General Discussion

LisaM

(28,755 posts)

58. My partner's aunt had polio in the late 1950s.

Fri Dec 13, 2024, 10:55 AM

Dec 13

She lived in Germany at the time. The only iron lungs available were at US Army facilities so her brother, who was an epidemiologist, flew to Germany in a rush and got her into one because she had done some translation work that very loosely qualified her as a government employee. She survived but went from being an athletic and active woman (she had climbed Mt. Rainier) to being wheelchair bound and only able to walk very short distances with crutches.

I recently came across some of her writings and her descriptions of days when she was gasping for air and how just breathing was something that was a daily obsession was heart wrenching. She kept a pretty cheerful outlook, but it gave her a case of arrested development. Everything was defined by the before and after of her illness. It eventually killed her, in her late 70s, when she got what was termed 'polio lung', her lungs just ceased functioning. That may sound oldish, but most of the women in her family lived well into their 90s and in one case to 103.

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Kennedy's Lawyer Has Asked the F.D.A. to Revoke Approval of the Polio Vaccine [View all] DeeDeeNY Dec 13 OP

Make America Gasp for air Again. Voltaire2 Dec 13 #1

What the hell is wrong with these people. They can hardly wait to be able to cause the death of someone. Jit423 Dec 13 #111

Fortunately, smallpox no longers exists in the "wild." ShazzieB Dec 13 #118

Truly astonishing. Lots of us on this site are old enough to remember when there wasn't a vaccine. Vinca Dec 13 #2

Putting party first, not really. I believe it is for the old Kruschev thing of destroy America from within. LiberalArkie Dec 13 #28

I received the Polio vaccine in the 2nd grade Norbert Dec 13 #32

My friend Andy had polio. redstatebluegirl Dec 13 #49

My friend Kenny did too. WhiteTara Dec 13 #70

Being Demonstrably Stupid RobinA Dec 13 #69

Continuing Trumps disastrous pandemic policies peregrinus Dec 13 #3

Oh my god. The SOB wants a polio epidemic in the US. Irish_Dem Dec 13 #4

I have a few friends who caught Polio in the early 1950's. ProudMNDemocrat Dec 13 #33

People will die if they believe his lies. Irish_Dem Dec 13 #57

I got my two shots & booster before the sugar cube came out. kskiska Dec 13 #97

This message was self-deleted by its author kskiska Dec 13 #98

Is Mitch going to vote to confirm? newdeal2 Dec 13 #5

Can't 3auld6phart Dec 13 #38

That will be an interesting test. LisaM Dec 13 #61

Yup newdeal2 Dec 13 #101

He is. Think. Again. Dec 13 #106

Let him spend a week in an iron lung. Or indefinitely. Timeflyer Dec 13 #6

+1000. Paladin Dec 13 #13

The Trump Iron Lung BigMin28 Dec 13 #16

He couldn't fit in one. kskiska Dec 13 #99

We have a friend in a wheelchair because of polio. She came from overseas and didn't get the shot in time. C0RI0LANUS Dec 13 #7

NFW!! no_hypocrisy Dec 13 #8

I am old enough to remember the pishkas for March of Dimes and the nuclear "duck and cover" drills in school. C0RI0LANUS Dec 13 #116

Nest up, Health insurance greymattermom Dec 13 #9

I was curious and looked it up dsc Dec 13 #26

Here's The Archive Link For Those That Would Like To Read It... MayReasonRule Dec 13 #10

Of course he did. These guys are laughable, but they are not joking around. They are on the most ... marble falls Dec 13 #11

The republicon War on America's Health BoRaGard Dec 13 #12

Religious Zealots. Salvation through Suffering. A population in pain is compliant. bucolic_frolic Dec 13 #14

Add eugenics and natural selection and what a cocktail for death and destruction. n/t OneGrassRoot Dec 13 #17

Maybe Shitstain & Vaxxboy have stock in iron lung OEMs? hatrack Dec 13 #15

Exactly. "It's good for business".n/t bronxiteforever Dec 13 #20

Kennedy is a dangerous nutcase. Joinfortmill Dec 13 #18

Monstrous. Passages Dec 13 #19

Ok thought this was a joke post. bronxiteforever Dec 13 #21

My uncle survived polio Marthe48 Dec 13 #22

My wife's uncle committed suicide due to the long term effects of polio rurallib Dec 13 #50

Poor man Marthe48 Dec 13 #53

Horrifying for him and the family. Passages Dec 13 #66

Yes it really knocked us on our butts rurallib Dec 13 #91

My uncle survived polio as well peggysue2 Dec 13 #81

DU rules permit posting up to four paragraphs even when there is a "firewall" Jose Garcia Dec 13 #23

Thanks DeeDeeNY Dec 13 #25

She's been a Member since: Fri Jul 21, 2006. ❤️ littlemissmartypants Dec 13 #43

That's the problem. Keep hearing that RFK Jr's not going to be "all that bad," how if he's allegorical oracle Dec 13 #62

This is pure fucking insanity. spanone Dec 13 #24

It sure is. ☠️ littlemissmartypants Dec 13 #44

I started grade school in 1956 and had to friends with polio. spanone Dec 13 #95

Profit making opportunity!!! Happy Hoosier Dec 13 #27

I'm putting my money in leg braces lame54 Dec 13 #94

Fuck this science denying asshole & his putrid orange master. CrispyQ Dec 13 #29

My parents made sure we got the polio vaccine Marthe48 Dec 13 #35

Conclusion: The #1 threat to public health in the United States Buns_of_Fire Dec 13 #30

And the patron that nominated him. This is a threat to our citizenry. bucolic_frolic Dec 13 #67

I can't even say how infuriating this is. yorkster Dec 13 #31

This message was self-deleted by its author dalton99a Dec 13 #34

And I was worried that we won't be able to get the flu vaccine next winter WestMichRad Dec 13 #36

Gives the "Kennedy Curse" a whole new meaning. Solly Mack Dec 13 #37

The pharma companies should push Kennedy out - TBF Dec 13 #39

Here's the way to legally... littlemissmartypants Dec 13 #40

This message was self-deleted by its author littlemissmartypants Dec 13 #41

Thank you! DeeDeeNY Dec 13 #45

My pleasure! ❤️ littlemissmartypants Dec 13 #46

What an unspeakably vile... GiqueCee Dec 13 #42

There's no excuse EndlessWire Dec 13 #47

No paywall link..... reACTIONary Dec 13 #48

How do these bums square it with God? Marthe48 Dec 13 #51

Not sure about the others, but DeeDeeNY Dec 13 #56

I can't speak to where you live but in my State (Texas) ALL of the elected offices are held walkingman Dec 13 #59

Not too many people believe in a deity Keepthesoulalive Dec 13 #86

their "faith" is utter bullshit Skittles Dec 13 #117

Not even in office or confirmed randr Dec 13 #52

Make iron lungs great again! Ray Bruns Dec 13 #54

Mitch McConnell, who had polio as a child, has brought this on us mcar Dec 13 #55

My partner's aunt had polio in the late 1950s. LisaM Dec 13 #58

What a story, thanks for sharing this with us. n/t iluvtennis Dec 13 #64

Like I said, Trumpism is a death cult Blue_Tires Dec 13 #60

You inspired me to write a new cliche 90-percent Dec 13 #107

"B-b-but the economy!" n/t SpankMe Dec 13 #63

Right. First, make sure that million of Americans will get polio. And then...... DFW Dec 13 #65

Republicans Building a bridge to the 19th Century! bif Dec 13 #68

Can we get boosters? WhiteTara Dec 13 #71

that is a good question Skittles Dec 13 #121

Slow genocide. moondust Dec 13 #72

The man is already a mass murderer for what he did in Samoa. patphil Dec 13 #73

No vaccines or health insurance. pandr32 Dec 13 #74

So be it. If this is what our country needs to get its head out Scrivener7 Dec 13 #75

I am thinking terrible thoughts about RFK, Jr. Lulu KC Dec 13 #76

I remember the polio scare in the early 1950s. MineralMan Dec 13 #77

Sorry lonely bird Dec 13 #78

Instead of debating RFK, the FDA should simply require RFK to submit all of his scientific in2herbs Dec 13 #79

I'll bet my left leg this fuckwipe lawyer got his polio shot. The Unmitigated Gall Dec 13 #80

Un-fing-believable. They want to take us back to the 18th Century. Liberal In Texas Dec 13 #82

It's about thinning the population of all but the well to do bucolic_frolic Dec 13 #83

He wants us all to die NameAlreadyTaken Dec 13 #84

The last person to use an iron lung due to polio died this year whopis01 Dec 13 #85

My Gawd 3auld6phart Dec 13 #87

Insanity endless summer Dec 13 #88

I don't know how contagious it is. LeftInTX Dec 13 #92

This Rebl2 Dec 13 #89

Why? DET Dec 13 #90

To thin the population to reduce health care costs and make billionaire tax cuts bucolic_frolic Dec 13 #104

This is an important point DeeDeeNY Dec 13 #110

My late mother never forgot her terror of polio and how she lived in fear... 3catwoman3 Dec 13 #93

Maybe someone will shoot Siri in the back and claim self-defense struggle4progress Dec 13 #96

Make America into a plague pit again. Crunchy Frog Dec 13 #100

Trumpism is a death cult. nt The Unmitigated Gall Dec 13 #102

I guess it's time to get a polio booster. Phoenix61 Dec 13 #103

oh my fucking god. Think. Again. Dec 13 #105

I wonder about his stock holdings nitpicked Dec 13 #108

Wanna piss off a million moms??? LeftInTX Dec 13 #109

We don't know how long immunity from the vaccines lasts alarimer Dec 13 #112

Invest in iron lungs! It'll be ALL THE RAGE in the coming years!! Oopsie Daisy Dec 13 #113

Can you name another country that would even consider that ? Nigrum Cattus Dec 13 #114

Pakistan and Afghanistan LeftInTX Dec 13 #123

I need to hurry up and get my shingles shot helpisontheway Dec 13 #115

Keep thinking this has to be Borowitz or the Onion Picaro Dec 13 #119

Next: Ban rabies vaccines LeftInTX Dec 13 #122

Did this lawyer and his sidekick get asked the one question that should put these people in there place............ turbinetree Dec 13 #120

Two friends Seinan Sensei Dec 14 #124

My mother was terrified of us going to school .......she grew up when FDR got polio from an encounter turbinetree Dec 15 #127

maybe a few years of polio 2.o, people w/ embrace the chance of autism. roll eyes. pansypoo53219 Dec 14 #125

Very misleading headline Shrek Dec 14 #126