Bob Bishop's Story

Hello Karli :

 I am replying to your letter regarding my stay at Maybury. In the summer of 1941 (July) I contracted Polio,I was seven years old and turned 8 in September of 1941. I was livening in Detroit Mi. There was a large epidemic in Detroit at the time and I was rushed to Herman Kiefer and was there for 3 months. Much of the time I spent in an Iron Lung.

From there I was moved to Children's Hospital where they removed my tonsils. I was transferred to Maybury in October and began my recovery,it was Heaven and Hell. Being away from my family, they had no car and could only visit on weekend and yet being with a kind and loving staff and other children of my age.It was an active recovery time having my arms and legs exercised in a pool of hot water. There were games and a Boy Scout Troop. We were placed on carts like beds and there were rails along the wall and we moved around by pulling ourselves along the wall from room to room. On nice days they would push us outside on a patio for fresh air. Time passed and we were oblivious to the new war and in our routine as we grew stronger we began to hide some of the thing we could now do after months of rehab.

 Some of the boys in my wing used to slip out of our beds at night go outside to a grassy area. One day in early spring I was being examined by a Doctor and he noticed grass between my toes, he asked the nurse how that got there ! He looked at and asked me I could walk and I responded no. He then lowered the bed side and told me to stand up and walk across the room... I was sent home the next week and began rehab. at home.

Well that's my story,we moved to Port Huron after that on the Doctor recommendation for sunshine and water.

Thanks for maintaining your web site,it brings back fond memories......Bob Bishop