W-b Diamonds Shine In Debut Against Slamm

4 Players Hit Double Figures As Altoona Downs Hazleton

By JOAN FOOSE; Times Leader Staff Writer
 Sunday, January 11, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 1 





Donald Davis remembers the night he first noticed a change in his legs, the
forewarning that a childhood disease was creeping back into his life. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 He stepped on the headlight dimmer switch in his `74 Dodge van that summer
evening in 1993, thinking his leg felt weaker than usual. The feeling was so
slight that he quickly dismissed it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; However, in the weeks that followed, as his joints ached, it became more
apparent that there was a definite problem. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 After extensive investigation, a Hershey Medical Center doctor reached a
diagnosis: Post Polio Syndrome, or PPS, a term that encompasses a range of
symptoms experienced by 20 to 40 percent of the survivors of polio between 30
to 50 years after their initial infections. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Davis, a resident of Beaver Township, Columbia County, just a quarter mile
from the Schuylkill County line, was a victim of poliomyelitis at the age of
18 months. Because he was so young, he said he really doesn't remember much
about it. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "All I remember is my mother rubbing my legs because they hurt so bad," he
says. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Polio, a potentially fatal disease caused by a virus that attacks the
central nervous system, often results in muscle paralysis and also can cause
fever, headache and difficulty breathing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Because there is no cure for polio, the care required consists mainly of
providing comfort. The same is true for PPS. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 A polio outbreak hit the United States during the 1940s and 1950s. In 1952,
the year that Davis was born, more than 20,000 people were paralyzed by the
disease. Some healthy families hid during the panic, traffic was diverted from
affected villages and many recreational activities came to a halt. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "To my knowledge, only one other person in the area had polio about the
time I had it," said Davis, referring to a woman from the Zion Grove area who
was then a teenager. "The disease left her paralyzed and in a wheelchair." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 With the development of the Salk vaccine, and the later Sabin oral vaccine,
the number of polio cases sharply declined after 1955. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Davis, 45, emphasizes the importance of the vaccines for children. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Though there are now few cases of polio in the United States, other
countries report thousands of cases. International travelers could bring the
polio virus into the country. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Before Davis' diagnosis of PPS, medical experts performed a muscle biopsy,
many blood tests and an electromyography, or EMG, a test that can identify the
disease producing muscle weakness. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 "The doctors needed to rule out other possible problems like Lyme disease
and Myasthenia gravis," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Even for polio specialists, arriving at a diagnosis of this condition can
be difficult, because many PPS symptoms resemble those of other disorders,
including fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 PPS has taken its toll on the work Davis did for a living, restoring
antique furniture and replacing seats in chairs. Stiffness in his hands forced
him to largely give up the craft. "In my good days I could do a seat in about
four or five hours. Now, I can only work a couple hours a week at it." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Davis taught the art of caning to his son Matt, 16, about six years ago and
hopes someday he will continue the work. His daughter Anna, 8, also shows an
interest in caning and likes to watch. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Davis said that the doctor believes he will not end up in a wheelchair. The
doctor is working with Davis, trying to help him to sleep better by
alleviating his pain with medication. Getting a good night's sleep is nearly
impossible for PPS patients because of the amount of pain. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Davis also said he must do light exercises two times a day for about 15
minutes to keep the muscles toned in his arms and legs. "It is important to
keep upper body strength in case my legs give out," he said. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Living with PPS is made more bearable by having a strong family unit, said
Davis. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Wendy, his wife of 19 years, said, "It is hard to see your spouse's health
decline. It affects you emotionally and financially. The only good thing about
this is that he is able to be home and spend more time with the kids." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 TIMES LEADER PHOTOS/JOAN FOOSE &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Donald Davis, 45, of Columbia County, practices the craft of chair caning,
an activity becoming increasingly more difficult as he copes with the
aftereffects of childhood polio. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Shown are some of the materials and tools that Donald Davis used in chair
caning. H

Polio's Return Leaves Man Battling To Live Normal Life 
The 45-year-old Beaver 
Township Resident Copes 
With Daily Pain, Making It 
Almost Impossible To Keep 
Restoring Antique Furniture 
For A Living

Polio's Return Leaves Man Battling To Live Normal Life The 45-year-old Beaver Township Resident Copes With Daily Pain, Making It Almost Impossible To Keep Restoring Antique Furniture For A Living