Polio is a crippling and deadly infectious disease that has been completely removed from the United States for decades. The virus can invade an infected person’s brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis, where a person can’t move parts of the body. The virus may also cause flu-like symptoms, stomach pain, numbness, tingling, and weakness. Paralysis is the most severe symptom associated with polio because it can lead to permanent disability and death. Most of what I remembered about this disease is old black and white photos of children with iron lungs, a medical instrument they used to use to try to keep the child breathing after their lungs would be affected by the disease and they couldn’t breathe. It is a very contagious and spreads through person-to-person contact.
Unfortunately, there is no cure for polio; but there is a vaccine. Polio hasn’t been in the US because the vaccine protects children against the polio virus and is 99% successful. The year before the Race, I had multiple conversations with parents of pediatric patients wondering if the vaccines were necessary. It can be difficult to in the US to remember how horrible some of the diseases out there are because we never see it; and it becomes almost this imaginary thing that we don’t really need protection against.
I was surprised and heartbroken when our team’s translator, Abhi told me that his sister is infected with the disease. His sister is 23 years old and was diagnosed with polio when she was 11. She has limited movement of her arms and legs. Abhi’s entire family work together to take care of his sister. His family is a part of one of the lowest castes that is for slaves and shoemakers. He explained that people will come up to his parents and comment on how they are treating his sister so well and wondering how they have time to care for her. It is common throughout India for sick to be abandoned or left in dark rooms with little care. Abhi’s family stands out in the village with the unconditional love they show his sister.
Why? Why does a beautiful, incredible, healthy 11 year old get sick from a disease that can be prevented?
When I asked Abhi about healthcare and vaccines in India, his answer made everything within me cry out. He explained that in most castes you have free healthcare at government hospitals; but that the treatment is not good. He said that they do not fully assess your symptoms, will not treat you or will give you wrong medicine for your symptoms. He said that it is sometimes difficult to know if the medicine that you are taking is actually the right medicine or even medicine at all because there are so many cheap knockoff pills that are imported from other countries. When I asked about vaccines he said that there are vaccines that are supposed to be free; but that patients don’t receive them because the doctors will take them to give to paying patients at their private practices.
One of my favorite moments of the Race was when our team got to visit Abhi’s village for the night. We were greeted with such a warm welcoming from his parents, sister, friends and neighbors. The women from the community had come together to prepare us a meal of fish, potatoes, breads, chapatti, tea and fruits. Quite the feast. We even had Washington State apples! While visiting different homes in the village and praying over families, we arrived at Abhi’s aunt’s house where his sister was staying. As our team walked in, I could not believe the smile and excitement that came from the petite woman sitting on the ground. Abhi’s sister was so happy to meet us; and the feeling was matched from our team.
I left our conversation with her so thankful that she is surrounded by a Christian family that care for her and that she knows the love of the Father that protects her. She is so special. I pray that her life will continue to be a beacon of God’s light in the village as she breaks the norm of how people with illness are to act and be treated in this country. She is an example of how your response to difficult circumstances can change when you have to joy of the Lord with you.
