American History

Decades after polio, Martha is among the last to still rely on an iron lung to breathe
October 25, 202110:42 AM ET

https://www.npr.org/2021/10/25/1047691984/decades-after-polio-martha-is-among-the-last-to-still-rely-on-an-iron-lung-to-br




......................Wear on parts is her main issue now. The belts need to be replaced every few weeks, the cot inside every six months, the motor every 12 years or so.

Her most immediate need is collars. The collars create the critical airtight seal around the neck. Each one lasts only for a few months. And she has bought all the back stock of collars from places that don't produce them anymore.

Martha Lillard says she worries about running out of replacement parts to make her iron lung respirator function properly.
Courtesy of Martha Lillard

"That's the main thing I'm having a hard time with, because I try to stretch out, make these collars last longer," Lillard says. "And when they start deteriorating, it gets harder and harder to breathe as they leak more."

She has only a handful of collars left. "I really am desperate," she says. "That's the most scary thing in my life right now — is not finding anybody that can make those collars."..........................


https://media.npr.org/assets/img/2021/10/20/martha-lillard_custom-813a40a3402c9a35abe6ce37ab1414479a563b99-s300-c85.webp
...............