My Life With Polio (Part 2)

As I stated in "My Life With Polio (Part 1)",  once I "recovered" from polio, life was pretty normal as far as I was concerned. I started working early in life. Looking back, most of the jobs involved physical labor (which is ironic consider I was basically cripple). That did not stop me. Throughout school I worked in a grocery store unloading trucks and stocking shelves. I was Assistant Fire Chief in my early twenties. A very physical job. I worked in a factory which was very physical and really hard work. I worked in construction, all kinds of constructions. Roofing, plumbing, general construction, I did it all. Again, very physical work. During the early years of my marriage, we rode and raced motorcycles. I had my share of crashes and broken bones. I guess I did a good deal of damage to my body racing and riding. But it was (and still is) fun! I guess I was in my mid-twenties when Brenda and I became business owners. It was a good business. We did very well with it. We were very motivated and it payed off. But, it was very physical. That was fine.....at first.

During the time I had my own business, I started having more problems with my back. Of course I always had problems with my back and leg, but I really didn't think much about it. The problems became more frequent, however I started noticing something that caused me more concern, fatigue! I could do most anything I wanted but it would take me much longer to recover. This was a cause for concern.
So, I need to roll back a few years. Brenda knew my fascination with computers and electronics, so on our fifth Anniversary, she surprised me with a computer. At the time I had a job that I really couldn't get excited about (it was only a few levels higher than hell) but I took the job because it had good benefits and we had a child to support. BUT, the computer gave me untold hours of joyful fascination. I learned a ton about computers on my own, by reading everything I could get my hands on. I learned how to program, writing software and hacking away! It was fun. Then I started messing around with electronics. I would buy the breadboard and electronic kits from Radio Shack as well as books and experiment with all kinds of electronic circuits. This was a much needed diversion to the rut my career was stuck in.
Now fast forward a few years. So I'm doing great with our business, however the fatigue and back issues are becoming a hindrance. I remember telling Brenda in passing on day that if I had it to do over again, I would have went to school and learned electronics and computer programming. My reasoning was, with an education in electronics, I wouldn't be taxing my back and leg to the point of fatigue. One thing I have learned is not to put ideas in Brenda's head unless you want results! Next thing I know, she tells me to sell the business, she has enrolled me in school full time, and I am going to learn electronics! Was I excited? What do you think. So, we sell the business, get everything set and I start school. During my formal training, I continue to work with computers and software.  

I mentioned that to say, you never know where life will take you. In addition, you should never set barriers and restrictions on what you can do. Plus, I believe each of us has a plan and reason for our existence on this earth and we should take full advantage of it. I graduated with a bunch of honors with a 4.0 and everything and promptly got a job at Robins AFB doing computer and electronics support for the distribution branch. Life was great. I really enjoyed my job. It still had physical aspects to it, which I didn't mind at all, plus I was doing something I really enjoyed. So we were set. Until Robins had one of the biggest Reductions In Force that they had ever had. Guess who suddenly found himself without a job? Yep, me. 

Being involved in a government RIF is a weird situation. I wasn't technically unemployed, however they weren't paying me. Nobody would hire, since "technically" I was still employed by the federal government. Tough situation to be in. I had a ton of interviews, and I heard, "we would love to hire you but....". That rocked on for several months, until I finally got a job with a contractor on the very military base that I had been RIF'd from. So, I worked several years for a couple of contractors getting a great education on several fronts. It was an excellent learning experience. Eventually, I found myself working, and retiring from an IT job in education. It was a great job and I got to do more than I ever imagined I would accomplish. I am currently retired. I do babysit several days a week. A challenging, but very satisfying job! I love my grandchildren.

I guess I went off on the employment tangent to get to this: I never allowed Polio to keep me down. I am now in my late 60s (68 as of 2023) and I'm still going. Sure, it's been a struggle. At times, an almost unbearable struggle. The pain can be really bad. With that said, I have learned to live with it and found a lot of things that help me cope. Lots of stretching, and exercise. I am currently seeing a massage therapist, which seems to help. I do have to be careful about what I do. Mainly, I have to be mindful of the fact that a wrong move can really screw me up for a few days, weeks or even months. 

I think, as you age, you have to stay mobile. You have to challenge your mind and body. You don't just sit around and watch TV or sleep. You find something to do, something you have an interest in. Learn something new and get some exercise. The only difference with my situation is, I have some limitations I have to work around. I get down sometimes, then I think about how fortunate I am. Who knows, if not for Polio, I might not even be here now. I could have burnt out years ago. A lot of kids with Polio didn't make it.

So, my life it what it is. I don't know life without Polio. It's been a good run so far. By the grace of God, I hope to see a lot more before I slow down. If you find that you have challenges in your life, try to find a way to deal with them that is to your advantage. Don't dwell on the things you can't do, think about all that you can do. Try to be thankful for the life you have. Try to make it better each day. Have a purpose!

Dave