Here’s another book that was recently released with the launch of Redmund Pro. It is THE GIRL IN
THE IRON LUNG by Gail Thornton.
I think it is a great read and an excellent memoir!
GIRL THE THE IRON LUNG
By Gail Thornton
Reviewed by Janet Russell
To a five year old child, the world is all defined in absolutes. There are no degrees of any feelings, no combination of some of this and some of that, to make life less scary.
Now imagine you have become that child. You see the world through her eyes and all of this awful stuff is happening to you. That’s what happened to me, as soon as I started reading The Girl in the Iron Lung.
IRON LUNG
I became the young child whose limbs would not now do what they are supposed to do. I panicked, trying to get to my parents’ room, because I knew that they would know what to do.
But my parents are afraid too. I can hear it in their voices as they hurry to get coated up for a night drive to the hospital. My parents take me to a large scary building where people dressed in white are looking down at me. Suddenly I’m being rushed down the hall on this rolling bed and taken into a room with many of these big clunky machines. I see little
IRON LUNG
kids heads poking out of these machines, but that is all I see of the kids.
And I was left there in the clutches of this big loud machine that swallows me up. What could be worse?
Well, perhaps the fear that you have become defective and your parents have traded you in for a daughter that works right. That can walk and reach out and show how worthy you are of their love.
You barely have an idea of what life is all about, much less the loneliness, the despair, the fear, the knowledge that you have this awful thing called polio.
Suddenly you are thrust into a world where your parents seem to be afraid and mad at you at the same time. Where other adults display their quirks in doses so large, sometimes you really can’t take it.
Gail relays this true story so well, the story becomes not just about Gail, but about you, as well.
There were nightly exercises that hurt so much, but she knew would make her walk. There were the special clothes she had to wear that helped keep her back straight. Every day she needed the help of Mommy and Daddy to get dressed.
LEARNING TO WALK
Finally came the excitement of preparing for school. After all her hard work, Gail was certain she would be riding the bus to school just like the other kids real soon.
And then more disappointment, as she realized she would not be taking the bus with the other kids. And still more when she would fall at school and even sometimes had to ask for help.
Soon, though, Gail became the triumphant young lady who not only had accomplished so much, but also had learned the skill of looking back and realizing how far she had come!
And that is what makes this book such a compelling read. It’s a coming of age story, not of a young adult. Of a child of 5 who learns real quick, and usually the hard way, what it means to grow up and take charge of her own life.
The author and I are contemporaries, yet I never had to experience any of this terrible sickness of the first half of the twentieth century, polio. Now I realize how lucky I was!
I HIGHLY recommend this book!! Especially to those who might feel the vaccine unnecessary, or
JONAS SALK GIVING VACCINE ON TV WHILE CHILD WATCHES
are wondering if they should give the polio vaccine to their children.
I’m sure glad I got my vaccination before polio got me!! The vaccine only came available in the 50’s, thanks to Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin.
Gail also addresses the international project to eradicate this virus and provides excellent statistics that show the progress of this endeavor.
At the same time, Gail released another book, THE REGRET OF A FLOWER, a book of lovely poetry.
I haven’t read this book yet, but having found her to be skilled as a writer, I am very much looking forward to it!! Below is a link to Red’s interview of Gail relating to THE REGRET OF A FLOWER!
🙂
RELATED:
PubMedHealth: poliomyelitis
CDC Global Health: Polio
M3: Interveiw with Gail Thornton about, THE REGRET OF A FLOWER
Image from the following websites (no copyright infringement intended; if you own rights, plz contact me):
Wikipedia: Negative Pressure Ventilator
NPR: How We Wiped Out Polio
G is for…. Gail
T is for Thornton
P is for… polio
BuddhaKat 
YAY 🙂 🙂 🙂 super Yay xoxox C
Thank you, Cat… Your enthusiastic support is truly wonderful!!
🙂
🙂 🙂 my pleasure 🙂
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Enthusiasm forever 🙂 xo
Sounds a very good read. I am ambivilant about vaccinations since I have M.E./chronic Lyme disease and there is a growing school of thought that vaccinations can be a trigger, also that M.E. is caused by an entero-virus which is what polio is! I have known of too many people who have fallen ill with chronic lomg term illness immediately after having the shots. But until those with the money decide it’s sexy and worth their while to invest in research for neuro-immune disorders, we will get no nearer the truth.
I am sorry to hear that you are troubled with such an awful disease as ME. Must have been a bear to finally get diagnosed correctly!! Is that due to the Lyme disease, or something separate entirely? Thanks for the insight about entero-viruses.
As to the efficacy of vaccinations, I am no medical expert, so I can’t begin to advise. That is something we all must decide for ourselves (or our parents for us, in the case of childhood vaccines).
To be honest, I also have an issue with the thought of “eradicating” anything. A dilemna I don’t foresee resolving in this lifetime! I mean, that’s genocide. And another post entirely!
At any rate, the important thing is the education – getting to know the facts, so intelligent decisions can be made. And I learned much about this scary part of my childhood.
Thanks for stopping in and sharing, Caro!!!
cheek rubs to Austin and hugs to you,
🙂
janet
Thanks for such a full response, Janet! To answer your question re Lyme, to be honest I don’t know, but I was told by the doc who diagnosed me that about three things have to come together in a person for M.E. to develop. One of which is to do with it being genetic, second, infection and third stress. I was also very badly bitten by mosquitos when I was abroad (non malaria carrying) also in a stressful situation and since then I have been unwell! Interestingly my brother also has M.E. caused by Lyme. We manage our conditions quite well, but are of course looking for cause and treatment.
Getting to know the facts would be excellent, but I am a huge sceptic with regard to what we are told by the authorities! They have an agenda!!! So tend to do my research in other ways. Not easy cutting through the crap!!
Austin waves a snowy paw 🙂 x
You are so right! There’s about 99% crap out there, to the 1% true facts, and it’s hard for the average humans, like us, to know where to find the truth. And agendas are everywhere, so definitely vigilance is everywhere. Think critically and then do the research is the only way for me!! Take care. Hope the winter doesn’t aggravate your condition! Stay warm!
🙂
nose imprints on the windows here back atcha!!!
Cat, what a great review!
Thank you so much, Valentine – how nice of you to say. It helps that is such a good book!!!
🙂
Intriguing.
I’ll have to add it to my list!
It is both educational and personal, and Gail did a wonderful job of combining the two… actually rather suspenseful, too. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!
thanks for checking in today, EG!!
🙂
janet
Thank you so much for your thorough and enthusiastic post about my memoir, BuddhaKat. You know me now as few others, including my family know me, having read my intimate thoughts and feelings as I went through this illness and my triumph too. I am forever grateful to you for, and count you as one of my nearest and dearest.
Hugs,
Gail
Thanks, Gail… I’m honored you think I did your book justice! I really enjoyed reading it, not in small part due to your skill in combining the facts with the feelings of a youngster. Probably seems like yesterday, to you!!! I hadn’t thought of it quite like you said, as in knowing you – these are your most private and deepest thoughts and feelings you share, which to me is MOST courageous!!
🙂
Sounds like a story about perspective …. after all, so many of us focus on what we wish we have as opposed being thankful for what we don’t have. I remember the days that followed polio … such as those universal vaccines at school – but yes, I too was fortunate in avoiding it. Well done BC.
Thanks, Frank… we must have passed each other in the blogosphere… I was just at your place. Great Friday recap post.
I noticed you use the MyFreeCopyright logo – how long have you been using them? They recently (4-8 months or so?) got sold to someone else who promptly removed all info from the previous database. Makes me think twice (or more)about getting something for nothing!!! I had over 200 images registered, not to mention 100+ blog posts, and now pffffffffffft GONE! Made me feel better when I realized they aren’t much help in any legal capacity!
have a grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeaaaatttt weekend!
🙂
janet