With this coronavirus
going around, it brings up memories of my past.
It was 1951
when Polio stuck me. I was 6 years old.
One day I
was walking home from school and I was so tied, I could just barely make it
home. As soon as I got home I went to bed. I guess I was really sick. And my
Mom took me to the doctor’s. They found out I had Polio. So they put me in the
hospital. I had Bulber Polio, worst kind you can get. I almost died from that.
They almost put me in one of those Iron Lungs machines that help you breathe. I
used to call them “tin cans.” I guess I really got sick and my Dad told me
later on, he says, he had collapsed on the hood of the car after he came out
from seeing me and started crying to my Mom, “He’s gonna die, he’s gonna die.”
My Mom had some Holy Water that one of the nuns from St Juliana’s gave her.
Some Holy Water from Lourdes, you know France?
And she brought it up and she poured this Holy Water from Lourdes on me.
And son-of-a-gun if I didn’t start getting better. It was like a miracle. I
don’t know if that’s what it was or caused it or what but that’s what happened.
So I got over that.
This is the report from the Edison Parker,
Edison Park News paper Sept 26, 1951. Report first Edison Park polio cases. Boy
6, girl 14 both in hospital. Edison Parks first cases of Infantile Paralysis
cases of the year were reported last week, as two youngsters, a 6 year old boy
and a 14 year old girl. Both were stricken with dangerous Bulbar Polio. The
Children are Billy Kaufman 6 of 7415 N. Ottawa and Jacquelyn Dee 14 of 7025 N
Overhill. After becoming ill Monday September 17th. Jacquelyn Dee, daughter of
Mr & Mrs Eugene Dee, was taken Wednesday to Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital were her
condition still is report as critical. Doctors said the girl is still running a
temperature and is very week and is receiving oxygen thru the nose. Jacquelyn a
student at St Patrick Academy has an older sister 18 and a younger brother 6. 6 year old Billy Kaufman son of Mr. & Mrs.
Robert J Kaufman became ill last Wednesday and was hospitalized the following
day at the Cook County Contagious Disease Hospital. His condition still is
critical doctors reported but has shown improvement. Billy is no longer in oxygen
although he is still running a temperature and is paralyzed in the throat and
internally. Mr. and Mrs. Kaufman have younger daughter Jeanne 4.
This is a follow up article in the Edison
paper. 3 Polio cases reported in Edison. Jacquelyn Dee 14 of 7025 N Overhill,
Edison Park’s first Polio victim was still in critical condition following an
emergency tracheotomy at Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital Wednesday. Also
in critical condition following polio attacks are Billy Kaufman 6 7415 N.
Ottawa and Jeanne Knorst 13 6950 N Overhill. All 3 victims were suffering from
the Bulbar type of Polio. After becoming ill on Sept 17th, Jacquelyn was taken
to the Municipal Hospital Wednesday were doctors described her condition as
very critical. It is hoped Thursday’s operation will help her for her fight for
her life. 6 year old Billy Kaufman became ill last Wednesday and was
hospitalized the following day at Cook County Contagious Disease Hospital.
Doctors this week reported Billy’s condition improved. His fever dropped Sunday
and is now able to eat some soft food. Jeanne Knorst was stricken Tuesday and
was removed to Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital. Her condition is report
as serious.
This is a follow up article number 3. Edison
polio victims reportedly improved. All three make gains during week. The
condition of Edison Park’s three young polio victims showed marked improvement
this week. According to word received from the parents of the patients, fevers
in each case have subsided and all appears to be on the road to recovery.
Edison’s first victim Jacquelyn Dee 14, 7025 N Overhill was rushed to Municipal
Contagious Disease Hospital September 19th, is now permitted to be out of her
iron lung for two 50 minutes periods daily. A victim of both Bulbar and spinal
polio, the extent of Jacquelyn’s paralysis is not yet known. Billy Kaufman 6, 7415 N. Ottawa, having been
released from Cook County Contagious Hospital Saturday, was taken to St Francis
Hospital this week when his parents noticed muscular spasms in parts of his
body. He will remain one month for therapeutic treatments. 13year old Jeanne
Knorst, 6950 N Overhill ave was reported as improving with still no evidence of
paralysis. Jeanne is also at the Municipal Contagious Disease Hospital. No
release date has been given.
Some of my
memories of that time in the hospital with Polio. When my parents brought me to
the hospital, they put me in this big ward with a lot of beds on one side and a
whole lot of Iron lungs on the other side of the room. This was the first time I had ever been to a
hospital. I was scared and when my Mom and Dad went to leave that first day, I
cried. I didn’t want them to go. This would be the first time I would be alone
in my whole life. Kind of like it is with me now.
The nurses were very friendly, in fact I saw
the prettiest nurse I ever saw in my life. I only saw her twice but I will
never forget her. Maybe that’s why I have a thing for pretty nurses these days.
The next thing I knew, I was put in a small room with three other kids. The
nurse put me in diapers and then put me in this metal crib with clear plastic
all around the top and sides of the crib. It was an oxygen tent.
My parents visited me every day and when I
started to feel better, I asked my Mom if she could bring me a strawberry
Sunday. I wasn’t supposed to have it but the next night my parents snuck a
strawberry Sunday up to me. Did that ever taste great. It’s funny how certain
things stick out in your mind.
I finally got back home and I started having
problems right away. So they put me back in another hospital for a month. The
only thing I remember about that hospital was the whirlpool that I would have
to be put in everyday. It was called the Hubbard Whirlpool Tank. The nurse
would take me behind some curtains and take my clothes off. Then she started
putting a diaper on me. I said to the nurse, I don’t want to wear a diaper. The
nurse told me that everybody had to wear one before they put you in the
whirlpool. I do remember this other kid across the room from me. He kept
turning his light on and off all night one night. I couldn’t stand that.
I finally got back home. Right after I got out
of the hospital Jonas Salk developed the polio vaccine. Well, I was out of
school quite a while but I got back to school and I graduated from 1st grade.
But later on I’ll pay for it.
