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My oldest brother got polio at 5 years old and I was exposed to him when I was 2. But I got the vaccine shortly after (in 1955). I am so grateful for the vacci

by epalmer 11y ago

My oldest brother got polio at 5 years old and I was exposed to him when I was 2. But I got the vaccine shortly after (in 1955). I am so grateful for the vaccine. For the record my brother is still alive and has had numerous surgeries. Most recently both hips were replaced and they used that as an opportunity to add some length to his shorter leg. This has made a tremendous positive difference in his life. Stay focused.... "We don't need no stinking app".

alsetmusic 11y ago
My father contracted polio as a child. His doctor told his parents that it was too advanced and that he would certainly die. That he survived was pure luck. I recently learned (from my mother) that the latent stress of the experience caused him to be unable to say the name of the disease during the first years that my parents knew each other. He would refer to it as "when he was sick," and couldn't say "when I had polio," until much later. I'm grateful that we've made such progress in this area.
- TeMPOraL 11y ago
  Thank you both for sharing those stories. I'm happy that you and your parents endured. I sometimes see a person with a... specific way of walking on the streets of my city. Only recently a friend pointed out to me what disease caused that problem. I am grateful that my generation didn't have to experience it, to the point most people don't even know what the disease is and that it was a problem only so recently. People who helped this happen are true heroes of our times. I was relieved to learn recently that we're 2/3 done with polio, only the last strain of the virus remaining. Here's to hoping it will be over soon, and then the next disease, and the next one after that!
  - epalmer 11y ago
    Thanks Many younger people have no idea what modern medicine does for us that was not available when I was young. I had Rubella (german measles) that almost killed me, mumps which I remember being very sick, and ChickenPox. We still have to fight the flu but I had the Asian flu when I was very young as well. Many people died that year, 1957. Estimates are about 70,000 in the USA. http://www.britannica.com/event/Asian-flu-of-1957 http://www.britannica.com/event/Asian-flu-of-1957 An interesting story about the German Measles. Our family physician at the time told my mother to expose me to my next door neighbor that had the measles because I would get it anyway. So I remember sitting with him for an afternoon. I don't remember anything else from the next 2 weeks. My mother apologized till the day she died for doing that to me. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Or at least that is the lie that I remind myself once in awhile.

by epalmer 11y ago

alsetmusic 11y ago

My father contracted polio as a child. His doctor told his parents that it was too advanced and that he would certainly die. That he survived was pure luck. I recently learned (from my mother) that the latent stress of the experience caused him to be unable to say the name of the disease during the first years that my parents knew each other. He would refer to it as "when he was sick," and couldn't say "when I had polio," until much later. I'm grateful that we've made such progress in this area.

TeMPOraL 11y ago
Thank you both for sharing those stories. I'm happy that you and your parents endured. I sometimes see a person with a... specific way of walking on the streets of my city. Only recently a friend pointed out to me what disease caused that problem. I am grateful that my generation didn't have to experience it, to the point most people don't even know what the disease is and that it was a problem only so recently. People who helped this happen are true heroes of our times. I was relieved to learn recently that we're 2/3 done with polio, only the last strain of the virus remaining. Here's to hoping it will be over soon, and then the next disease, and the next one after that!
- epalmer 11y ago
  Thanks Many younger people have no idea what modern medicine does for us that was not available when I was young. I had Rubella (german measles) that almost killed me, mumps which I remember being very sick, and ChickenPox. We still have to fight the flu but I had the Asian flu when I was very young as well. Many people died that year, 1957. Estimates are about 70,000 in the USA. http://www.britannica.com/event/Asian-flu-of-1957 http://www.britannica.com/event/Asian-flu-of-1957 An interesting story about the German Measles. Our family physician at the time told my mother to expose me to my next door neighbor that had the measles because I would get it anyway. So I remember sitting with him for an afternoon. I don't remember anything else from the next 2 weeks. My mother apologized till the day she died for doing that to me. "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger." Or at least that is the lie that I remind myself once in awhile.