MICHIGAN POLIO
NETWORK, INC

2018 Meeting Schedule

Saturday, March 24

2018 season start-up meeting. Hope to see you there!

Saturday, April 28

Lawyer Norman (Gene) Richards will speak.   He spoke to our group last year, and was one of our more popular presenters. He will be speaking on newly developed Medicare issues that should be of benefit to us all, regarding Medicare and nursing home care. Mr. Richards, as you may recall, is an attorney specializing in wills, trusts and estates with a special interest in disability issues and providing for the disabled , After hearing him speak, some of our group have already used his services, and were very pleased.

Click here for more information 

Saturday, May 26

Saturday, June 23

Speakers Brittany Denis, Physical Therapist and Allen Hus,Occupational Therapist  from Advanced Balance Clinic, in Dearborn.

Saturday, July 28 

This meeting will feature our first open discussion for the 2018 season.....bring your solutions to problems, questions, opinions ,and comments for a lively group discussion which will include caregiver concerns and other topics of interest . This will be followed by a free raffle.

Saturday, August 25  

This meeting will feature a physical therapist, Paul Alison, Clinic Director, from Team Rehab located at Dr Ryan's clinic. We are most fortunate to have Mr Allison, who will share his expertise, extensive knowledge and interest in post polio with our group. Come and learn what he has to say and there will be plenty of time for your questions and concerns.

Saturday, September 22

This is the final formal meeting for the 2018 season. Topic to be announced. This meeting will be followed by our schedule of winter lunches at various restaurants in the area.

For information, please contact support group facilitators:

Bonnie Levitan

(313) 885-7855

[email protected]

Bruce and Dianne Sachs

(586) 465-3104

[email protected]

Bobbi Stevens

(248) 549-2149

[email protected]

Tim Brown

(313) 886-6081

[email protected]

July 2018 Newsletter

Greetings:

Hope you all enjoyed the Fourth of July weekend.....the parades, fireworks, ice cream. families, bar-b-que, etc or maybe just relaxing at home, staying out of the sweltering heat!

Our June meeting was excellent. We had two presenters from Advanced Balance clinic in Dearborn who addressed the very important topic of our balance. Brittany Denis, a Physical Therapist, and Allen Hus, an Occupational Therapist, shared their interest, knowledge and information with us and gave everyone an ample chance to get all their questions answered. They had helpful hints and suggestions for all of us and they were most generous with their time. For those of you that missed this meeting, Advanced Balance Clinic is located in a real house, so if you schedule an evaluation there, they can actually observe how you function in real living circumstances. Additionally, they will come to your house and evaluate your surroundings and how you function there on a daily basis. This is a unique, sensible and practical evaluation program that would probably benefit everyone. Advanced Balance Clinic can be reached at 313-920-6397. Brittany 's number is 734-958-6535, and Allen's number is 870-674-1294. The site will be up and running soon and that is [email protected]

July 28th will be our next meeting. We will be having our first open discussion of the season, so come prepared with your questions, concerns, and possible solutions you have discovered that you can share with others. We will also offer a little raffle, just for fun! As usual, we will be at the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, Michigan. Come at 10:00 A.M., park and enter in the back and we will welcome you "with bells on."

Enclosed is information on a nutritional counseling program available to you and it reimbursable by Medicare and there is no co-pay. See you in July!

Your Facilitators, Bonnie Levitan 313-885-7855, Bobbi Stevens 248-549-2149, Bruce and Dianne Sachs

586-455-3104, Tim Brown 313-886-5081

June 2018 Newsletter

Warm (finally) Greetings, Dear Friends

Our June meeting will be the fourth Saturday of the month (as always), Saturday, June 23'd. Please join us at the same location, The First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10am. Please park and enter in the back. We are entirely accessible.

We had a lovely Pizza luncheon (with cake!) in May. Our fearless leader, Bonnie couldn't be there and was missed, but we had able bodied spouses and friends who helped out with serving, and their help was very much appreciated.

It is with great sadness to inform all that our long-time member, Carol White, passed away on Friday, May 25th. She will be missed.

Ted and Sheila Kowalski have a medium size burgundy lift chair that they are willing to give away. lt is burgundy, no stains or tears. lt would have to be picked up in Auburn Hills. Their number is 248-535-2558.

We are very sorry that you didn't receive a May newsletter. We don't know what happened, only the post office knows for sure.

Enclosed, you will find an inventory that will help you decide if you suffer from depression. This not a diagnostic tool and for your information only.

Take care, and always try to avoid those pesky falls that can cause so much damage and pain. (this is the pot calling the kettle black).

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-885-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081, Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149

April 2018 Newsletter

Hello Dear Friends:

At least at this writing, I think Mother Nature forgot Michigan when planning spring! So since we have been hibernating we were a little slow in doing the April newsletter. ln the interest of getting it in the mail ASAP, it is more abbreviated than usual, so please forgive us! 

We are planning a very interesting April meeting with a presenter, Mr. Gene Richards. He has proven to be one of our more popular speakers in the past, so you will not want to miss this. He is speaking to us about new developments in Medicare, especially regarding coverage for some nursing home situations. You are welcome to bring a guest, as this topic should be of interest to everyone who now has Medicare. There will be plenty of time to have your questions and concerns answered.

Of course, the May meeting will feature a short discussion period before the pizza arrives for our annual social meeting and lunch. lf you want a special kind of pop to drink, please bring your own. Water, coffee or iced tea will be provided. Come share the fun!

As usual, we will be meeting at 10:00 A.M. at the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois in Troy. Please park in the back and enter the door back there. We are looking forward to sharing some social time and a cup of coffee with all of you.

lf you use a PAP machine you might want to look into the SoClean automatic cleaning machine. lt can handle any type of PAP you may be using and it functions on the same technology as water purification systems. We have received some positive feedback on this. lt is around $250.00 - $300.00 so check several sources for the best price.

The April meeting is quickly approaching, and we hope to see you all there. Any questions? Call any facilitator, Bonnie Levitan 313-885-7855, Bobbi Stevens 248-549-2149, Tim Brown 313-886-6081, Bruce & Dianne Sachs 585-455-3104.

March 2018 Newsletter

Spring Greetings:

Well, as we all "tip-toe" through the tulips, please remember to put the 2018 season start-up meeting for the Southeast Michigan Post-Polio Support Group on your calendar......Saturday, March 24th at 10:00 A.M. We will be in our usual location, the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, Michigan. This is about a quarter mile north of Wattles Rd.....please park in the back and come through the door back there. We will be waiting to welcome you! As polio survivors, we-all belong to a family, of sorts, and sharing our experiences, our solutions to problems, and learning to become our own advocates is most beneficial for us all! So, we want to see you and hear what you have to say! Please plan on attending our first meeting.

Then at the April 28th meeting, we will feature a speaker, Mr. Norman "Gene" Richards. He spoke to our group last year, and was one of our more popular presenters. He will be speaking on newly developed Medicare issues that should be of benefit to us all, regarding Medicare and nursing home care. Mr. Richards, as you may recall, is an attorney specializing in wills, trusts and estates with a special interest in disability issues and providing for the disabled , After hearing him speak, some of our group have already used his services, and were very pleased. Come hear new information and ask

questions in April!

Bobbi did an excellent job in planning our lunches over the winter. Getting together always provides such a nice social time for all who attend, and this past season was no exception. Thank you Bobbi! And additionally, we want to thank Dick and Bill for all their behind-the-scenes help in the kitchen and related issues such as serving....would not have coffee without them! Laura, with the help of Denis, keeps us all on the straight and narrow, making sure she provides everyone those useful nametags for every meeting. Would also like to mention those of you who so graciously provide treats and extra help, as needed, at each meeting. We never have to ask......many of you, who are able, willingly jump in where needed.

Sadly, we want you to know of the loss, on November 4th,2017, of our dear friend and a regular addition at our meetings, Rick Schwendenmann. His absence will be a great loss to all of us, his friends! He was always so willing to help anyone who needed it, with technological advice and direction. He, and his dear wife, Gwen, also donated a lot of time and effort to the Michigan Polio Network, Inc. and both served on the board. They were pillars of our polio community....cherish the memory!

September 2017 Newsletter

Autumn almost, Greetings!

Our final meeting will be the fourth Saturday of the month (as always), Saturday,

September 23'd. Please join us at the same location, The First Presbyterian Church

of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10am .Please park and enter in the back. We are

entirely accessible.

September, our last meeting month for the year, will be very special. We will

have the honor of Dr. Daniel Ryan as our guest speaker. We are expecting a big

crowd, so if you haven't RSVP'D already, please call one of the facilitators and let

us know if you plan to come.

ln August, our meeting featured Attorney Norman Richards, whose practice

focuses on elder law and estate planning He customizes legal documents for the

unique needs of the client, special needs trusts, and specializes in disability needs.

He was very friendly, approachable and there wasn't a question he couldn't

answer. Contact info enclosed.

As we wrote last month, Pat Fasseel, is going through some difficult times, with

her husband being ill and she is without transportation. Her contact info has

changed to 15525 Valerie. Macomb 48044.

lnformation for our winter luncheons is enclosed and we hope to see you there -

we always have the best time!

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-885-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081,

Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149.

Winter Luncheons

2017-2018

Hi Everyone! The Southeast Michigan Post-Polio Support Group will be lunching

around again this season, while we take a break from our formal meetings. Friends

and guests are welcome, we will be ordering off the regular menu, separate

checks. We ask that you RSVP to Bobbi Stevens, so that we can be sure the

restaurant can accommodate us.

Saturday November 11, 2017

Bahama Breeze

539 East Big Beaver

Troy, MI 48083

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Camp Ticonderoga

5725 Rochester Rd

Troy, MI 48084

(don't forget Secret Santa!)

Saturday January 13, 2018

Baker's of Milford

2025 S Milford Rd

Milford, Mi 48381

Saturday February 10, 2018

O'Mara's

255 12 Mile Rd

Berkley, MI 48072

All Lunches will begin at 12 Noon. Please RSVP to Bobbi Stevens at least 24 hours

prior to the scheduled luncheon at (248) 549-2149

August 2017 Newsletter

Welcome !

Our next meeting will be the fourth Saturday of the month (as always), Saturday,

August 26th. Please join us at the same location, The First Presbyterian Church of

Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10am .Please park and enter in the back. We are

entirely accessible.

ln August, our meeting will feature Attorney Norman Richards, whose practice

focuses on elder law and estate planning He customizes legal documents for the

unique needs of the client, special needs trusts, and specializes in disability needs

.He comes to us highly recommended.

September we will have Dr Daniel Ryan as our guest speaker and if you haven't

RSVP'd yet, please do contact one of your facilitators.

BayCliff will have a full program Sept 11-16 this year. There is still a little bit of

time to apply. You must be approved by Bay Cliff. Our support group has some

scholarship money available for first timers. Visit www. Baycliff.org for more

details. lt is a beautiful facility.

One of our long-time and treasured members, Pat Fasseel, is going through some

difficult times, with her husband being ill and she is without transportation. lt

would be great if you could call her, 586-566-9327, or drop by The American

House, Manor 6, 3601 S Adams, Apt 301.

Bruce announced that this would be the last year for Michigan Polio Network, in

the future we will be teaming up with Polio Health lnternational. lf you are a

member of MPN, you will still get all the information and benefits that you always

did.

lf you take medications, as most of us do, there is a DNA test (Buccal) that will tell

your Dr which medicine will be most beneficial for you. This works on many

medications, such as anti-depressants, cholesterol, and many others. lt is just a

cheek swab, no pain, no gain.

For those of you who have not heard, Meijer stores will give out many

maintenance medications, free of charge, such as some cholesteroI medications,

some diabetes medication, some antibiotics and so on. Be sure to check with

your pharmacist.

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-885-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081,

Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149.

June 2017 Newsletter

Happy Summer All!

Our May Memorial Pizza, salad and cake was delicious and fun as always, though

we did have a moment of silence to remember those who have fallen in our defense.

Member Mike Davis introduced his latest book "Forsaken Angels" based on

letters and diaries from WWI nurses.

As we all face health issues, please consider the National Institute on Aging, their website is www.nia.nih.gov or phone 1-800-222-2225.

In June, we will tackle the subject of depression. Unfortunately, we could not find

a speaker to guide us through this tangle of emotions, but I am sure we will find

strength with each other.

Our next meeting will be the fourth Saturday of the month (as always), Saturday,

June 24. Please join us at the same location, The First Presbyterian Church of

Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10am .Please park and enter in the back. We are

entirely accessible.

Bay Cliff will have a full program Sept 11-16 this year. Visit www.Baycliff.org for

more details.

In July, we will have Ginny Brown and Bill Stevens lead a group of caregivers in a

discussion group, while your facilitators lead a discussion on being taken care of.

Please think of including anyone, adult children, relatives, friends, anyone who is

interested and has helped you out.

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-885-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081,

Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-455-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149

April 2017 Newsletter

Warm Spring Greetings Friends!

Our next meeting will be the fourth Saturday of the month (as always), Saturday April 22. Please join us at the same location, The First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10am .Please park and enter in the back. We are entirely accessible.

Our speaker in April will focus on emotional issues.

We don't usually announce birthdays, but we celebrated Dan Matakas hitting 80

at our March meeting. Lookin'good, Dan!

We received information concerning accessible vehicles for rent and we are enclosing the information for your perusal.

We also looked at an overview of the coming year, with interesting speakers, sharing time and a caregiver/disabled workshop where we separate into 2 groups and voice our concerns. Bill Stevens and Ginny Brown will captain the AB (able-bodies) team, and Bonnie and I will play defense for the DABs. (Just kidding). We encourage you to bring friends, relatives, anyone who assists you. We are hoping to promote understanding of these two very different positions.

We hope all that attended our winter luncheons enjoyed themselves, but if you

have suggestions, questions, or compliments, er, I mean concerns, Please contact

Bobbi Stevens.

On a personal note, Bill and I want to thank everyone in the support group for the

love and support we received last fall when our daughter, Meredith, passed away

unexpectedly.

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-885-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081,

Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149

March 2017 Newsletter

Hello Dear Friends:

Welcome back to another season of our Post-Polio Support Group. We, the facilitators have missed seeing many of you over the winter months and we are looking forward to seeing you at our first meeting Saturday, March 25th, 2017 . As usual, the meeting starts at 10:00A.M. and it is in the usual location, The First Presbyterian Church of Troy,4328 Livernois, which is about a quarter mile north of Wattles Road (17 Mile Rd). Please park in the back of the church and enter the door back there and we will be waiting for you with a hot cup of coffee and good cheer. We are bound together by our common bonds and we have a lot to share with each other! Heaven knows there are not many outside of our "Post-Polio Circle" that know much! LOL! We are, however lucky that we do have some wonderful connections, such as Dr. Ryan and the clinic, knowledgeable physical therapists, and speakers who are interested in our situation and come to share their information with us, etc. and so we have much to be thankful for......some polio survivors have nowhere to turn for treatment or direction! So we come together trusting in each other and depending on this connection for support and knowledge....come share yours with us! We need each other! We want to know what you have been doing over the past few months.

Thought for the day: Your outlook and how you handle your problems and troubling times, have a lot to do with the outcome!

The March, April and September meetings will be facilitated by Bonnie, Tim and Bobbi and May, June, July and August will be facilitated by Bonnie, Bobbi , Bruce and Dianne Sachs. We have adopted this schedule to accommodate Bruce and Dianne being in Florida for half of the year and to get a little variety into the meetings. However, do not despair, Tim will be "at the ready" for each and every meeting with one of his stories to entertain us! He is just back from his world tour which has received wide acclaim......surprised he missed getting an Oscar for his performance!

See you soon and bring any fresh ideas you may have to improve our meetings in the future! lf you have any questions in the meantime, please do not hesitate to call one of the facilitators!

Bonnie Levitan 313-885-7855, Bobbi Stevens 249-549-2149, Tim Brown 313-886-6081, Bruce and Dianne Sachs (after April 15th) 586-465-3104

September 2016 Newsletter

Greeting Friends!

Our speaker for August was Aaron Wooster, who is an expert in the health

insurance field and can help to untangle the snarl that health insurance has

become. Among his many excellent recommendations, he urges all of us to

examine our health insurance options every year, as changes may occur that our

not to your benefit. Mr. Wooster has spoken with us before and several of our

members have sought help from him and were very pleased with the results. You

can contact him through Jackson Kennedy lnsurance & Investments, 810-626-

3226 ex 101 or [email protected]

Our next meeting will be the last official meeting of 2016, we will have

entertainment, a raffle and some sharing time. Please join us at the same

location, The First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10am on

Saturday, September 23'd. Please park and enter in the back. We are entirely

accessible.

While the official meetings are coming to an end for this year, our winter

luncheons will begin in November. These are strictly social get-togethers at area

restaurants. You will find enclosed a sheet with necessary dates, locations, etc.

We always have so much fun, please join us!

The Farmington Rotary is presenting a program "The Shot Heard Round The

World" on Oct 24, "World Polio Day" , at The Civic Theater on Grand River at 7pm.

It is about Rotary contributions to eradicate Polio. Survivors are welcome to

attend.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for the support group.

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-885-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081, 

Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 585-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149.

August 2016 newsletter

Hello All! We hope you are keeping cool, Polio survivors do not always do well

with temperature extremes, please take measures to safely enjoy summer. Like

hydration and limiting sun exposure. (Really good advice for everyone)

We were lucky to have Osa Jackson, PhD, PT return to our group to speak in July.

Dr. Osa explores the mind-body connection and offers CDs, books, and workshops

to explore further the impacts life can have on our bodies. Dr Jackson is holding

workshops, in Aug., Sept., Oct., and Nov. and will be cutting the price in half for

Polio survivors - see enclosed flier for details.

Our speaker for August is Aaron Wooster, who is an expert in the health insurance

field and can maybe help to untangle the snarl that health insurance has become.

Please join us at the same location, The First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328

Livernois, Troy, at 10 on Saturday, July 23'd. Please park and enter in the back.

We are entirely accessible.

We are very sorry to tell you of the passing of Barbara Basirico on July 20th. Barb

was a Polio survivor and a longtime member of our group. She will be missed.

The Farmington Rotary is presenting a program "The Shot Heard Round The

World" on Oct 24, "World Polio Day", at The Civic Theater on Grand River at 7prn.

It is about Rotary contributions to eradicate Polio. Survivors are welcome to

attend.

lf you are a former Camp Grace Bentley person, you may be interested in a report

on the camp that can be found at EBW.TV

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for the support group.

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-885-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081, Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 585-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149.

July 2016 newsletter

Hello and Happy Summer to everyone!

We had an amazing turnout for our June meeting and we continue to welcome

new members. We were lucky enough to have 2 microbiologists from OUWB

(Oakland University William Beaumont Medical School), Drs John and Tracey

Taylor who spoke on virology, with, obviously, an emphasis on the polio virus and

its imminent (fingers crossed) eradication. They also gave us great information on

the immune system, how vaccines are developed, and how they work in our

systems. lt was a lively meeting, fun and very informative.

Our tentative speaker for July is Osa Jackson. Please join us at the same location,

The First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10 on Saturday, July

23'd. Please park and enter in the back. We are entirely accessible.

Our group voted to donate a small amount of money to Bay Cliff Health Camp (a

camp primarily for disabled children, though we have been invited there for

several years now.) to replace some well-used exercise equipment.

Bruce Sachs spoke on "How to Get A Wheelchair", including the physical

requirements for the individual and also negotiating the red tape involved, thanks

to some fairly new Medicare changes.

We would like to urge you to visit the Michigan Polio Network website. lt has

recently been updated by our group's good friend Mike Scharl (who is also a

member of the MPN board). New information is being posted on a regular basis.

Also, the Post-Polio lnternational website is being updated - you can check out an

article by Dr Selma Calmes on anesthesia.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for the support group.

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 3!3-774-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081,

Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149.

June 2016 newsletter

Greetings!

We are going to start this newsletter by urging all polio survivors to attend the

June 25 meeting. We are lucky enough to have 2 microbiologists from OUWB

(Oakland University William Beaumont Medical School), who will donate their

time to discuss the polio virus, and its damaging effects, with us. This is bound to

be a fascinating and educational meeting for all of us.

Please join us at the same location, The First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328

Livernois, Troy, at 10. Please park and enter in the back. We are entirely

accessible.

Our own fearless leader, Bonnie Levitan, was honored by the Michigan Polio

Network for all her years of hard work and contributions by being awarded the

title of Michigan Polio Network Board Member Emeritus, she was presented with

a framed certificate, and also receives the gratitude of Michigan Polio Survivors,

who have benefitted from her years of service.

ln this edition of newsletter, we are including pictures from the past; Elvis Presley

receiving the polio vaccine (to encourage teens in the 1950s to be vaccinated)

and, a picture of the late, great, Muhammed Ali visiting polio survivors at Kosair

Crippled Childrens Hospital in 1960. These pictures remind us that we are part of

history.

Also, enclosed is an explanation for the recent changes in polio vaccinations

worldwide, in cooperation with the World Health Organization eradication

program. And contact info for Adaptive Environments.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for the support group. 

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-774-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-6081,

Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149.

May 2016 newsletter

C'mon spring, I know you can do it, just a few more warm days and we can

consider it spring and put away the fleece and down. Maybe. But warm or cold,

rain or shine The Post -Polio Support Group goes on.

We had a polio survivor/musician at our last meeting. He spoke and sang, played

guitar, and we had an impromptu sing-along, along with our own Joe Wanchek,

who brought his mandolin. You can never tell what to expect at our meetings, but

I can tell you what you CAN count on; friendship, kinship, information and may be

even a giggle or two.

Our next meeting is the 4th Saturday in May, our annual Pizza Party, which will be

(as usual) at The First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10.

Please park and enter in the back. We are entirely accessible.

We continue to work with Oakland University-William Beaumont Hospital Medical

School, in the hopes of giving new doctors insight into polio and it's varied after

effects. lf you have received a questionnaire and not sent it back yet, we urge

you to do so. lf you haven't received a questionnaire (they went out last fall)

Please talk to Tim Brown.

Our OUWB connection continues at our June meeting when we will welcome 2

microbiologists who will discuss the polio virus. We are so fortunate that these

professionals are willing to give their time to us. Please on attending.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for the support group.

Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-774-7855, Tim Brown, 313-886-5081,

Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149.

April 2016 newsletter

Greetings All:

Hope you all had a joyous Easter Sunday and beautiful spring day, because, as of this writing, we are experiencing a rebirth of winter! Oh the joys of living in Michigan!

We had a wonderful opening meeting in March. We introduced a new couple, Penny and Lynne Gregory from Troy, and we all enjoyed hearing his polio story and their experiences. We certainly hope they felt welcome and will return to join our "post-polio" farnily and share all of our common bonds. Additionally, we had a spirited discussion on denial. ln fact, there did not seem to be enough time to continue the discussion, in depth, so perhaps we can add it to a future agenda. lt is certainly a topic that we are all familiar with. Facilitators Tim an Bobbi shared a letter from a doctor regarding how doctors viewed people with chronic issues, disability and ongoing or changing conditions. lt was an honest and heartfelt message with an approach that we have not been familiar with, but one which we could all benefit from understanding. The full text of the letter will appear in Perspectives from the Michigan Polio Network, and it is worth reading and saving for future reference.

Our next meeting is April 23rd at 10:00 A.M. at the usual place, the First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy Michigan. Please park in the back and enter the door back there, and we will welcome you with a hot cup of coffee and plenty of good cheer. lt should be a fun April meeting, as we will meet Mr. Steve Gilbert. He is a polio survivor who says he has never met another polio survivor. He is a guitarist and after he shares his polio story with us, he will entertain us. So plan on attending and enjoy a fun filled morning.

June is a "Don't Miss' meeting, as we will be featuring a husband and wife team of microbiologists from Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine. Their presentation will be on the polio virus. It is not often we are able to get such knowledgeable speakers on the topic of polio, and there will be plenty of time for you to ask questions. So, bring a friend and come to a most interesting and informative meeting.

Below is an invitation from Rotary to attend an Open House on Saturday afternoon following our rneeting on April 23. lt looks as if it will be an interesting and informative get together and tour at the old Farmington/ Sister Kenny Hospital. We hope many of you will be able to attend.

We welcome any and all comments, questions, or feedback on our support group. Please contact a facilitator any time. Bonnie Levitan 313-885-7855 Bobbi Stevens 248-549-2149 Bruce and Dianne Sachs

586-465-3104

September 2015 Newsletter

Happy Labor Day and may we have a mild and long autumn!

We had a lovely meeting in August, with Sara DiCiesare, who is a musical therapist

for hospice. She cited studies proving how music can reduce pain and fatigue and help to relieve the symptoms of depression. Luckily, she also brought several instruments with her and performed for us. Sara is a therapist for Residential home health and Hospice and can be reached at [email protected]

Our next meeting will be our last official meeting for the year, in Oct (the 10th) we begin our winter social luncheons. Please see the enclosed flyer for dates and places. Please don't forget our special December luncheon, where we celebrate the season with "Secret Santa". lf you are male, you bring a gift for a male, female for female, all gifts should be anonymous. We put them into 2 containers and pass them out. The price limit is $10. We have had a lot of fun with this in the past, it really contributes to the festive luncheon. lt is voluntary, of course. lf you are feeling overwhelmed by the holidays and just can't buy one more thing, please, come anyway. All our welcome.

On Sept 26th we will have our meeting, as usual, at The First Presbyterian Church of Troy, 4328 Livernois, Troy, at 10. Please park and enter in the back. We are entirely accessible. This will be an Open Discussion" meeting. Everyone's input is welcome.

We continue to work with Oakland University-William Beaumont Hospital Medical

School, in the hopes of giving new doctors insight into polio and it's varied after effects. We may be asked to fill out questionnaires later this year.

We welcome your feedback and suggestions for the support group. Your facilitators are Bonnie Levitan, 313-774-7855, Bruce & Dianne Sachs, 586-465-3104, & Bobbi Stevens, 248-549-2149.