Meeting Highlights - 2017

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November 2017 - Winter Celebration Luncheon

The Post Polio Network held the Winter Celebration Luncheon at the Caboto Centre. The event was well attended and enjoyed by all. The tasty turkey dinner was catered by the Mona Lisa restaurant. The decorations at the centre were quite lovely. Many thanks are given to Doug Mihalyk, Mervin and Ruth Woodward for getting donations to be raffled off and two of the door prizes. The raffle tickets were sold for $1.00 each. The monies that were raised for the raffle will go toward future events for the PPN. There were five door prizes drawn. Congrats to all of the winners.

Happy Holidays and wishing everyone a Healthy, Prosperous New Year 2018.

October 2017 - General Meeting Highlights

At this general meeting there were no guest speakers. We had a round table discussion regarding how we were coping with Post Polio. The following are excerpts taken from the discussions:

• At the beginning the PPN provided support for each other, contacts and place to discuss issues
• The Polio Wall. The tiredness and weakness that we all suffer and then at some point in the day hit the wall
• Lack of motivation
• Gradual decline in health
• Not getting a lot of help from the medical community
• Falling, vertigo, and head injuries.

Things that have helped:

• Chair yoga and chair tai chi
• Aquacize, Ai-chi
• Walking

September 2017 - General Meeting Highlights

Dr. Diane Biehl was the guest speaker at the meeting. Dr. Biehl

is a retired anesthesiologist. In 1987 Dr. Biehl was head of the anesthesia department of St. Boniface Hospital and in 1993 she was appointed as Associate Dean for Post Grad Medical Education at the University of Manitoba. In 2017 she was recognized by the Canadian Anesthesiologist Society for her significant contribution to anesthesia.

The following are the notes that she has forwarded on her presentation:

Anesthesia considerations in the Post Polio Syndrome 
The post-polio syndrome is a now recognized long term sequelae to the acute poliomyelitis illness. Usually the nerve damage from the acute episode reoccurs to varying degrees in the post-polio syndrome. If you do have this syndrome and require an anesthetic for an operation, it is very important that you relay this information to the anesthesiologist who sees you pre-operatively. As there have been no new cases of polio in Canada since 1994, anesthesiologists may not have firsthand experience of the acute form of polio or the post-polio syndrome either. What you should tell the anesthesiologist is the extent of muscle weakness that you have plus any other joint problems that may have occurred because of the polio. For example, scoliosis of the back is quite common in individuals with post-polio syndrome. It is also important to mention any difficulties that you have with swallowing or talking as this may affect your anesthesia management also. Any other joint problems should also be mentioned. It is important that you have proper padding of your arms, legs and torso on the operating room table before the anesthetic so that muscle and bone soreness does not occur after the operation. Another problem that may occur because of weakened muscles in the throat is sleep apnea. This problem may eventually lead to serious lung dysfunction and can be exasperated by pain medication given during an anesthetic or in the post-operative period. Careful monitoring of breathing for several hour post-op is required to ensure that your breathing pattern remains normal. If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea be sure to tell your anesthesiologist about this.

There are no absolute contra-indications for any anesthetic agents in people with the post-polio syndrome, but often drug dosages should be reduced to prevent difficulties with your breathing in the post-operative period because of weakened chest muscles. In the post-operative period patients with post-polio syndrome should be monitored in hospital for 24-48 hours to ensure that there are no respiratory complications and that pain medication is effective but not excessive. Pain medication may depress your breathing and make it more difficult for you to cough and clear your airway.

With proper precautions before, during and after the anesthetic and operation you should not have any further weakness or muscle pain. Telling the anesthesiologist about your symptoms before the anesthetic is key to keeping you safe during the operation.

June 2017 - General Meeting Highlights

The Summer Celebration Lunch at the Caboto Centre was a great success. Great Food, Great Friends Great Fun!

The luncheon was well attended and great beginnings to our summer break. See you in September.

May 2017 - General Meeting Highlights

Brent Konatz from Healthwest presented on orthotics. Stability and mobility is the company's primary goal. Most balance issues are from structural causes (femur length) and/or functional causes (musculature or joint).

Stable shoes should be purchased every 12 -18 months; stabilizing the o/s or i/s of shoes with orthotics will help prevent falls. There should be no tongue on the shoe, heel of shoe needs to be stable and shoe should only break at ball of shoe.

Using some members as examples, Mr Konatz demonstrated some of the issues with incorrect / correct shoes and orthotics.

 April 2017 - General Meeting Highlights

Post Polio Network (Mb) Inc. held their April general meeting at the Caboto Centre on Wilkes Avenue, Winnipeg. This was the first meeting at this facility. The general consensus was that this facility is suitable for Post Polio Network's meetings.

Our presenter was Ms. Heather Hiscox, training co-ordinator at SMD. The presentation was on the new Accessibility Legislation that has been passed in Manitoba. SMD has developed videos regarding the legislation. These videos can be used for training purposes and demonstrations. Ms. Hiscox presented these short videos.

March 2017 - General Meeting Highlights

Post Polio Network (Mb) Inc. held their 30th Annual General Meeting on May 28th, 2017. The meeting was held at the First Mennonite Church, 922 Notre Dame Ave as the Katherine Friesen Centre has structural damage.

The AGM was conducted by the president and reports were given by the Executive Committee and the Committee Co-ordinators.

It was announced that the new meeting place for the Post Polio Network meetings will be the CABOTO CENTRE, 1055 Wilkes Ave., Winnipeg.

Three new members introduced themselves to the attendees of the AGM. At meetings end a 50:50 raffle was drawn. Kub Bakery has donated bread to PPN and this bread was also raffled off.