Inspiration, news and knowledge from Polio Experience Network
No. 21: November/December, 1997
In This Issue:
Sharman’s News, Sharman Collins
“The Taming of a Scooter (or two),” (Humor by Elinor Young)
An Appeal
“Important Birthdays”
“Sailor, Biker, Pilot, Believer,” an interview with Sue Ross
“Practical Nutrition,” by Craig T. Hunt, Registered Dietitian & Nutrition Coach
“Hydration for Optimal Health,” by Craig T. Hunt, R.D.
POS Library
Copyright
Sharman’s News
GREETINGS FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.!
…..Ken and I are in our nation’s capital attending the American Dental Association’s annual convention. What fun! I rode around the city on a trolley car–stopped at the main attractions and took pictures. The Lincoln Memorial has 58 steps up to the statue of President Lincoln–and I climbed them all! How wonderful to be able to go on such an educational and enjoyable trip with my husband. I have continued to gain strength over the last 14 months since my trip to Futures Unlimited, Inc.
…..Many thanks to Nancy Lee for her informative presentation on the benefits of massage at last month’s meeting. It was educational and enjoyable.
…..On November 25th, we are planning a Hobby Show. Bring any items you might want to share during our “show and tell.” This will be a fun event and a great way to get to know each other better. Cooking, reading, sewing, quilting, ceramics, computer games, etc.–we are interested in all you do!
…..The Holidays are upon us! Plans for a Christmas get-together are being made. You will receive a bulletin as the plans are finalized.
…..I’m looking forward to seeing you on November 25 for Hobby Night at Shriners Hospital in the 5th floor auditorium at 6:00 p.m. Shriners is located at W. 911 5th Avenue. There is easy access from the free parking garage under the hospital. If you are able to join us for dinner in the 4th floor cafeteria, please by there by 5:00 p.m.
Much love from your friend, Sharman Collins
The Taming of a Scooter (or Two)
Humor from Elinor Young
As is our habit, one hot day this Summer I took Gulliver for a few short walks. Oh, yes — Gulliver is my Sheltie/Jack Russell mixed-breed dog. As full of a lust for travel as he is full of energy, his walks are of necessity supervised lest he disappear only to reappear years later with tall tales similar to those of his name-sake. We “walk” with his retractable leash attached to my scooter and his harness. Half the time I don’t go fast enough for him, so he leans into his harness and pulls as hard as he can. But during those hot, hot days he was not very enthusiastic about going far.
You should have seen us at what became the end of our second walk that day. Gulliver needed some water, so I detoured onto the patio with my scooter to let him in the house for a drink. I got off the scooter to open the door or something – I don’t remember. The problem was, I forgot to take the key out of the scooter’s ignition. The handle-bar part was loose and flopped down toward the seat. It was at just the right angle for the “go backward” control to hit the arm of the chair and engage.
You get the picture. The scooter took off, full speed, backwards on its own — with Gulliver still attached to it by his leash. I grabbed the leash (which was also wrapped around my legs) with visions of getting pulled off balance and both of us being dragged to who-knows-where by a run-away scooter! Instead, the scooter hit something which caused the seat to rotate and the other arm to engage the “forward” control, so the thing started coming back at us! I was ready to snatch the key out when it got close enough, but it changed direction and started going backward again, with me hauling as hard as I could on the leash (as if I could stop it!). It finally ran one wheel off the patio, got high-centered and sat there spinning its wheels until I hurried over and pulled the key out.
My friend (and sister-in-law) Cheri dropped in for a chat that night. I told her my run-away scooter story. She said, “Oh, Elinor! You and your stories. Like the … what was it? Tomato juice Monday?”
No. It was Classico Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce. I went after groceries that Monday. Using crutches means I can’t carry things or push a cart, so I use a scooter when I shop. Not having my own scooter with me, I used one of those provided by the store. One with a big basket on the front to put a lot of groceries in. Slow as creeping icebergs those things, and clumsy too, but they get me around. On the list was a jar of spaghetti sauce. No big deal. That was about 2/3 of the way down the list, and I was progressing through the list just fine. I found the shelves of spaghetti sauce and found my very favorite. Classico Roasted Garlic. Yums!
I lifted a quart jar off the shelf and had it midway between shelf and basket when the bottom 3/4 of the jar dropped off, spewing Classico Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce over everything, all the way to its shattering impact with the floor. I was left in a odiferous reddish puddle, holding a lid and an inch of glass in my hand, frozen in mid-flight position.
An employee heard the crash as he walked by, took a look and hurried to an intercom over which the whole store heard, “Jill, please come to isle four for a clean-up.” He came back to me, anxiously inquiring if I was cut by the glass. I wasn’t — but it would have added to the adventure if I had been whisked off to first-aid.
Jill dutifully arrived with a fat roll of paper towels, a mop and a bucket. I tried to laugh with her about the situation, but she wasn’t amused. Not even when I showed her the spaghetti sauce in the hinge of my cobalt-blue-with-crazy-critters-stickers-on-them braces. Served me right for wearing shorts, I guess……. That pungent stuff was everywhere – on the groceries in the basket, on my shoes, socks and braces and on the foot-rest of the scooter. It was REALLY slippery there. We wiped things off as best we could, then I drove out of the puddle so Jill could finish the clean-up. I was just in a hurry to get out of there! At the end of the isle – would you believe – I’ve never done this before, but I ran into a lady and her shopping cart. Well, just the cart, and just softly. I apologized profusely. Maybe it was the aroma I was exuding, but she wasn’t amused either.
I decided most of the other things could wait for another day. Besides, my list somehow disappeared about the time the jar broke.
I found dried splatters of Classico Roasted Garlic Spaghetti Sauce on my braces for a long time after that. Is that why they keep squeaking?
P.E.N. needs your help !
Back in March, in our 17th issue of P.E.N. & ink, we made our very first appeal for funds to help support the Polio Experience Network. Our all-volunteer staff and a few key benefactors had financed P.E.N. up to that point. We were gratified by your response.
You need to know though that after this issue we have enough money for only one more newsletter let alone the other services of P.E.N. Your response will help us in deciding which of our P.E.N. services can be maintained.
Current services provided by Polio Experience Network:
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NEWS LETTER — P.E.N. & ink distributed world-wide to over 800 polio survivors and treatment professionals.
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SUPPORT GROUP — Hosting Polio Outreach of Spokane. Meets monthly, averaging 50 in attendance.
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LIBRARY — In partnership with Polio Outreach of Spokane providing a free local resource and mailing world wide. (Including many health care professionals.)
- WEBSITE — Communicating with areas of the world that still have polio and little knowledge of PPS. An invaluable resource.
Your donation is tax deductable. P.E.N. is a Washington State registered charity.
P.E.N. & ink, 508 S. Shorline Dr., Liberty Lake, WA 99019, U.S.A.
Important Birthdays
AGE 50 – A disabled surviving spouse can begin to collect Social Security retirement benefits earned by a deceased spouse.
AGE 55 – Hereafter you can exclude from capitol gains tax profit on the sale of your home. But you can only do it once. Also at 55 you can begin making penalty-free withdrawals from a company sponsored retirement plan (not and I.R.A.) if you retire, are terminated or change employers.
AGE 59 1/2 – You can take withdrawals without any penalty from any retirement plan or IRA.
AGE 60 – A surviving spouce who is not disabled can now begin to collect a reduced Social Security benefit amounting to 71.5% of the total that would be paid at age 65.
AGE 62 – You can now collect your own Social Security, at 80% of the amount it would be at age 65. After the year 2000, you can still retire at age 62, but your benefit is further reduced on a sliding basis monthly until the year 2027.
AGE 65 – You can begin to receive Medicare the first day of the month you turn 65. Plan to apply three months early to avoid a delay in coverage. Also at 65 full Social Security benefits are yours. Starting in 2000, the age will gradually be shifted to 67 by 2027.
AGE 70 1/2 – You must start withdrawing a required minimum from your retirement plan or IRA.
Sailor, Biker, Pilot, Believer
an interview with Sue Ross
P&I – Tell us about your original polo.
SUE – Oh, my. Just as generic as it is. You know, we’re sick and then the spine was crooked. I think my Mom saw it in the bathtub, and put the two together and decided, “We’d better get help with this.” Just the basic going through all that stuff. But kind of interesting at the same time. Because they thought maybe it was exercise I needed, then they thought maybe if they put a bone from my hip into my back that would work, but that didn’t solve the problem. Dr. Nash and Dr. LaCoc of the Good Ship Hope were wanting to find an answer for straightening spines of polio kids. They and the University of Washington wanted to find a guinea pig for trying the Harrington rod, and I was “it.” I went to a lot of seminars and stuff at the University of Washington in front of all the doctors, and they decided to go ahead and try the Harrington rod. I was the first, which is pretty amazing in itself. In all the medical books, it says they tried it first on Sue Ross. They sent me all the articles about it, which I threw away. Now I wish I would have kept them. The positive results were incredible. So, that was my contribution, I guess.
P&I – When did all this happen?
SUE – It started when I was two, in 1949. But I was in the fourth grade when I got the Herrington rod. That was back in the time when they put on a body cast for six months, then a walking cast for six months. That was fun in a banana cart! …Funny, the things you remember. I could do wheelies — the nurses didn’t like it, but I did. Isn’t that why they have long hallways in hospitals for kids? Going through those things when you learn to walk again, when they put you on a table to change you from horizontal to vertical and you turn white, and they say, “Sue, do you want to lie down for awhile?” and you say, “NO!” because you’ve got to be upright to walk. I think that was the hardest stage to get by – the part with the nurses. They had to know you were ready to walk. You had to be able to stand up. Then it was just a matter of overcoming everything. But to get them to recognize that you were ready, you had to be able to stand on that table without fainting.
P&I – Tell us about some of the other crazy-fun things you did after you grew up. SUE – Oh, mainly just being able to do the things normal people do. Instead of New Year’s resolutions every year on just normal things that you’d cancel in a week, I made them an activity, because that was the important thing, being active. So, that kind of led to every year being something new and exciting.…….One year it was sailing. I thought, “I’ve never been sailing, and I’d love to be just in a sail boat with no noise, just the wind, the water, fresh air.” It seemed that would be a fun experience. So, in order to do that, I made a New Year’s resolution that I would. I had no idea how I was going to do it; I didn’t have the slightest idea how to start. I just knew that sometime that year I’d be in a sailboat. And so therefore, on my birthday, April 17, I was at the helm of a sailboat in the Chesapeake Bay — amazing!!
…….Another year I wanted to do all the passes from the Columbia River to the North Casacade Highway on a motorcycle. I didn’t know anyone who had a motorcycle, didn’t know anything about it, but wanted to be in the mountains on a motorcycle. So, at the end of the summer I had a map filled with yellow highlighter from Spokane to the coast on all the major routes from the Columbia River all the way up to the Cascade Highway — places I had travelled — on a Harley, even!! Cushy, cushy ride!! I loved it! I could fall asleep on it! I also had my photo album full of pictures of me in my burgandy leathers on my bike not only in the Cascades, but all over the Cascades! That was just the neatest thing!
…….But the one that lasted the longest and was probably the most influential on my daily life, was my resolution to fly a small plane. After feeling the water – those waves – and smelling the land, I wanted to feel the air and see the water and mountains from above. I didn’t know anyone who had a plane and didn’t know how I was going to accomplish this one! I knew this was going to take some steps. So, I enrolled in ground school at Felts (Felts Field Airport). When I was in ground school, I drove around airports and looked at planes. I pretty much decided that I liked the Luscombes. They are an aerobatic plane with a closed cockpit. And so, when I was at the Mead airport, a guy gave me a ride in his Beaver, not knowing I hadn’t ever been in a plane. He just knew I’d like a ride in this special old plane. It’s like, – – the best of antiques. So, I got to go for a ride. Not only was he the best aerobatic pilot in the Northwest, he taught me how to fly aerobatics. So I ended up owning a Stearman at Henley’s Aerodrome,which is now Silverwood. A Stearman is an open cockpit bi-plane, and the best aerobatic plane. And then I owned a Luscombe in Alaska to fly bush. So, I really kind of took this thing to the enth degree. It made me very, very happy. It was my number one pain relief — flying. It was really fun!!
P&I – And somewhere in there you managed to fit in getting married and having children, right?
SUE – Yes. I was married in‘68 and then I was blessed with two wondeful children. Cory, now 27 and a Husky at the University of Washington; and Joel, 26 a graduate of Washington State University and at the U of W now for graduate studies.
P&I – So when did post-polio creep up on you? SUE – In 1985, when I didn’t have the energy or the stamina to do my activities, and didn’t know why. Then I turned from activities to things like quilting for pain management. I think the hardest part was when I had to quit work. I was working at Washington Water Power. I was getting up at four to eat a cracker so I could take my pain meds so I could take a shower so I could get to rest so I could get to work, and then at work I’d have to lie down at morning break at the nurses’s station, and then it got me to lunch for an hour, and then afternoon break, and the nurse said I couldn’t do it any more. My doctor had said a little over a year before that I needed to stop, but I just kept going, thinking I could do anything. …….And so then, what helped the most was having something else to have to get up for. Doing kids’ quilts for Healing the Children and Cancer Patient Care gave me a reason to have the cracker to take my pain medication and just walk to the sewing machine. I knew if I just sat there for a couple hours, I would feel better. And that was a life saver.
P&I – When you first came to Polio Outreach of Spokane, you had also already had breast cancer, right?
SUE – Right. In 1985, they said I was going to have only about a year to live because of the breast cancer. I came to POS first sometime in 1992. I came, then didn’t come back for awhile. By then I had cancer in my spine.
P&I – Why did you begin to make closer contact with POS?
SUE – I think just because of the attitude of the group was to me very positive. It felt good, being there. And watching the growth and the positive outcome of the meetings, and learning that it’s not sad. To me that was like, so-o-o positive. And, when I’d get the PEN & ink, to get down and read it from cover to cover and not only learn but laugh, feel inspired.
P&I – And now you also have cancer in your ribs. How do you handle all this?
SUE – The Lord. I used to try to handle things with New Year’s resolutions, now it’s prayer. Now, at the top of my coping card for pain management, it’s prayer for others. That gives me more peace and fulfillment than all those activities used to. To find out that I can pray right here, every painful second is just wonderful! I can handle anything.
P&I – You mean you didn’t have that before, when you were so active?
SUE – No. I thought I was a Christian, but I wasn’t. I didn’t have a real relationship with the Lord. With the last surgery, and the feeling of being totally all alone, then friends bringing me A Pathway Through Suffering, the Bible book of Mark and a book titled, Questions, was my answer. It was what I had always been looking for. The fulfillment I wanted. The Lord being the center of my life.
P&I – Is there anything else you’d like to say to conclude this interview? SUE – Well, one of the most important parts is that now, where I used to say all the time, “I can do it,” now it’s “I can do all through Christ who strengthens me.” That’s just so important. There is no better life than this. I really can do it all through Christ who strengthens me. When I turned in my burgandy leathers, goggles and the silk scarf in for prayer, I found that prayer for others is the BEST pain management ever. I can do that anywhere at any time. I can pray while I’m having radiation and feel relaxed, at peace and calm. When I wake up in the middle of the night with the tears running down my face from pain, I can pray. And then instantly I feel at peace and relaxed and I can go back to sleep. Nothing comes between prayer and me. My radiologist will come in and say, “Well, Sue, was this the Lord’s Prayer or the 23rd Psalm today?” And I’ll say, “No, today I was praying for a friend.” I love that! I’ve found that the people around me are the most important part of my day. They all bring me close to the Lord.…….Now, for all of you reading this, I need your help tonight or tomorrow morning — so how may I pray for you?
———(From the Webmaster: Sue is not on-line, but if you would like to write to her, you may do so via the P.E.N. & ink snail-mail address or via e-mail polionet@polionet.org and we will forward your mail/message.)
With the holiday season upon us, bringing it’s temptations to eat unwisely, we thought it was a good time to pass along some nutritional information. It was prepared keeping in mind the post-polio person’s need to keep weight under control and to optimize energy, muscle function and over-all health. These notes were written by Craig T. Hunt, R.D., and presented by him to a meeting of Polio Outreach of Spokane.
Practical Nutrition
by Craig T. Hunt, Registered Dietitian and Nutrition Coach
Practical nutrition is feeding your body the appropriate amount and type of food at specific times to enhance energy levels, metabolism and well-being.
#1 HUNGER It’s important to get in touch with your hunger. We are taught to suppress hunger but that results in a slower metabolism, lower energy levels and eventual weight gain. Small, frequent meals help to increase metabolism due to the thermic effect of food. It takes 25 % of your caloric intake to convert carbohydrates and proteins into usable energy.
#2 FOOD IS FUEL Carbohydrates (breads, cereals, crackers, rice, potato, pasta, fruits and vegetables) are short-range fuels. They quickly metabolize from a food state to a usable fuel source.
…..Proteins (skinless chicken, turkey, seafood, lean red meat, egg whites, beans, tofu, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese and milk) take longer to processs into usable fuel and are mid-range fuel.
…..Fats (peanut butter, olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, butter, egg yolk and other oils) break down in the body as short and long-chain fatty acids. The short chains are absorbed for quick energy and the long chains are wrapped in a protein coat in the intestinal wall and shipped into the lymph system to be time-released into the bloodstream hours after the meal has been eaten. Fats are long-range fuel sources and supply beneficial fat-soluable vitamins that non-fat foods lack.
#3 FUEL MIXTURE Because each of us has a unique body, metabolism and lifestyle, the percentage of calories from carbohydrate, protein and fat will vary.
#4 BREAKFAST Breakfast means breaking the fast. It raises metabolism, elevates the blood sugars for necessary brain fuel and helps the liver reload its glycogen stores for better blood sugar control the remainder of the day. Skipping breakfast creates mood swings, caffeine and sugar cravings and lower energy levels. A combination of protein, carbohydrate and fat provides the best blood-sugar sustainability. Many people say that they’re never hungry for breakfast; that’s because they’ve eaten too much food the night before and blood sugar levels are too high for hunger.
#5 MID-MORNING SNACK This is an essential feeding, especially if the time between breakfast and lunch is more than 4 hours. Some people need a small amount of protein with their mid-morning snack and others only need a carbohydrate.
#6 LUNCH Lunch deserves a combination of protein, carbohydrate and fat. If you miss one of these fuel sources you will suffer a metabolic and energetic deficit. For example, some people eat only a salad for lunch and then end up grabbing a large cookie on the way back to work or school.
#7 MID-AFTERNOON SNACK The most essential snack of the day. If missed, it causes over-eating before, during and after dinner. Some people need a protein and carbohydrate combination to sustain blood sugars throughout the afternoon.
#8 DINNER Eat a combination of carbohydrate, protein and fat. Dinner and lunch should be similar in composition. When trying to lose body fat, eating more vegetable carbohydrate and less starch carbohydrate is helpful.
#9 LATE NIGHT SNACK If the time between dinner and bedtime is more than 2-1/2 hours then a snack is needed. This snack should provide 50 to 200 calories depending on a person’s metabolic needs.
#10 HYDRATION Most people require 64 to 128 ounces of fluid per day. Caffeinated beverages promote dehydration.
#11 EXERCISE Post-polio syndrome requires special considerations.
#12 METABOLISM Many factors affect metabolism; activity level, lean muscle mass, medical condtions, gender, frequency of meals, meal composition, fluid intake, medications, psychologocal resistance and lifestyle.
#13 PLANNING People who prioritize creating shopping lists and prepare foods for the upcoming week are more likely to make wellness part of their lifestyle.
Hydration for Optimal Health
by Craig T. Hunt, R.D.
Your body is made up of between 50 and 80 percent water. Water is the most plentiful substance in the body. Muscle tissue is five percent water. Bones are 29 percent water. Well hydrated muscles exert more strength with less effort.
Water is used for almost every bodily function: temperature regulation, disgestion, absorption of nutrients, waste removal, synovial fluid for cushioning of joints and occupying space between cells. Your kidneys regulate water balance and your hypothalamus gland regulates thirst. Your body loses about 2-1/2 to 3 quarts (10-12 cups) of water each day. Losing five percent of your body’s water can cause heat exhaustion, dizziness, muscle ache, headache and overall weakness.
As people age they become less sensitized to thrist and tend to drink less water, causing chronic low-grade dehydration (lack of water). Caffiene and alchohol are dehydrating (cause your body to lose water). They send a chemical message to your kidneys to excrete more water.
To determine your recommended daily water intake, divide your body weight by two. That is how many ounces you need. If you’re exercising or outdoors a lot, then you need more water. Fruits and vegetables like watermelon, cantaloupe, oranges, apples, cucumber, tomatoes and lettuce are high in water content. Beverages without caffeine or alchohol can count towards your water intake.
Using a clear water bottle is a good way to enhance and keep track of your water intake.
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The author of these articles is available for private consultation, informal workshops, seminars and public speaking. Contact:
Craig T. Hunt, Registered Dietitian, 202 E. Trent, #302, Spokane, WA 99202
Ph: (509) 747-2557
Reprinting allowed with author information above.
Polio Outreach of Spokane Library
Your resource for information on post-polio syndrome and disability issues.
New categories! New packet! More outreach!
We are progressing in our quest to make information and support available to all PPS’ers, their families and their health care providers.
We have had over 35 requests for articles since June. At least 1/3 of them came through our Website. Inquiries came from doctors, a dentist, a physical therapist; and they come from 15 states, DC, Ontario, Canada and even Australia!
We have added two new categories: Family Relations & Aging, and Disabilities & Mature Matters. We are offering a new basic Respiratory/Ventilation packet and have added a new article to the Futures, Inc. file: PPS Alleviation: The Snapp Approach, A Study of 50 Patients. This is a good all-inclusive overview of the man, his treatment, and the success it has achieved A very informative single-sheet report.
Please remember… -If you don’t evaluate your situation, you can’t ask questions. -If you don’t ask questions, we won’t know how to help.
-If we don’t know how to help, our energies cannot be focused on supporting and encouraging you!
Your friend, Darlene
Our librarian is Darlene Hansen. Simply write her at: 14627 E. Emery Rd. Chattaroy, WA 99003 or call her at (509) 238-4512
or E-mail her at
darlenekh@juno.com, darleneh@cet.com
or visit the library web-site at polionet.org/library/