Meet Paulo Machado, the man who has lived in hospital for 45 years

[Northerner]

Paulo Henrique Machado has lived almost his entire life in hospital. As a baby he suffered infantile paralysis brought on by polio, and he is still hooked up to an artificial respirator 24 hours a day. But despite this, he has trained as a computer animator and is now creating a television series about his life.

The Brazilian's first memories are of exploring the hospital he has lived in for 45 years by wheelchair.

"I explored up and down the corridors, going into the rooms of other children that were here - that is how I discovered my 'universe'," he says.

"For me, playing football or with normal toys wasn't an option, so it was more about using my imagination."

Machado's mother died when he was two days old, and as a baby he contracted polio - the result of one of the last big outbreaks of the disease in Brazil.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-23364127

An amazing story for when we feel that life has dealt us a bad deal.

 

[Pumper_Sue]

Just read this lady and Gentleman's story how amazing are they.
I used to be a carer for an elderly gentleman who had had polio as a child. His only legacy was a club foot. One amazing chap who made his own leg brace as the NHS ones were not right for him.

 

[Northerner]

Just read this lady and Gentleman's story how amazing are they.
I used to be a carer for an elderly gentleman who had had polio as a child. His only legacy was a club foot. One amazing chap who made his own leg brace as the NHS ones were not right for him.

I had a couple of friends who were affected by polio, same as you with a club foot. We forget how terrible a disease it used to be, now that it can be prevented with a couple of sugar cubes. What angered me recently was the murder of those health workers in Pakistan who were involved in the polio vaccination program, hoping to eradicate the disease - that, for me, demonstrates true evil