normally with advancing age. Therefore, it is important to seek medical evaluation and care so that the two processes can be properly identified and addressed.  The good news is that Dr. Kazmi believes that by maintaining a healthy lifestyle we will be able to maintain optimum abilities and lifespan.  Controlling weight and diet, seeking proper medical care, plus exercising to the level and types acceptable for your condition will all help.

 

Dan Miller of Washington presented an enlightening discussion on practical ways to change attitudes, remain positive, and enjoy life.  He inspired us with his polio story and brought spontaneous laughter throughout the discussion.  In the afternoon, his wife Judy joined him in talking about their lives and changes experienced due to post-polio. 

 

Here are a few of his comments: Change our attitude, negatives are still there but choose not to let negatives get you down. Laughter is a wonderful gift and helps us through the tough times.  Look for negatives and find ways to turn them into positives.  Dream any dream and let it come true.  Dream makers in life encourage.  It’s not what you look like, it’s who you are.  Choose not to put yourself down.  Risk and persist.  If you can’t do it one way, be creative and do it another way.  If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing poorly at first, keep at it, and be persistent.  It’s not what happens to you, it’s what you do about it that counts.  Enjoy every day – be a dream maker and not a dream breaker for those around you.
Text Box: Our annual conference in September drew about 100 polio survivors, care givers and health care professionals to Augusta for a day of learning, asking questions, and socializing. New England Rehabilitation Hospital in Portland sponsored three great speakers. Alissa Towle and Kim Bailey discussed ways we can conserve energy, help decrease strain on our muscles and tips on how to be more effective in our motions. Their message was that education is the key – about your situation, services available, equipment to use, and adaptations. Learn to balance the mind, body and spirit, and do what we enjoy, even if we need to modify the way we do something. Alissa and Kim demonstrated several types of adaptive equipment. Dr. Syed Kazmi documented how polio originally affected the body, described the recovery and stability periods, and explained the new weaknesses many of us are experiencing. He stressed that it is important to differentiate between post polio syndrome and other medical issues that may be present. PPS is often marked by one or more of the following: progressive atrophy, pain, fatigue, and/or fibromyalgia. Some research has determined that, perhaps due to our weakened bodies, those with PPS have higher instances of degenerative arthritis, cardiac diseases, diabetes and stroke. However, some problems often mask PPS symptoms, such as thyroid changes. Consequently, not all new weaknesses are polio-related. As we age, we not only experience polio-related changes, but also changes that occur Text Box: The Post Polio Support Group of Maine is a private, non-profit 501 [c] (3) organization. We offer the latest information on the late effects of polio to more than nine hundred polio survivors, their families, and health care providers throughout Northern New England and parts of Canada. Support for our work comes from donations from the public and from a grant furnished by the Pine Tree Society for Handicapped Children and Adults. For more information, contact us at: The Post Polio Support Group of Maine c/o 674 Hallowell-Litchfield Road West Gardiner, Maine 04345 Phone: (207) 724-3784 NOW ON THE WORLWIDE WEB: http://www.ppsgm.org Text Box: Inside this issue: Text Box: September Seminar Highlights

The Post Polio

Support Group Of Maine

 

Winter 2004

Polio Update

Annual Seminar

Review

P. 1

Post Polio Myths &

Half Truths

P. 2

In Brief—news you can use

P. 2-3

State’s Libraries Have Latest Polio Books

P. 3

Updated Board of Directors List

P. 3

Richard Bruno’s

CREDO

P. 4