Who Is Sylvia

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=110 BGCOLOR="#CCFFFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="039506e1egerbq.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#339900" FACE="Arial" ><B>Post-Polio Syndrome Information and More</B></FONT><B> </B><B> </B><B> </B><B> </B><B> </B><B>   </B><B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FF0000" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="index_page.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Index"><U><B>INDEX</B></U></A></FONT></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=190 BGCOLOR="#339900" TEXT="#080000"> <div>                <IMG SRC="1f69d920.jpg" border=0 width="157" height="146" ALT="Sylvia" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=370 BGCOLOR="#99CC00" TEXT="#080000"> <div> Who Is Sylvia</div> <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> <div> <B>                                       <IMG SRC="1f8e56a0.jpg" border=0 width="229" height="106" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Back in the 60's when my children were little, I embarked on a writing career.    I had hopes of becoming a photojournalist. To that end I took some classes at Mesa Community College in Mesa, AZ.  When I first put a few words on paper, they jumped around and became a children's story. Not what I had in mind at all!!! Words have a way of leading a writer down a path the writer hadn't thought of yet. Roll with the flow-and that's what I did. Two children's picture books were born and published: "Wrong Way Howie Learns to Slide" and "Davy Plays Football." </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>No matter how many years go by or what fate has dealt me, writing has always been a passion of mine. Whether it's a political treatise or satire, a letter urging action or a document of protest, I enjoy writing.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>People and pets also get my attention. Helping others, especially those who are new to PPS, brings a tremendous amount of satisfaction to me.  So many need help in learning how to adjust to this new aspect of Polio.  I use the word "adjust" loosely.  It is a difficult process. And many of us fight it to the nth degree.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>And of course my biggest challenge today is the care and feeding of my housemate, Marilynn, lol.   As you can tell by the constant changing and additions of this site, pulling her away from the computer to eat or to take care of matters, is no easy task.   With lots of laughs and many giggles, it is a treat to have another PPSer to share life's path with.</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="out_of_the_shadows.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Autism"><U><B><IMG SRC="0816e5a0.jpg" border=0 width="110" height="90" ALT="Back button of same cat under blanket reaching for ball" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A><B>                                                                        </B><A HREF="id41.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Family Pictures"><U><B><IMG SRC="08a6e590.jpg" border=0 width="110" height="89" ALT="Forward Button of cat under a blanket with paw reaching for ball" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>