Polio Lost this Round

 

Growing up, life wasn’t always easy.  In the fall of 1951, all my brothers and sisters came down with polio.  Most had just slight paralysis, but Ruthie, who had just turned two, had severe paralytic and bulbar polio.  Mom and Daddy rushed her to the Cody Hospital.  Her lungs collapsed and the doctors were sure she would die.  Night and day Mom was at her bedside covering her with prayer, while Daddy kept things going at home.  But Ruthie was tough, and hung on much to the doctor's amazement.  

When she was stable, she was transported to Casper, 200 miles away and because of the collapse of her lungs spent the next several years in an iron lung, first in Casper and then in the Shriner’s hospital in Salt Lake City where she also had a spinal fusion. She is wearing her halo in the picture below.  Finally after eight or nine years, she was able to return home for good.

Between hospital stays, Mom and Dad worked with her to strengthen her muscles, daily doing physical therapy that Sister Kenney had just developed for polio victims.  Dad had a large tub built that looked like a stock tank, it was filled with warm water, and Mom who learned the therapy, (there were no home health nurses or physical therapists) would faithfully help Ruthie do the exercises day after day.


Medicine has made so many advances since that time.  I am thankful for all hours that have gone into finding cures, or vaccines.  I am also thankful for the work of the Shriners.  We had no money, nor insurance, but my sister was afforded the best of care.

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1. Do you send Christmas cards? If so about how many will you send this year? How do you display the cards you receive? Or don't you? (gasp!)

I make all my cards, and am planning on sending out about 25.  I usually hang the ones I get on my fake mantle, or around my hall mirror.

2. When do kids become adults?

When they don't borrow money anymore.

3. Does your 'beauty regimen' change with the seasons?

Well, seeing that I only use soap and water and moisture cream on my face.  It pretty well stays the same.  You just can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear (as my Daddy used to say)

4. What's something you like to eat that might cause another person to turn up their nose?

Oysters, all seafood,

5. Gloves or mittens?

Gloves for driving, mittens for playing outside--the fingers play nice and keep each other warm.

6. What's the longest queue you've ever been in? Was it worth it? Queue=line but doesn't queue sound nicer?

About the only queue I get tangled up in is the one at airport security.  Frustrating, but very worth it when I am finally on my way.

7. Besides Christmas, what is one thing you are looking forward to in the month of December?

Being able to sit outside during the day and not get hot.  Those 70's are great.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

I have enjoyed the month of thankfulness.  It was good to stop and think of all the things that the Lord has provided that I take for granted.

Sisters

I want to introduce you to my sisters.  This is a continuation of yesterday's post.


This is my oldest sister.  She was a school teacher, then owned her own parking lot maintenance business, now retired she works on improving her mountain home, and pursues her favorite past time--fishing.







This is my middle sister.  She contracted polio at two years old, and spent the next 8 years in and out of hospitals. Although she had severe physical disabilities, she lived life full. She was pursuing an education that would lead to employment as a UN French enterpretuer. Her funeral was a celebration of her life. The college choir sang "When we all get to Heaven, what a day of rejoicing that will be"


This is my baby sister. She was smart and talented.  Piano and guitar made beautiful music under her fingers. She is a nurse, a unique woman.




Each of my sisters are special, each have special talents and abilities, and I am truly thankful that God brought them into my life.

Brothers

I was the oldest of seven children, I have three brothers and three sisters.  My folks had the formula for a balanced family--birth order--me, two years later brother, two years later sister, then brother, then sister, then brother, then sister, then brother. Today I am thankful for my brothers!

 Oldest brother--cowboy, then insurance executive, then cowboy--loves to hunt and bake bread--perfect loaves of all kinds, oil painter in the tradition of Grandma Moses.




Middle brother--ex Navy, lumberjack, landscape business owner before he retired, grill master, air brush artist.





Baby brother--Arena riding horseman, business executive, excellent gourmet cook, watercolor artist.




Each is so individual but special.  Each has added so much to my life.

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Last rose of summer

1. Of all the tools and gadgets you own which do you most enjoy using?  It would have to be my computer.  I love all the worlds that it opens up to me.  My kids laugh at me.  They will ask me a question, and I say "Let me google that".  Second choice would be my camera.  It helps me remember those special moments.

2. When (if ever) is impatience a virtue?  I am a patient person so view impatience as something to overcome.  But that's just me.

3. What temperature do you keep your thermostat set to in winter? Do you have another way to heat your house besides a furnace of some type?  Here in Phoenix, most of the time heat is optional.  When I do turn it on, I have it set at 68 in the day 60 at night.  On a chilly day, I will bake something in the oven, or put a pot of stew on.  That usually does the trick, that and getting off my butt and doing chores.

4. Do/did you have a close relationship with any of your grandparents?  Unfortunately no, they have all passed away.  When they were living my grandma was a hard person for a kid to love.  She had grown up in the"old country" where children were supposed to work or keep quiet.

5. When did you last have a family portrait taken? I live by myself, but I did have a portrait taken just about two years ago, before I retired.

6. What does the word patriotism mean to you?  Being proud of your country, and willing to make sacrifices for it.

7. Do you like to play cards and if so, what's your favorite card game?  Well, I played "Go Fish" with my grandson today while I was taking care of him because he was sick and stayed home from school.  Other than than I sometimes play solitaire on the computer.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Last night I went to a "Girlfriends Night" at our church.  We learned and sampled mixes in a jar, and each came home with a little cookbook.  Some of the recipes were so easy.  So now, I am on the lookout for jars to use to make a few extra gifts.