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Special Points of in-
terest.
NEXT MEETING—P 1
AGING IN PLACE —P 2
FEB 12 MEETING P—4
POLIO FEET—P 5
TRIVIA-- P 6
NEW BOOK—P 7
RULES FOR RETIRED P—8
THIS NEWSLETTER WILL
PROVIDE:
A positive attitude
Polio info, local and
national
Tips and advice on
healthy living
Entertainment
Access to interesting
internet sites
space for member par-
ticipation
Barbara Meyers
POWER OVER POLIO NEWS “For every minute you are angry you lose sixty
seconds of happiness.” Ralph Waldo Emerson
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2016 Issue 41
Web site: postpolioclub.weebly.com
Happy New Year To You Happy New Year to you! May every great new day Bring you sweet surprises– A happiness buffet.
Happy New Year to you, And when the new year’s done, May the next year be even better, Full of pleasure, joy and fun.
– Anonymous
___________________________________________________
PREDICTION
My prediction this year is, “The POPs group will provide and guide
with excellent programs in 2016. Add additional information
through the newsletter and web site. So hop on board and be with
us at each meeting. Take action by talking back to us and let us
know what we can do to assist you.” Barbara Meyers
When attending our meetings you may use the back door for easy
access to our meeting room. They have installed a driveway just
before the backdoor so you no longer have to negotiate a curb be-
fore entering.
Go through the back door, turn right and go to the second room on
the left. You will see a small kitchen area where we will have coffee
and treats. Pass this area and you are in our room.
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Next meeting February 12, 2016
I am so proud to tell you that our speaker for February will be Alison “Sunny” Roller
a post-polio from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Sunny rolls through her life writing, speak-
ing, traveling, and keeping up her home while in her chair. She has a wonderful
outlook on life, writes an uplifting blog and is a member of the Post-Polio Health In-
ternational ‘s Board of Directors.
She will roll into The Villages on February 11th, spend the night at the Waterfront
Inn, come to our meeting at 1:00 on the 12th and then travel on to southern Florida
for a vacation with her brother.
Please mark this date on your calendar and join us for this special speaker and her
message.
Barbara Meyers
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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In my world the second most important space is the kitchen. While moving
into my kitchen I spend some time figuring out how often I tend to use the
dishes, utensils, pots and gadgets. The items I use most often are kept in
the most convenient places. Dishes for special occasions go in harder to
reach places. After several weeks I made a few changes because I had been
wrong about how frequently I used some of the items.
The counter in the kitchen has been lowered. The garbage can is on wheels
making it easy to store underneath the counter. I have a free standing stove
top that is at the same level as my main counter.
Cups are stored in a lower cabinet drawer.
I created extra surfaces to store items that I use a lot, so I don’t have to get
things in and out of cabinets too often.
The condo has a lot of storage cabinets, but many of them reach up to the
ceiling so most of those spaces are completely empty. Instead I have in-
stalled open shelves at a lower level throughout the apartment. I tend to re-
member better the things I can see than the ones that are covered up. I give
every item a specific place where it belongs and where I always return it af-
ter use. That way I can remember where to find things. Since I may also
gradually lose my central vision, this level of organization is especially im-
portant.
There are no carpets to be found anywhere in my condo. A round table with
a pedestal provides easy access from all directions in a chair. Small wheels
on the chair make it easier to maneuver in the house around furniture, be-
tween doorways, etc. I use the bigger wheels outside the house. Having
lived a long life already with polio and post-polio , I have had to incorporate
multiple new mobility and functioning aids over time. One important lesson
that I have learned is how crucial it is to take on new equipment and behav-
iors as early as possible. If you want to maintain your independence as you
age, do not wait till it is too late to learn how to use the new tools, or estab-
lish the new habits.
Post-Polio-Health Vol 31, No 4 Fall 2015 www.post-polio.org
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TRIVIA QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS TO THINK ABOUT
WHAT DO ALAN ALDA AND DONALD SUTHERLAND HAVE IN COMMON (OTHER THAN OVERCOMING POLIO)?
ANSWER: BOTH PLAYED HAWKEYE PIERCE.
WHAT IS THE CONNECTION OF ELVIS TO INFANTILE PARALYSIS (ANOTHER NAME FOR POLIO)?
ANSWER: HE HAD A PICTURE TAKEN OF HIM GETTING THE SALK VACCINE TO SHOW IT WAS OK.
WHO WROTE, “SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME”?
ANSWER: POLIO SURVIVOR DOC POMUS (JEROME FELDER) WROTE IT FOR HIS WIFE WHO LOVED TO
DANCE.
WHAT FAMOUS DIRECTOR HAD POLIO?
ANSWER: FRANCIS FORD COPPOLA
WHAT FAMOUS VIOLINIST HAD POLIO?
ANSWER ; ITZHAK PEARLMAN
WHAT CONNECTION IS THERE TO THE FAMOUS STEIFF TEDDY BEARS?
ANSWER: MARGARETE STEIFF, THE GERMAN SEAMSTRESS WHO MADE THE FAMOUS BEARS, HAD
POLIO.
WHO WAS A PHYSICAL THERAPIST WITH POLIO PATIENTS BEFORE SHE WAS AN ACTRESS?
ANSWER: OLYMPIA DUKAKIS
NAME 2 FAMOUS PEOPLE WHOSE WIVES HAD POLIO.
ANSWER: JOHN NORDSTROM’S WIFE AND DICK FRANCIS WIFE MARY (WHO IS BELIEVED TO HAVE
WRITTEN OR CONTRIBUTED HIGHLY TO MANY OF HIS BOOKS UNTIL HER DEATH IN 2000.)
WHIO HAD THE EARLIEST CASE OF POLIO IN THE UK IN 1773?
ANSWER: SIR WALTER SCOTT.
WHO WON 4 OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALS IN TRACK WHO HAD POLIO?
ANSWER: WILMA RUDOLPH
WHAT FAMOUS SINGER HAD POLIO?
ANSWER: DINAH SHORE
WHO SAYS POLIO WILL HOLD YOU BACK!
FROM ‘POLIO OUTREACH OF WASHINGTON STATE”
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NEW BOOK TO READ
BROOKINGS, S.D. (AP) - A Brookings man is sharing his story about living with polio.
Mark Sternhagen has penned the book “Normal for Me” in which he details his life since
contracting polio at 18 months old, the Brookings Register (http://bit.ly/1Mr8VlB ) reported.
Before writing the book, he would often post short stories on Facebook.
Sternhagen, 59, grew up in Scotland, South Dakota. He said he was the lone member of his
family who wasn’t vaccinated against the disease because he was less than a year old and
had a fever when the vaccine came to town.
The cover of Sternhagen’s book has a photo of him smiling as he tried to stand upright with
crutches and iron strapped to his legs. He was 4 years old at the time.
“I thought I’d destroyed every copy of that,” he said. “I just hated it when I was a little
younger.”
When Sternhagen was preparing for his First Communion, his teacher, a great aunt, didn’t
want him to use his crutches. He said his teachers in second and third grade had negative
feelings toward him.
Starting in fourth grade, Sternhagen’s parents placed him as resident at the Crippled Chil-
dren’s Hospital and School in Sioux Falls. Sternhagen says he grew up bitter, but decided one
day after dinner at the school to take a different outlook.
“This is it,” he said. “This is what I have. My choice is to make the best of what I have be-
cause there’s not going to be a miracle.”
Sternhagen graduated from the school and went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees
from South Dakota State University. His book also talks about his time as an instructor at the
university and as a business owner.
In 2014, Sternhagen was selected to the board of directors of the nonprofit LifeScape, which
was formed by the merger of the children’s school and South Dakota Achieve.
Information from: Brookings Register, http://www.brookingsregister.com/
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CLEANING OUT MY FILES
LOOK WHAT I FOUND, THIS TIME, AS I CONTINUED TO CLEAN MY FILES. “ GREAT RULES FOR THE RETIRED”
I HAVE A VAGUE MEMORY OF PRINTING SOME OF THESE WORDS OF WISDOM ANOTHER TIME IN ANOTH-
ER NEWSLETTER BUT THESE ARE SO GOOD I FEEL THEY ARE WORTH REPEATING. SO HERE GOES:
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GREAT RULES FOR THE RETIRED
Some of us have reached our golden years, and some of us have not. But these suggestions should be
read by everyone. They have been collected from many a senior, each with his or her own piece of ad-
vice. Some you know, some may surprise you, and some will remind you of what’s important. So read
well, share with your loved ones, and have a great day and a great life!
1. It’s time to use the money you saved up. Use it and enjoy it. Don’t just keep it for those who may
have no notion of the sacrifices you made to get it. Remember there is nothing more dangerous
than a son or daughter-in-law with big ideas for your hard earned capital. Warning: this is also a bad
time for an investment, even if it seems wonderful or fool-proof. They only bring problems and wor-
ries and this is a time for you to enjoy some peace and quiet.
2. Stop worrying about the financial situation of your children and grandchildren, and don’t feel bad
spending your money on yourself. You’ve taken care of them for many years, and you’ve taught
them what you could. You gave them an education, food, shelter and support. The responsibility is
now theirs, they have to earn their own money.
3. Keep a healthy life, without great physical effort. Do moderate exercises if you are able, eat well and
get your sleep. It’s easy to become sick, and it gets harder to remain healthy. That is why you need
to keep yourself in good shape and be aware of your medical and physical needs. Keep in touch with
your doctor; get tested even when you’re feeling well. Stay informed!
4. Always buy the best, most beautiful items for your significant other. The key goal is to enjoy your
money with your partner. One day one of you will miss the other, and the money will not provide
any comfort then, enjoy it together.
5. Don’t stress over the little things. You’ve already overcome so much in your life. You have good
memories and bad ones, but the important thing is the present. Don’t let the past drag you down
and don’t let the future frighten you. Feel good in the now. Small issues will soon be forgotten.
6. Regardless of age, always keep love alive. Love your partner, love life, love your family, love your
neighbor and remember: “A man is not old as long as he has intelligence and affection.”
7. Be proud, both inside and out. Don’t stop going to your hair salon or barber, do your nails, go to the
dermatologist and the dentist, keep your perfumes and creams well stocked. When you are well-
maintained on the outside, it seeps in, making you feel proud and strong.
8. Don’t lose sight of fashion trends for your age, but keep your own sense of style. There’s nothing
worse than an older person trying to wear the current fashion among youngsters. You’ve developed
your own sense of what look good on you – keep it and be proud of it. It’s part of who you are.
9. ALWAYS stay up-to-date. Read newspapers, watch the news. Go online and read what people are
saying. Make sure you have an active email account and try to use some of those social networks.
You’ll be surprised which old friends you’ll meet. Keeping in touch with what is going on and with
the people you know is important at any age.
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Respect the younger generation and their opinions. They may not have the same ideals as you, but
they are the future, and will take the world in their direction. Give advice, not criticism, and try to
remind them of yesterday’s wisdom that still applies today.
Never use the phrase: “In my time”. Your time is now. As long as you’re alive, you are part of this
time. You may have been younger, but you are still you now, having fun and enjoying life.
Some people embrace their golden years, while others become bitter and surly. Life is too short to
waste your days on the latter. Spend your time with positive, cheerful people. It will rub off on
you and your days will seem that much better. Spending your time with bitter people will make
you older and harder to be around.
Do not surrender to the temptation of living with your children or grandchildren (if you have a finan-
cial choice, that is). Sure, being surrounded by family sounds great, but we all need our privacy.
They need theirs and you need yours. If you’ve lost your partner (our deepest condolences), then
find a person to move in with you and help out. Even then do so only if you feel you really need
the help or do not want to live alone.
Don’t abandon your hobbies. If you don’t have any, make new ones. You can travel, cook, and read.
You can adopt a cat or a dog; grow a garden, play cards, checkers, chess, dominoes, and golf. You
can paint, volunteer or just collect certain items. Find something you like and spend some real
time having fun with it.
Even if you don’t feel like it, try to accept invitations. Baptisms, graduations, birthdays, weddings,
conferences. Try to go. Get out of the house; meet people you haven’t seen in a while, experi-
ence something new (or something old). But don’t get upset when you’re not invited. Some
events are limited by resources, and not everyone can be hosted. The important thing is to leave
the house from time to time. Go to museums, use assistance if walking a distance is a problem.
Get out there.
Be a conversationalist. Talk less and listen more. Some people go on and on about the past, not car-
ing if their listeners are really interested. That’s a great way of reducing their desire to speak with
you. Listen first and answer questions, but don’t go off into long stories unless asked to. Speak in
courteous tones and try not to complain or criticize too much unless you really need to. Try to ac-
cept situations as they are. Everyone is going through the same things and people have a low tol-
erance for hearing complaints. Always find some good things to say as well.
Pain and discomfort go hand in hand with getting older. Try not to dwell on them but accept them as
a part of the cycle of life we’re all going through. Try to minimize them in your mind. They are not
who you are, they are something that life added to you. If they become your entire focus, you
lose sight of the person you used to be.
If you have a strong belief, savor it. But don’t waste your time trying to convince others. They will
make their own choices no matter what you tell them, and it will only bring you frustration. Live
your faith and set an example. Live true to your beliefs and let that memory sway them.
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If you’ve been offended by someone - forgive them. If you’ve offended someone - apologize. Don’t
drag around resentment with you. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It doesn’t matter
who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other
person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, forget and move on with your life.
Laugh. Laugh A LOT. Laugh at everything. Remember, you are one of the lucky ones. You managed to
have a life, a long one. Many never get to this age; never get to experience a full life. But you did.
So what’s not to laugh about? Find the humor in your situation.
Take no notice of what others say about you and even less notice of what they might be thinking.
They’ll do it any way, and you should have pride in yourself and what you’ve achieved. Let them
talk and don’t worry. They have no idea about your history, your memories, and the life you’ve
lived so far.
There’s still much to be written, so get busy writing and don’t waste time thinking about what others
might think. Now is the time to be at rest, at peace and as happy as you can be!
AND REMEMBER:
“DO WHAT YOU CAN
WHERE YOUR ARE
WITH WHAT YOU HAVE“
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This list is for Polio Survivors who wish to discuss concerns, ideas, and fun as well as shar-
ing information on a one to one basis.
Barbara Meyers [email protected]
Pat Cochran [email protected]
Jacque BeVier [email protected]
Lydia White [email protected]
Marion Schoeller [email protected]
Marda Hamilton [email protected]
Gayle Hancock [email protected]
It takes dedication to keep the POPs group together, provide information along with
interesting meetings.
Our goal is to maintain a friendly welcoming atmosphere for all polio survivors and
their caregivers.
FOUNDING LEADERS DON AND JO AN SUTTLE [email protected]
PAST MEETING LEADERS CLIFF AND DIANA KENNEDY [email protected]
TREASURER BILL HAMILTON [email protected]
PROGRAMS: MARDA HAMILTON
KAY MOSURE
BARBARA MEYERS
JO AN SUTTLE
PUBLICITY MARIE BOGDONOFF [email protected]
LIBRARIAN MIKE WILLINGHAM [email protected]
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
CONTRIBUTING REPORTER
BARBARA MEYERS
MARION SCHOELLER
SOCIAL GAIL AND CHUCK WEST [email protected]
Email LYDIA WHITE [email protected]
CARE AND CONCERN SUSAN KEENAN [email protected]
KEEP IN TOUCH DON SUTTLE [email protected]
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OUR MEETINGS ARE HELD AT THE
SEA BREEZE RECREATION CENTER
THE VILLAGES, FLORIDA
DIRECTIONS TO THE CENTER BELOW.
We hope that you will find these directions helpful and we look forward to see-
ing you at our meetings.
From the north:
Via Morse Blvd:
Either take Morse down from the north, crossing 466 or turn south onto Morse from 466. In both
events, continue on Morse going over the bridge. Go past the exit into Lake Sumter Landing, con-
tinuing south on Morse. At the next circle (just past Winn Dixie Grocery Store which will be on your
right), go one quarter of the way around and exit onto Stillwater Trail. Go to the end of Stillwater
and then go three quarters of the way around that traffic circle exiting onto Buena Vista Blvd, going
south.
Stay on Buena Vista going half way around the next three traffic circles. Just past the third traffic
circle you will see the Sea Breeze Recreation Center on your right and should turn into its entrance
off Buena Vista.
Via Buena Vista:
Take Buena Vista south, going through several traffic circles. Once past the Stillwater traffic circle,
follow the directions shown above.
From the south:
You should travel to County Road 466A taking it east if coming from highway 301 and west if com-
ing from 27/441. Travel to the light at Buena Vista Blvd and turn north on Buena Vista (that will be
a left turn coming from 301 and a right turn coming from 27/441). Go one half way around the first
traffic circle and continue north on Buena Vista. Shortly after going around that circle you will see
the Sea Breeze Recreation Center on your left and will come to a left hand lane that will allow you
to turn left into the center.
