Cuirass Options
John Prestwich (106466.2474(AT)CompuServe.COM)
Tue, 31 Dec 1996 18:07:40 -0500
I appear to have gotten things going with my query about cuirass shells!
Thanks for all the comments.
For 41 years I have been unable to breathe at all unaided since becoming
totally paralysed below my chin following a severe attack of polio on my
17th birthday. At the time I was in Corpus Christi, Texas. For the first 7
years I was in an iron lung, then for 2 years I used a Tunnicliffe jacket,
and since 1964 I have used a cuirass shell 24 hours of the day. This has
been entirely successful inspite of the fact that my vital capacity is
zero. I am the only person in the UK who uses a cuirass 24 hours of the
day. All was well until Monaghan went out of business and I searched
around for 3 years before I managed to find someone to produce a
satisfactory replacement. I had discovered that as I got older I needed a
deeper size shell in order to keep my blood gases good. Apart from one or
two minor problems at least I am now breathing well. I just wondered how
other people in my situation managed, but perhaps no one else uses a
cuirass 24 hours of the day. If anyone knows of anyone who does, I would
be interested in making contact. Incidentally, the word "cuirass" come from
the breast-plate of a suit of armour.
Happy New Year to you all!
John