Resumes

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" rowspan="2" width=217 BGCOLOR="#CCFF99" TEXT="#080000" background="041d9d42esnimw.jpg"> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="06ea1b50.gif" border=0 width="161" height="181" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>            Marilynn</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="07196a30.gif" border=0 width="150" height="163" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> <B>     </B><B> Sizzling Sylvia</B></div> </td> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=80 BGCOLOR="#A6CAF0" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="042c8d61eezzsc.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#990080" FACE="Arial" ><B>Who has a Disability?</B></FONT><B>     |   </B><A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" "><U><B>  </B></U></A><A HREF="id48.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE=" "><U><B>Index</B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <B> </B></div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" height=400 colspan=2 BGCOLOR="#A6CAF0" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="040c8d43.jpg"> <div> Resumes:</div> <div> <B>Marilynn, the</B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FF0066" FACE="Arial" ><B> "Hot Pink Avenger"? </B></FONT><B> Why would anyone want to be known by a name like that?  Well, sit back, relax and maybe as I tell you a little about my life experiences, you will start to understand how this came about.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I was born and brought up in Brooklyn, New York.  I was 23 months old when the "Polio Dragon" bit me.  I spent 2 years in the hospital.  Do children that young remember things that they have seen or experienced?  From personal experience, the answer is "yes".  I wore a brace on my left leg for about a year and then the Sister Kenny Clinic, in Jersey City, New Jersey, sent a physical therapist to the apartment we lived in to teach my mother the therapy that would help me.  I no longer remember her name, but I remember that she was very tall, with long black hair that she wore up, and was the most beautiful lady I had ever seen.  She was soft spoken and unlike most of the other people that had done these sorts of things to me in the hospital, her touch was somehow more loving and gentle than anyone else's I had experienced.  I thought she was somehow magical.  I looked forward to her visits.  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After about a year, she brought her husband with her.  He was tall, handsome and blond.  They brought me a special gift.  It was a little white fur, Scottie dog, a little girl's muff, with a red ribbon around its neck.  They said that he had gotten an engineering job in India and that they were very happy because she was going to get to see her family.  I had never seen two people together that tall before, nor had anyone that tall ever lifted me up onto their shoulders and when I raised my little arms up, my fingers could touch the ceiling.  Obviously, this made a very strong impression on me.  I loved the gift they had brought me and still have it.   It took awhile for me to understand that I was never going to see her again, but I think she influenced choices I made later in my life that she would never have dreamed of.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I finished High School, married and had two brilliant sons both born in Brooklyn.  Then we moved to sunny California.  I did all the volunteer jobs that called my name at the PTA, Temple, and was somewhat politically active.  I was always drawn to learning about other people's cultures, loved to cook and bake and there are very few crafts I haven't done at one time or another.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>The search to find answers about why I was experiencing different physical problems as time went on took the better part of 20 years to get a definitive answer.  Oh, not one that anyone could do anything about, but it had a name and was not a figment of my imagination.  The name of it was and is, Post Polio Syndrome.  My need for information drove me to buy a computer and force myself to learn, and keep learning.  It opened so many new interests for me and helped me find others dealing with similar problems, sharing answers, and finding new paths has brought a tremendous amount of joy, relief and satisfaction into my life.  I have met so many wonderful, dear, people that have become what I call "my family of choice".  I have been lucky enough to actually meet some of them face to face.  As a matter of fact, I really hit the jackpot when one of them agreed to come and share my house, 3 dogs and two cats and lots of local friends.  As time goes on I may share some of our adventures and/or antics with you.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I frequently draw cartoons.  I may share them with you from time to time too.  Some of them will need no added comments from me to get their message across.  Doing a website is a new adventure for me.  I have also designed some stickers to be used on cars whose drivers park them in Handicapped Parking spaces without the benefit of having a placard.   </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>One of the many things I am hoping to accomplish by putting time and energy into making this website is to get people to have open dialogues between TABS (Temporarily Able Bodied) people and those of us that deal with all sorts of physical problems that necessitate us to use "equipment" of some sort or another.  Everyone has some sort of disability.  For some of us, the disability is visible for all the world to see.  For others it may be a hidden disability, such as a heart problem, dyslexia, asthma, etc. The list is endless but I think you get the idea.  Everyone has areas of strength and areas of weakness.  No one is perfect, in spite of what they may think.   </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I have lived in both worlds and was able to "pass" as a TAB for long periods of time.  Growing up with difficulties has enabled me to develop skills that I might not otherwise have made an effort to acquire.  Those of us that had to use any visible equipment during our childhood endured the stares of others, usually adults. Most of the time they would just stare, but other times they would say things in a stage whisper (which we always heard) that were not only cruel but also showed us that their inner most fear was being disabled themselves.  Other times the remarks showed their ignorance.  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Anyone that has had to use a wheelchair for any length of time has had experiences where someone that is able to walk automatically assumes that if one is in a wheelchair, they must not only have a problem walking but must also somehow be mentally deficient.  Instead of talking to one of us directly, they automatically talk to whoever is near us.  Now this has it's comical side, because sometimes that person is a total stranger to us.  To help break down some of the stereotypical images that TAB's have of people with disabilities and to open opportunities of communication, I have found that decorating whatever equipment I may be using in a unique way is very effective.  I will try to demonstrate some of the things I have done and will be doing by putting pictures on this page.  As strange as it may seem, the decorating of the equipment not only makes the world a more friendly place, but it also lifts one's spirits in ways that I can not really put into words.  I would just say "try it, you'll like it".  If you have any questions on how I did something, please do not hesitate to write and ask.  I promise that you do not have to be someone that is "into crafts" to do these things, nor do you have to spend any large sums of money.  </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>If you do experiment with decorating and would like to share what you did and how it worked for you, I would love to hear about it and if possible see a picture of what you did.  Who knows, you might find your picture and story here too.  I look forward to hearing from you.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>  <IMG SRC="0b6f91f0.jpg" border=0 width="505" height="31" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Sylvia</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Who is Sylvia, What is She, That all our swains commend her? (William Shakespeare)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>LOL.  This Sylvia (meaning "of the woods") is a big city gal.  Born August 1, 1937, in Norwalk, CT, I had paralytic Polio at age 12 and spent a year and a half in Newington Home & Hospital for Crippled Children.  When I left the hospital I felt quite "normal" thanks to the doctors, nurses and physical therapists.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>I lived a "normal" life, doing all the things and more that a gal does: married, had two wonderful children, was active in Little League, politics, scouting, and all the things a stay at home mom found herself involved in.  I am most proud of being a freelance writer and the author of two children's picture books.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>After my divorce, I found myself working so many great jobs, just a few will be mentioned here.  I have driven a cab in LA, been a weight loss consultant, a radio DJ, owned and operated a mini-donut concession trailer, sold pots and pans at fairs and shows throughout CA, OR, AZ.  The gypsy in me just wants to keep coming out!!!</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Suddenly, in the nineties strange things started to happen to my body.  Slowly but surely I was losing muscle strength, had more than mild fatigue, but kept pushing to get through the day.  In 1994, I was diagnosed with PPS (Post Polio Syndrome).  It felt like the original Polio had returned to haunt me.  I was so weak, I moved in with my son and his family.  He is a nurse and since I thought I was going to die, I figured he would best be able to help me through it.  (Obviously that didn't happen! LOL)</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Thanks to a notice in the newspaper about a support group meeting for Post Polio Syndrome, I was able to make the phone call and talk to someone who quizzed me thoroughly then told me about PPS.  I was relieved that what I was experiencing had a name even though "it" was back.  Disbelief that "it" could return, that "it" could happen to me.  Wow!  Slowly I regained some strength, enough so that I could get out of bed and start my journey of discovery.  Questions like "who am I now if I am not who I was but six short months ago?"  " How do I tell my family and friends?"  "What will happen if I collapse again?"  The journey has been long and sometimes difficult.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>It took me two years to learn to pace myself, to slow down.  That meant acomplishing less each day but retaining enough strength so as not to have to go to bed for three months at a time.  It meant dealing with the anger I felt, first at God, then at myself, then at the Polio.  Acceptance came last, after much introspection and letting go.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Along the way I have found and met with some wonderful PPS'rs.  Their pictures will turn up on these pages from time to time.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>So here I am, full of vim and vigor, ready to tackle a web page. LOL.  Learning about PPS will be a lifetime journey.  So join me and visit the sights listed to find out more about PPS, my family and my PPS family.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>In the meantime...I shall simply state that in 1995 I bought a computer, taught myself how to use it, went online and joined a PPS support group.  There I made many friends, including a very special one, with whom I now reside, LOL, along with two Giant Great Danes, a Golden Lab and two cats.  Periodically, some of our adventures will be put on these pages.</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3333CC" FACE="Arial" >To Index  </FONT><B>    </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Who has a Disability?"><U><B><IMG SRC="1469f680.jpg" border=0 width="159" height="104" ALT="Back Buttom " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#9933FF" FACE="Arial" ><IMG SRC="10b18180.gif" border=0 width="24" height="24" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> </FONT><B>  </B><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sylvias Photo Album"><U><B><IMG SRC="13ba3730.jpg" border=0 width="163" height="115" ALT="Forward Button " ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#3333CC" FACE="Arial" >To Sylvia's PhotoPage</FONT></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>