POST-POLIO SUPPORT
on the
Alabama-Florida-Mississippi Gulf Coast

     Sylvia Bern welcomed the group when fifteen gathered for the April meeting of the Mobile Area Post-Polio Support Group. For this month only we had been asked by the Library to meet in the concession area. This is a pleasant area with view of the main entrance where we could see Ming trees on exhibit in addition to those displayed in our usual room.

     As persons entered in the meeting area they were asked to participate in a spontaneous drama. The drama had been adapted from conversations on Our Message Board at www.POSTPOLIOSG.org. Charles Gollott accepted the part of the main character and decided to play it as a slightly tipsy old guy. This drew some questioning glances from those passing by so Charles included them in the conversation by saying, “Good Morning, Ladies” or “Hello, there.” Old Guy shared his belief that he caught Polio from the Salk vaccine trials and made some connection between his tonsillectomy in 1952 as well as a tetanus shot he received. Larry Ready accepted the part of Gimposaurus Rex and did his best to set the Old Guy straight. Betty Driscoll was Georgia Peach and joined sides with G. Rex. John Driscoll was D. Greyhound and also point out errors in Old Guy’s reasoning. Susan Cobb read contributions from Wessieswoman as she agreed with G. Rex but found the conversation delightful and encouraged more discussion. Barbara Gollott, played the part of Kathy Gibson and suggested reading “The Cutter Incident” by Paul Offit. Old Guy thanked the group for their participation and encouraged all to keeping the conversation going.

     An obituary with photo clipped from Mobile Press was passed around and gave opportunity for us to pay tribute to “Mr. Tommy,” Tommy King, who served many of us so well, first at Goldsby Brace Shop, and later at Hanger Goldsby. Julie Ford reported that although she and her van had been hit by a driver running a red light, she suffered only a broken toe, new aches and soreness. The van did not survive as well as she. It may be totaled.

     Ed Weller had good reasons for deserting the group for several months. All expressed understanding that he had other obligations but missed him when he was away.

     Carol Wiese had been very ill but appeared to be totally recovered. She was warmly welcomed back to the meeting as her second outing since December.

     Happy Camping was wished to those going to CAMP ASCCA. We’ll be looking forward to a full report with photographs at the May meeting.

     It was a wonderful spring day for our April meeting. We had 10 people attend. We talked about our coming trip to Camp ASCCA in May. We also had Ed Waldrup, representing his wife, who was unable to attend. This was a very emotional meeting for him and us. His health is failing and he wanted to make sure his wife, a polio survivor, was taken care of. He was searching for new information on post-polio and social security. We talked on each of our experiences and the process we went through. We hope that helped and hope to meet his wife at a future meeting.

     Since the meeting, we have been to camp and back. There were nine of us at Camp ASCCA and we had a ball. There is always plenty to do and see and we spent some quality time together at night playing cards and dominoes. Our theme for this year was Pirates of the Caribbean and we were all ask to dress the part for the Saturday night dance. There were some great costumes and some pretty good dancing from our group.

     We had our group and the head injury group of whom we recognized some of the people from our previous years at camp. It is so uplifting to go and we encourage everyone to participate next year. Hope to see you all at the May meeting.

When I was a little girl, I made this heart for my mother. I cut the heart out of red paper. I cut the lace form a paper doily to go around the edges. In the middle of it I wrote, “I Love You” in big letters.

I found that old heart in the bottom of a drawer at my parents house when my dad died not long ago. I was carefully laid therewith love to keep as a treasurer from a child that loved you very much.

Many years that old heart laid in the drawer. It is now old with age and a little tattered around the edges, just like the person who carefully constructed that old heart for her mother. The gift of love that heart represents is endless.

Polio Survivors are like that old paper heart, a little frayed around the edges, a little tattered with age, but still have a lot of heart left.

I have met some wonderful people lately, shall I say people just like me, a little worse for wear, with hearts of gold, personalities of stand up comedians, knowledge of scholars, and the stamina of the strongest wills. We are a breed of people that stands out and has an unknown future but like that old heart we are still a little tattered and worn around the edges but …