Toomey J Gazette (Vol. 11, No. 1, 1968 - Polio Place

MY KITCHEN IS BUILT SO I CAN DO EVERYTHING MYSELF, , ,
tly husband and I were married shortly after his two years
of Army service. I continued working as a nurse for five
years, at the end of which time we adopted a beautiful baby
boy. Of course I resigned my nursing duties and became a full
time wife and mother. It seemed all my dreams were fulfilled.
Then about a year and a half later I was in an iron lung and
so alone. From Flint's Hurley Hospital I went to University
Hospital in Ann Arbor after my first month of illness. Then
after four months I was able to go home with the aid of a
live-in attendant. Our house was much too small and through
the loving kindness of a bachelor uncle, who had always been
like a father to me, we built a new ranch home which is es-
pecially designed and constructed so that I can do for myself
as much as possible..you see I am much more fortunate than
most.
In the beginning my vital capacity was a little more than
400 cc and I could only wiggle my toes on my left foot and
move my arms slightly. As the years have passed I've gotten
stronger and needed less and less help until about 2 years
ago, when we lost our live-in housekeeper to a factory, we de-
cided to try having someone help a few mornings a week. We be-
gan with three mornings and now I just have a neighbor do my
heavy weekly cleaning.
My kitchen is built for me sb I can do everything myself.
I have an automatic dishwasher so dishes aren't much. My
utility room is near the kitchen where I have an upright
Chambers
The onZy real barrier for me to firm-
tion quickly in my kitchen is that I
must use my hands to move.
freezer and my washer and dryer; This is a small room so I
have my ironer, iron and ironing board and sewing machine in
the bedroom formerly used by our housekeeper. My husband is
an accountant so his office job in industry calls for white
shirts and he thinks I do them better than a laundry so I
spend about three hours each week just on white shirts. Of
course, there is always mending, too, and in between, clean
up jobs. I find carpeting so much easier for me to care for
than tile floors. I have my kitchen carpeted also. The once
in two months or so shampooing is easier than dally mopping.
I have an electric rug shampooer and can run it myself.
kly counter tops may be higher than most but I sir. on 4
inches of foam rubber in my chair so I don't get so tired
sitting because I'm up all day.
There is enough room under my oven so I can face it and the
door under my sink opens back so I can roll under.
The top burners and my oven, with French doors, are at a
convenient height.
My refrigerator is a Frigidaire. It is frost proof and I