Hi, my name is Brenda and I am a polio survivor. I would like to share my testimony of how the Lord has brought me through polio and now the late effects of Post-Polio Syndrome or PPS.
I was born August 2, 1944, started walking at 9-months of age, then was stricken with the dreaded polio on September 15, 1945, at the age of 13-months. Like many other polio victims, all four of my limbs were completely paralyzed and I am told I could only move my eyeballs. I spent several months in the D. T. Watson Home for Crippled Children in Pittsburgh, PA and underwent extensive treatment and therapy using the Sister Kenny Program.

My childhood was spent in leg braces. Due to numerous falls, I sustained many broken bones which required casts. In addition to those casts I also required casts following many corrective orthopedic surgeries on both my feet and lower legs. It seemed every summer there was a new surgery and another 3-months to endure a full-leg cast.

At age 14, while a sophomore in high school, a girlfriend invited me to attend revival services at her church and it was at that little country Baptist Church that I realized my need to accept Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. I was raised in church by a Christian Mom (Dad accepted Christ later in life) and by all the world’s standards I was a good girl…never did drugs, smoked, drank alcohol or engaged in other promiscuous activities, was active in my church, etc. However, the Bible tells us that ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23) It doesn’t matter how “good” we are or how often we go to church or even how active we are in our churches, we will never be “good” enough to enter Heaven until we accept the forgiveness of Jesus Christ for our sins. If anyone reading my testimony does not have the assurance of knowing that you have eternal life, only offered through the shed blood of Jesus, please click on the link “How To Have Eternal Life” http://www.blessingsripple.com/eternallife.html This is the most important decision you will ever make.

With the Lord’s help and a lot of hard work, I was blessed to be able to graduate high school in 1961 at the age of 16. Even though in grade school I was told I would be able to have a scholarship to college when I graduated, I decided I had enough of school and wanted to join the work force. During this time, I had progressed to orthopedic shoes only and walked with the use of a cane. As I look back on my life, it is awesome to see how the Lord gave me the strength I needed daily and how blessed I was to be able to continue working for 35-years as a Medical Secretary/Transcriptionist and I loved it!

Along with all the orthopedic surgeries, I’ve had because of the polio, I’ve also had other surgeries including removal of my appendix in 1961; gallbladder in 1971 and arthroscopy surgery to my right knee in 1985. Then in 1987 I was found to have an ovarian tumor that the doctors were 100% certain was cancer. Therefore I had to undergo a total hysterectomy. The Lord was with me again and brought me through that surgery and there was NO cancer. My doctor told me out of the five cases he had that day in surgery, I was the only one without cancer. God is good. ANOTHER MIRACLE IN MY LIFE.

In the mid 1980s, I noticed a beginning lack of energy and my endurance level was slowly decreasing. This was the first I had ever heard of PPS. Being diagnosed with PPS was really scary and put my faith to the ultimate test. Initially I was devastated. The thought of braces again and a wheelchair was overwhelming. Humanly, I thought “why me again”. Once I was able to pray about the situation and got my feelings under control, I prayed…”Lord, use this for Your Glory”. So with the Lord by my side, I was able to continue working until 1995, when I finally had to retire at age 51. ANOTHER MIRACLE.

In 1988, I had to be life-flighted to a hospital in Pittsburgh, PA when they thought I had spinal meningitis. All tests were negative. ANOTHER MIRACLE.

In 1990, I was in a very serious automobile accident on my way to work and was trapped in my car for approximately 45-minutes when they used the Jaws of Life to extricate me from my car. I had no serious injuries. ANOTHER MIRACLE.

I was blessed with a wonderful Mom and Dad and three older sisters. My Mom accepted Jesus as her Savior in 1946, but Dad had never accepted Christ until later in life. He always insisted we be in Sunday School and Church, but he just had never taken that step of accepting Christ into his life. Oh how we always prayed that Dad would get saved one day. Then in 1976, Mom and I were joining a new church and were going to be scripturally baptized. The pastor came out to the house to go over a few things with Mom and upon leaving said to Dad…”Mr. Hart, when did you get saved?” Mom said it seemed like Dad was just waiting to hear that question and he answered honestly that he wasn’t but was ready, and there in our living room, the pastor led my Dad to the Lord. So the next Sunday, Mom, Dad and I were all baptized at the same time and most of our family was there to witness this ANOTHER MIRACLE. If anyone reading this is praying for the salvation of a loved one, never give up hope, keep praying because God hears and answers our prayers.

My three sisters are all saved and married (one is now widowed) and blessed me with three nephews, three nieces, nine great-nieces and one great-great nephew, whom I love dearly.

Never having married and still living at home, it was only natural that after my Mom went home to be with the Lord in 1994, that I became the chief caretaker for my elderly father. Everyone, including my doctors and family were concerned that I could not care for Dad in my condition. By now, I was in a soft knee brace, still able to use a cane in the house in addition to holding on to furniture, but had to use forearm crutches outside the house and I had to purchase a wheelchair for shopping, etc. You know God’s Grace is sufficient and He is truly the source of my strength. That is the only explanation for how I was able to care for my Dad who continued to have declining health daily. Of course my sisters and other family members were there to help and support also.

In 1998, my Physiatrist (Physical Therapy Doctor) advised a total knee replacement due to severe pain and osteoarthritis. Then when I went to the orthopedic surgeon, he told me it could not be done due to the fact my quadriceps muscle on the left side is “dead”. In fact he told me he didn’t know how I could even walk on that leg at all…ANOTHER MIRACLE.

On April 19, 2000, my Dad went to his Heavenly Home to be with the Lord and my precious Mom. My parents are both greatly missed by all the family, but we do have that blessed hope of being reunited with them one day, and what a day that will be!!!

In August of 2000, my best friend , sisters, nieces, and I were all in the process of having a huge yard sale. I was going to sell our family home and move in with one of my sisters and her husband. Well, all was going fine until three days prior to the yard sale when I fell and shattered my knee cap in three pieces. I was hospitalized and underwent surgery with insertion of pins and wires. The orthopedic surgeon told us it was like inserting pins in butter..the bones were that soft from the polio. I spent 3 weeks in the hospital and the yard sale went on without me and was a huge success.

I had several months of physical therapy in the Rehab Center, at home, and as an outpatient. When I underwent the surgery, the doctors were not sure I would be able to walk again with that leg being so weak. However, with a lot of intercessory prayer,

the help of new knee brace and my forearm crutches I am walking. Oh I’m not walking as good as I would like to be, but I praise the Lord that I am walking and I use my wheelchair for shopping! ANOTHER MIRACLE.

On October 12, 2000, I moved in with my sister and her husband and life is great…they are so wonderful to me that at times I feel a little guilty I have it so good when so many of my friends with PPS are struggling to keep up with their duties at home. So many families of PPS victims have a hard time accepting and understanding the debilitating course PPS takes. I do praise the Lord that my family is so understanding and helpful.

I’ve developed a few other medical problems, none of which are life-threatening and for that I’m also thankful. With the proper medication and diet, these conditions are under control.

Thanks for taking the time to read my testimony. Remember with the Lord, all things are possible and He gives us the strength and courage we need to continue daily. As the PPS continues to be debilitating, I don’t know what tomorrow holds for me, but I certainly know the One who holds tomorrow and HE IS THE SOURCE OF MY STRENGTH!

Philippians 4:13...I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.