Paul Alexander (The Man In the Iron Lung) Dies After 70 Years Living In Tank

[maximus otter]

A polio survivor, who lived inside an iron lung for 70 years, has died at the age of 78.

Paul Alexander, widely known as "Polio Paul", contracted the viral disease in the summer of 1952 when he was six years old and was left paralysed from the neck down.

He was rushed to hospital in Texas - and woke up inside the metal cylinder where he would spend the rest of his life.

An update on his GoFundMe page reads: "Paul Alexander, 'The Man in the Iron Lung', passed away yesterday.

"After surviving polio as a child, he lived over 70 years inside of an iron lung.

"In this time Paul went to college, became a lawyer, and a published author.

"His story travelled wide and far, positively influencing people around the world. Paul was an incredible role model that will continue to be remembered."

https://news.sky.com/story/paul-ale...g-dies-after-70-years-living-in-tank-13093818

maximus otter

 

[Aydee_Aitchdee]

Wow, he died from COVID
From Wikipedia
Alexander self-published his memoir, Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung, in April 2020 with the assistance of friend Norman D. Brown RN (retired). According to The Guardian, they said "It took him more than eight years to write it, using the plastic stick and a pen to tap out his story on the keyboard, or dictating the words to his friend."

I'm wondering why, in the last 70 years of technological advances, nothing was ever made to replace the iron lung with something better?

 

[Kondoru]

Alas...

Too specialised...no market for it.

 

[PeteS]

Wow, he died from COVID
From Wikipedia
Alexander self-published his memoir, Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung, in April 2020 with the assistance of friend Norman D. Brown RN (retired). According to The Guardian, they said "It took him more than eight years to write it, using the plastic stick and a pen to tap out his story on the keyboard, or dictating the words to his friend."

I'm wondering why, in the last 70 years of technological advances, nothing was ever made to replace the iron lung with something better?

Something that occurred to me too. One wonders why the guy didn't go insane or at least request that the equipment be turned off. I would have done. A remarkable man for his tenacity to hang on to life.

 

[Paul_Exeter]

Just realised I knew about him back in my childhood, @PeteS I get where you are coming from, incredible guy. Wonder if he liked the Radiohead song?

 

[Ermintruder]

One wonders why the guy didn't go insane or at least request that the equipment be turned off.

This statement massively changes my understanding of his situation:

<news.sky.com writes>

Mr Alexander could leave his iron lung a few hours at a time after teaching himself to breath

I'm astounded by this revelation... therefore, almost like a semi-aquatic animal, in reality he wasn't totally tethered to his lifeline? I feel so much better for him, that he did have some time during his decades of hell 'outside the tank' (albeit of course still paralysed).

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Alexander_(polio_survivor) writes

Alexander taught himself glossopharyngeal breathing which allowed him to leave the iron lung for gradually increasing periods of time

 

[Paul_Exeter]

This statement massively changes my understanding of his situation:




I'm astounded by this revelation... therefore, almost like a semi-aquatic animal, in reality he wasn't totally tethered to his lifeline? I feel so much better for him, that he did have some time during his decades of hell 'outside the tank' (albeit of course still paralysed).

That puts a different complexion on it and not how the media portrayed it at all

 

[staticgirl]

Apparently he was offered life on a ventilator (once they had been developed) which would have given him much greater freedom but he refused saying he was used to the Iron Lung.

 

[Aydee_Aitchdee]

n reality he wasn't totally tethered to his lifeline?

I read in another article that he used the breathing technique to be able to leave the iron lung for 4 to 6 hours at a time, but gradually lost the ability as time went on.

 

[Aydee_Aitchdee]

Apparently he was offered life on a ventilator (once they had been developed) which would have given him much greater freedom but he refused saying he was used to the Iron Lung.

I guess I can understand that...in an iron lung, he could still talk and laugh and communicate, but not move. With a ventilator, he'd lose the communication.

 

[SaturnCeleste]

RIP Paul Alexander.