Get Up and Walk

In the fall of 1938, when he was just 6 yrs old, my father fell ill with polio. He was very sick and therefore hospitalized. His physician, Dr. Walker, did everything he could to help.

Many children in that day died of polio and many treatments were attempted. One of those treatment ideas was to give the child a blood transfusion. It was hoped that healthy blood would give him enough energy to stay alive until he could get better.

Al Sigl was a news reporter on the radio every day in Rochester, NY. It was Al Sigl who made the plea to find a blood donor for a gravely ill six year old boy. A Mrs. Sacrider (?) stepped forward to help the child and made a blood donation. My father was the first recipient. The transfusion was enough to help Dad hang on and he slowly began to get well. After spending approximately three weeks in the hospital he was taken home by ambulance to continue his recovery.

While sick in the hospital a cast was put on Dad's severely affected left leg and this cast was still on his leg when Dad went home. Dr. Walker told his parents there was no hope of their son ever walking again. My grandmother was not one to give up easily. She had heard of an osteopath whose treatments included massaging the legs with oil in hopes that the nerves and muscles would regain feeling and strength. Grandma told Dr. Walker of her plan to take Dad to one of these "doctors". In those days osteopaths and chiropractors were considered to be quacks and Dr. Walker told Grandma that if she took her boy to see one of them he (Dr. Walker) would quit. To Grandma Dr. Walker had already quit. She called Cr. Camp.

The first thing Dr. Camp did when he came to the house was to cut the cast off of Dad's leg. Dad couldn't move his leg and it had no feeling. The treatments began and continued week after week. Finally one day when they poked Dad's toe with a pin he said "Ouch!"

Little by little the feeling came back and Dad learned to walk again. One day Grandma called Dr. Walker and said "I have something to show you." When Dr. Walker came to the house Dad was sitting in a chair. Grandma told him to get up and walk across the room. When he did she told him to turn around and walk back. Dr. Walker called it a miracle.

One day when Dad was up and walking, there was a gathering in the park. Al Sigl was there and Dad was able to thank him publicly for his help in finding a blood donor and saving his life.