiburzi

From the series, Polio Survivors Ask, by Nancy Baldwin Carter, B.A, M.Ed.Psych, from Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Q: I have been my wife’s attendant for many, many years. I am getting older and can’t do what I used to do, but it is still expected of me. How …

Discussing the End of Life

Brian Tiburzi

From the series, Polio Survivors Ask, by Nancy Baldwin Carter, B.A, M.Ed.Psych, from Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Q: An important topic families tend to ignore is a discussion of those all worthwhile decisions we may have to make at the end of our lives. Knowing that we …

Married 52 Years with Medical Problems

Brian Tiburzi

From the series, Polio Survivors Ask, by Nancy Baldwin Carter, B.A, M.Ed.Psych, from Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Q: My wife, who had polio, and I are in our late 70s and have been married for 52 years. We had our interactions down pat until we both started having …

Support Group Dysfunction

Brian Tiburzi

From the series, Polio Survivors Ask, by Nancy Baldwin Carter, B.A, M.Ed.Psych, from Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Q: I am 58 years old and I attended a support group meeting recently. I will never go back. The members were friendly enough, but the message I heard over …

Building Bridges

Brian Tiburzi

Nancy Baldwin Carter, BA, M Ed Psych, Omaha, Nebraska is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. At first she irritated me. A relative newcomer to a literature study group I attend was heading my way, and I didn’t want to deal with her. The previous week she had given me …

Part I — Opening the Door; PART II—The Rest of the Story

Brian Tiburzi

Nancy Baldwin Carter, BA, M Ed Psych, Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. Part I — Opening the Door The subject doesn’t come up much. Not many in the post-polio community seem to want to talk about it. …Even though the American Medical Association declared it a disease well …

Come Hear the Music Play

Brian Tiburzi

Nancy Baldwin Carter, BA, M Ed Psych, Omaha, Nebraska, is a polio survivor, a writer, and is founder and former director of Nebraska Polio Survivors Association. The words kept running through my mind: “What good is sitting alone in your room?” Da dah da dah dah dah. Yes. That song from Cabaret. What was I thinking? Then it hit me. Exactly! How many …

Partner Abuse, Part 2

Brian Tiburzi

“Promoting Positive Solutions,” From Post-Polio Health (Volume 30, Number 4, pages 8, 9, 10). Part 2. Dr. Machell addresses female to male and same sex partner abuse: Intimate partner violence (IPV) isn’t just about male perpetrators and female victims. Men can be abused by a female partner. And in same-sex relationships men are abused by men and women are abused by women. Abuse …

Partner Abuse, Part 1

Brian Tiburzi

“Promoting Positive Solutions,” From Post-Polio Health (Volume 30, Number 4, pages 8, 9, 10). Part 1. Dr. Olkin addresses male to female partner abuse in heterosexual relationships: If you are being abused by a partner, I want to say two things to you right at the start: (a) You are not alone; (b) It is not your fault. And the third thing …

Don’t Tell Anyone About Your Polio

Brian Tiburzi

“Promoting Positive Solutions,” Post-Polio Health, Volume 28, Number 3, Dr. Stephanie T. Machell Question: I found out I had polio when I was 55 years old. My mother’s explanation was that “the doctor told me not to tell anyone.” Can you help me understand why this was told to parents? Answer: Your experience is not an unusual one. I’ve had many clients who …