Paul Alexander’s life has been full of challenges since he came into the world in 1946. Paul was the victim of the terrifying polio outbreak in the United States that affected over 58k individuals, the majority of them being children.
Who was Paul Alexander?
Paul Alexander was a prominent American lawyer who faced paralysis when he was just six. He was amongst those who were critically affected by polio in the major outbreak that occurred in 1952 killing over 3000. Paul was a polio survivor who had to face lifelong repercussions.
He was paralyzed for a lifetime just able to move the uppermost organs of the body such as the mouth, head, and neck. He was treated alongside several children who were fighting for their lives getting treatment in a ward equipped with iron lungs. He was allowed to lead a normal life after specializing in the unique breathing technique and pursued education as a homeschooled student. He was a brilliant student of his time and was awarded graduation from Dallas High School, the first one to have achieved it without any physical attendance in the school.
How many people are still in an iron lung?
An iron lung is a medical equipment that utilizes the concept of negative pressure helping the victims to breathe when their respiratory system does not support them, especially when they are paralyzed and the muscles fail to enable breathing in the body, as it is seen in polio victims. It was used initially to treat the patients who were affected by polio in the mid-90s before the polio vaccines were developed.
The iron lung functions by creating a vacuum around the chest portion, and leads to the expansion and contraction, exhibiting the natural breathing process. The patient is fitted in an airtight metal device, with only a head outside the chamber. With the advancement in technology, positive pressure ventilators, and advanced vaccines, the use of the iron lung was almost over.
How long does a patient need to be in an iron lung?
The duration of living in an iron lung depends on the intensity of the polio attack on the victim. It takes a few days, or months, and in some cases, the patient has to be in the 600-pound chamber for a lifetime. There were more than a thousand people using iron lung in the United States during the polio outbreak, which reduced to just three by 2017, with the eradication of the disease after the invention of the vaccine by Jonas Salk.
Paul Alexander Obituary, Dies at 78
Paul Alexander, the American lawyer who spent most of his life inside an iron lung, finally dies inside the chamber at 78. He was impelled to spend his life in a 600-pound metallic chamber after getting affected by polio when was six years old. He was even known by the name of Polio Paul, one of the only two persons who were in the iron lung in the current times. He was a brilliant individual who motivated people across the globe by the achievements he gained in his life tenure. He published a book in April 2020 on his life with the help of his friend Norman named- Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung which took eight long years.
Is Paul Alexander Married?
Paul Alexander holds the Guinness Book of World Records for spending the highest amount of time in a metallic vessel. He found his lady love when he was studying in Dallas and got in a romantic relationship with Claire. Claire’s mother did not allow her to sustain the decision to marry Alexander after becoming aware of his physical condition. She even did not allow me to have any conversation with Paul after that. He was touched after his separation from Claire and it took years for him to heal, as per the reports from The Guardian.
He never got married to anyone after the incident but was close to Kathy Gaines, who was blind but cared for Paul for more than 30 years.
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