7 Bits of Inspiration from Inside an Iron Lung

Here are seven bits of inspiration from the documentary, Martha of Lattimore, about Martha Mason, paralyzed by polio, who lived in an iron lung for more than six decades.

1. On Happiness: “There’s joy in bad days. Its up to me to find joy . . . joy is a deep spiritual thing.”
2. On Entertainment: “Good entertainment is good conversation.”
3. On the Digital Age: Upon receiving her first computer in 1993. “It’s opened up so many places I wanted to go.” She said, jokingly, that it should have been invented years earlier.
4. On Parents Caring: Martha’s parents devoted their lives to her care and education. Martha said her situation gave her the opportunity to get to know her parents as people, who couldn’t always fix everything. She felt a responsibility not to give them more than they could handle.
5. On Caring for Parents: After her father died of heart disease, and her mother had a massive stroke, becoming childlike, Martha kept her at home with her, since she already had caretakers for herself. She said it was little compared to what her mother had done for her for so many years. It was not an attempt to pay her mother back, because she never could. It was an attempt to show her appreciation.
6. On the Human Condition: “Something happens to all of us. Mine is more visible than yours. But you have to deal with your things, too.”
7. On Gratitude: She wrote a memoir in 2003, called Breath, which she said is “about those people who allowed me to have a good life in what could have been a real tragic situation.”

Why am I sharing this list with you? I recently saw a post on Facebook about the iron lung, a massive mechanism invented to breathe for people who had become paralyzed during the polio epidemic of the 20^th century. It reminded me that I’ve often wondered how a person could exist year after year confined to such a sarcophagus-like machine.

I found a documentary on Vimeo called Martha of Lattimore, which answered my question and left me inspired on a Monday morning. Here is some more information from the documentary:

Born in North Carolina, Martha Ann Mason contracted polio in 1948 at age 11 and entered the hospital four days after her older brother, Gaston, died of the disease. Martha became totally paralyzed and would live in an iron lung until she died in in her sleep at the age of 72.

Although confined to the 800-pound cylinder for six decades, Martha led a rich and full life, earned a college education, and even wrote a book, called, Breath: A Lifetime in the Rhythm of an Iron Lung. Her greatest legacy, however, is found in the many lives she touched, through her optimism, curiosity, and listening ear.

As medical technology evolved, Martha decided to remain in her iron lung. Although she required care 24 hours a day, the machine was so simple to maintain, she did not need highly trained medical personnel for her care. She also needed no invasive tubes that could have introduced infection, as with a respirator.

Choosing not to wallow in self pity, Martha was a popular citizen in her hometown of Lattimore, NC. In addition to her caregivers, many volunteers did favors such as picking up her mail from the post office, bringing her takeout from the local diner, and decorating her home for Christmas.

Jack, one of her many friends, said in the documentary, “She’s special. She’s probably the most remarkable person I’ve ever met. Our town’s treasure. . . She’s more interested in talking about the other person than herself.”

Ann Silverthorn writes about a wide variety of topics in numerous genres. She’s currently working on a biography of William E. Dimorier (1871-1951), a nearly forgotten poet and educator, who dedicated his life to service and leadership.

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