Yeah, Donuel, most of the actual medical care I've had over the years has been pretty good. Most of the hassles I've had in the process came from insurance companies.

Polio at the age of two left me with paralyzed legs and scoliosis (spinal curvature, which is why my back goes out easily). Also, there is what is known as post-polio syndrome, which often affects polio victims when they get older (such as me). It manifests itself as tiring very easily, with lots of sore muscles because of the need to substitute one set of muscles to do the job of another. I have to use my arms and shoulders a lot because I can't use my legs. My shoulders can get pretty danged sore. Overuse. But what's the choice?

Another post-polio manifestation that one must stay on top of all the time is the intestines—elimination. "Lack of motility" is what they call it, making it necessary to ride herd on anything resembling constipation, which can develop into worse, life-threatening things.

With that lovely scenario to go on, I sometimes wonder, when I get into the kind of binds that sent me to the emergency room on June 12th, when and if the insurance company will claim that it stems from a "pre-existing condition" and leave me hanging in mid-air.

Don Firth