Are you Henry Holland of Richmond, Va. and head of the Support Group?
I,too, had spinal bulbar polio at age 17 in 1948. Iron lung for six months
and in 1963 PPS started before term coined. I was in MCV Hosp for one month
under a Dr. Ray trying to determine best solution to breathing deficit. I
left hospital with Dr. Herbert Parks getting me a rocking bed from Warm
Springs and a Bennett 500 positive action respirator to use at work
(Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond). I functioned well with those assists
until after 1991. I had to retire LTD after 35 1/2 years because of
erratic BP swings. I went thru sleep lab and they found some sleep apnea
and prescibed a BiAaP S/T which I now use while on rocking bed and most of
day when out of bed. This combination has done well to keep carbon-dioxide
build up in blood down. Before using this machine, I was bled periodically
to thin blood by getting rid of carbon dioxide layden red corpusles.
Thankfully, I have avoided a treach even though suggested by some docs.
When mentioned I say let's drop that subject unless matter of life or death.
If you are in Richmnd and would like to compare experiences and coping
mechs, I am listed in phone book as J. Franklin Wilson.
Hope you all are feeling super today.
Frank in Richmond, Va.