My Story #35

Ronnie W. Wolfe

Memories of POLIO

When I was two years old, I contracted Polio from somewhere. No one knows for sure what is the source of this disease. When they thought that it was contacted through dirty water and that mostly children contracted Polio, they called it Infantile Paralysis. Later they came up with a more scientific name, Poliomyelitis.

I was taken to five doctors, and none of them could diagnose my condition until the fifth doctor told my parents to take me to the hospital. When we reached the hospital, the doctors there knew immediately what it was.

I was very fortunate that I did not need to be put into an iron lung to breathe, but I did see many of them in the hospital in my young years.

My paralysis was mainly in my legs. My right leg is completely paralyzed, and my left leg is mostly paralyzed. I need to walk with two long-leg braces and crutches. Fortunately, this has not hindered my doing most anything that I wanted to do. Some think that with paralysis comes "no feeling," but I have complete feeling in my legs, for which I am thankful.

In compensation, the Lord gave me strong hands and arms; and with my hands he also gave me a gift for music. Without that, I am sure I would not have accomplished many things that I have been able to do in my life. I am thankful for all the encouragements that I have received through my life which has helped me to keep pushing forward.

The Lord, of course, has been a great help in my life. He has sustained me and kept me from dying more than once. His grace is abundant and free. His gift of faith to me is so appreciated, for without that gift of faith I would never have trusted him. All good and perfect gifts come from above 

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