Just Some Thoughts

The desire to be independent is a natural part of the human nature. We struggle from childhood on to be independent, to be able to care for ourselves, to be on our own. Society teaches that dependence is weakness, a notch below maturity and maybe even below being "truly" human. Certainly the common view is that people who are dependent on others cannot lead fulfilling lives.

Post-Polio survivors reluctantly struggle to make the lifestyle adjustments the doctors and therapists tell us we have to make. Many times this is frustrating; at times perhaps it is even infuriating--to think that we must cut back on our activities, that we must re-walk a path we thought was in our past.

I heard a term recently that was new to me: "polio-sculpted body."

The phrase was coined to describe the way polio affects the body and its appearance. After living with polio for 57 years, there are times I am still self-conscious about the way my legs look. My family can hardly get me into a swimming pool if there are other people around. Unlike some polio victims I have never been brave enough to wear shorts in public. This is something I just have not brought my self to do.

The real struggle however, is not with our bodies and our limitations. The hard part of PPS is what goes on inside of us--emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

And lest we forget, our caregivers and family struggle too. They also must come to grips with what is going on inside of us and within themselves.

See:  CareGivers