POLIO SURVIVORS' SUPPORT GROUP
                             OF WNY
          Newsletter                                        December 1998


Dear Reader,
Our next meeting will be held on December 16, 7:15pm.
at St. Stephen's-Bethlehem United Church of Christ at
Wehrle and Union. We hope you will be able to attend,
because this is the annual Winter Fest' meeting where we
all bring and share refreshments ( if you can't bring
something, come anyway. You'll have a good time ).
Our November "sharing meeting" was productive 
      and the general consensus was that it was very helpful.
A great deal of interest was shown in the documentary
video about polio epidemics in America. Part two of the
video will be shown at the December meeting.
A big welcome back to both Don O'Connor, and Gus
Arndt who have been absent the past couple of months due
to health problems - it's great to have you with us again.
Anyone interested in renewing their membership may
do so by sending a check for $10 to Henry Maciejewski,
540 Doat St. Buffalo. NY. 14211.
We were all saddened at the news of Nelson Bauer's
passing.  Nelson was a strong example of what it means to 
be a support member of our group. Our deepest sympathy goes
 out to Helen, his wife.

FOLIO FEET
The process that causes "polio feet" -- that cause 
them to turn blue and cold and become difficult to move when 
it's only mildly cold outside is the same process that causes 
other post-polio symptoms.

The polio virus attacked the spinal cord and either 
destroyed or damaged the anterior horn cell motor neurons 
that transmit the message to move, that comes from the brain 
to a muscle.  When those neurons were damaged, or especially 
when they died, they disintegrated and the muscle fibers that 
used to be "turned on" by those cells. no longer were.
There is another kind of motor neuron that was affected 
by the virus--the motor nerve that controls the muscle around 
your blood vessels.  When these neurons died. there were no 
motor nerves to tell the blood vessels to contract; if the 
blood vessels cannot contract, blood pools, especially in the 
veins.  "Polio feet" happens when the blood that normally 
would be sent back to the center of the body (on its way back 
to the heart) pools in veins near the surface of the skin, 
especially in the extremities (feet, mostly).  Because the 
veins cannot contract, the warm blood continues to radiate 
heat into the environment. The result is over-cooling of the
body, especially the feet.  The blue color is because of the 
bluish color of blood in veins. Difficulty in moving the feet 
occurs when the muscles and other tissue that lie below the 
skin start to cool, and become less elastic.  They feel stiffer, 
and so are harder to move.
      People who have had polio--and especially if they have 
"polio feet"-should dress as if it's 20 degrees cooler than it
 actually is.  Dressing in layers can help control your body 
temperature as well, 
Adapted from "Post-Polio: You Can Live With It" by Richard L. 
Bruno, Ph.D.

INFORMATION
QUESTION:
EXPLAIN WHAT I SHOULD EXPECT WHEN
     I GO FOR AN EVALUATION?
AND THE DOCTOR SAID:
The extent of the evaluation for a person with
post-polio sequelae may vary somewhat, depending
on the extent of the involvement and other health
concerns. Regarding the post polio sequelae, a
medical history will be obtained, both as it pertains
to the polio, as well as to your general health. A
family and social history will be obtained along with
an evaluation of your vocation and abilities to
perform activities of daily living.  Then a physical
examination will be done.
Some preliminary basic tests may have been
ordered prior to seeing the physician, depending on
the information you sent ahead of time. This might
include a complete blood count and blood chemistry.
The physician will establish a diagnosis, but may
need further tests, i.e., x-rays, electro-myography
and conduction nerve studies. Thus last test is very
informative.
Quite often other specialists may need to be
called in to establish the mast accurate diagnosis.
This could be a Neurologist, Orthopedist, Thoracic
Disease Specialist, Ear, Nose and Throat specialist,
Or a speech pathologist dealing with swallowing
problems, if present. The individual may also be
referred to the Occupational Therapist if then are
concerns regarding activities of daily living.
I want to underline that the evaluation may vary
significantly from individual to individual. It may
take only one visit to a specialist, it may take several
days, and even longer if there is a certain problem
that needs to be worked out, i.e. a mobility problem
(that requires braces, walking aids, wheelchairs,
etc.), or a pain problem. Then is no one cookbook
recipe that can be used for individuals with post
polio sequelae, because the cases are so varied.
by Sue Bridges.
l
WHY EAT YOUR GREENS7
By Andrea Skrypka, RD
Previous recommendations for eating fruits and
vegetables included the basic four food groups and
suggested eating four servings per day, including one
serving from a Vitamin C rich source and one
serving from a Vitamin A rich source. More recent
recommendation s include 5 A DAY, that is, eat at
least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day
Various sources now suggest even more and for
      good reason.  Fruits and vegetables, especially dark
leafy greens, give you fiber, iron, magnes