Paul Alexander on Living Inside an Iron Lung

The iron lung is home to me now. It’s my friend, and it’s — my enemy. In the end, it keeps me alive. Polio is watched very carefully because it’s a hideous disease. Mine was extensive. One of the worst cases ever recorded. And I’m still here. The machine is another way of life. It’s a different kind of life that you’re totally restricted. But you adapt and you learn to do what you need to do to accomplish your goals and your dreams with the help of the iron lung.