Tag Archives: post-polio wellness retreat

Smart Fun: On Becoming Pampered Campers and Smiling Sunrise-Watchers

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On a deep-frozen wintry day in Michigan, it’s revitalizing to rekindle warm memories of our Bay Cliff Post-Polio Wellness Retreat last September…

Offered for the past 11 years at the Bay Cliff Health Camp in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, such post-polio wellness retreats have created a wonderful opportunity for polio survivors.

The exceptional feature of these wellness retreats is that they have been designed to zero in on the unique and little-known needs of people who are growing older with polio’s late effects.

Located 28 miles northwest of Marquette, Bay Cliff’s woodland getaway is not only beautifully situated on the shores of Lake Superior; it is completely wheelchair accessible. This retreat’s venue and program design intentionally foster a safe haven for open exchange among polio survivors.  Everyone is encouraged to feel like part of a supportive family of friends.

These adult campers arrive, ready to learn and have fun. This year, over 40 polio survivors, along with friends and spouses participated in the retreat’s full range of daily programs that were designed to address wellness of mind, body and spirit. Everyone received individualized attention from a blend of volunteer retreat facilitators—post-polio physicians, counselors, nurses; physical, occupational, and recreational therapists; members of the clergy, and those from a wide range of other helping vocations.

As my winter reverie brings our Bay Cliff experience into even clearer focus, I realize that we were indeed having smart fun. First, we had intelligently chosen to learn even more about living with a post-polio disability. We were shrewd seekers of good health — reaching out to discover how to incorporate new positive health behaviors into our lives.

Every day we attended educational programs. Topics ranged from up-to-date information about post-polio syndrome, to exercise, to meditation, to tapping into our spiritual strength. People learned all kinds of new information and came to practical, often profound revelations.

Here’s one practical piece of camping information that Mark discovered:

“Powered chairs and crutches are much more effective in the camp environment than manual wheelchairs.   There is too much stress put on the shoulders with the manual lightweight chairs, especially when traversing the inclines around the camp.”

Perhaps as powerful, was the support and information that post-polio participants exchanged with each other. We openly shared life experiences that included many of our well-earned secrets for living a successful life with a disability.

Bonnie revealed:

“I find as I am held captive more and more by my advancing disability, more adjustments have to be made and sometimes I am not sure how or what to do.  Or sometimes, I am not aware that adjustments even need to be made because I am in denial or just have not come to the conclusion that things have changed.  At some points, I find I am owned by regret rather than taking action (or maybe less action in the case of PPS).  Being at Bay Cliff is so freeing…no pretenses… and I am informed by my own regret rather than being owned by it.  Sometimes it takes being with others who share your issues to realize problems need confronting, and I learn lessons on how to confront them in a safe, healthy way.“

As people shared many of their personal challenges and concerns, deeper friendships were nurtured.  And Frederick Maynard, M.D. international expert on the late effects of polio, continued to be one of our best friends. He not only was a primary founder of the program in 2006, he has also attended each year, providing medical direction and generously answering each person’s particular questions. During the course of every day, he could be seen freely helping retreat participants with medical advice and counsel, whether it was during a planned group session or in a spontaneous one-on-one encounter. As one camper disclosed, “Words cannot express the level of devotion and commitment that Dr. Maynard has for the polio population. I have grown to love and respect him for his efforts, knowledge and deep understanding of what we are going through. You can see it in his eyes.”

We were not only ready to learn; we were also ready to have fun. This often meant taking part in experiential learning opportunities, which were set up to be both engaging and enjoyable.  For one short week we had become pampered campers and smiling sunrise watchers.  Every activity was adapted for us so we could participate. We went fishing, swam, danced, sang, walked and rolled on nature hikes. We had lively fun in the balmy warm weather as we learned important tips on how to stay healthy. In our sixties and seventies, many of us had first-ever recreational experiences, like learning how to dye silk scarves or discovering how to use a bow and arrow.

On having fun, Cathleen conveyed:

“I’d never heard of the NuStep and really enjoyed trying and learning it. I thrilled to the recumbent hand-cycling with Don as we flew down a country road incline. He adjusted and fixed a bike so it fit me. Dr. Maynard kindly helped me walk into Lake Superior, however briefly! There were so many fabulous experiences that I can’t list them all. I’d never been fishing before and thoroughly enjoyed that sunny and relaxing afternoon in the pontoon boat on Lake Independence with Max, the expert fisherman. I loved the warm pool and helpful lifeguard. I remember the wonderful picnic in the sunny orchard and picking plums afterwards…”

Others described their retreat experience as:

“…a homecoming…mellow… warm… grounding… humorous…enlightening…  expanding… reflective…challenging…flirty…”

Oh, and before the week was up, we had adopted a crazy, new, original camp song destined to become a Bay Cliff classic. We sang it throughout the week to the chorus of the “Beer Barrel Polka.”  For all the brave songsters reading here, you may want to try singing it…

The Post-Polio Polka

Roll out the scooters

We’ll have a barrel of fun!

Whip on your braces

We’ve got the blues on the run!

Seize both your crutches

Sing out a song of good cheer.

Now’s the time to dance our polka

‘Cuz the gang’s all here!

 

We’re all at Bay Cliff

Happy to sing you this tune!

We “get” each other

And we’ll be leaving too soon.

Dance how you want to

Now we have nothing to fear!

Polio’s become our polka

‘Cuz the gang’s all here!

 

Catchy music, fresh air, new information, physical activity, emotional support…the positive impact of Bay Cliff’s post-polio retreat can be long-lasting.

Simply rekindling the warmhearted musical memories of our retreat has revitalized my own feelings of inspired renewal and loving regeneration. That’s a wonderful gift.

It’s a big bear hug on this very cold winter day.

Or, perhaps better said…

it’s a big Bay Cliff hug.

 

 

 

 

Scrunch! (that’s the sound of a friendly e-hug),

Sunny

P.S. Have you ever thought about starting a post-polio wellness retreat in your area?

 

The original version of this article was published in Post-Polio Health: Winter 2018 (Volume 34, Number 1.)

Nourishing the Body, Mind and Spirit: People, Pictures and Pasties

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What a great time we had at the Bay Cliff Post-Polio Wellness Retreat this year!

Wonderful people, lots of pictures and finally an official Upper Peninsula (U.P.) pasty to take along for safe travels as we departed.

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In mid-September, 45 polio survivors and friends converged upon the tiny town of Big Bay, Michigan to immerse themselves in five days of restorative rest and activity. There is such a wonderful feeling of love, care and complete acceptance at the retreat. People instinctively understand each other and share compassionate support all week long. Smiles are on every face in the pictures because we are so happy together. There have been ten such retreats since the program started at the Bay Cliff Health Camp in 2006 and, boy, did we ever have fun this year!

race

Click on the photo above to see the first annual post-polio scooter race. Average age of racers: 72 years young. (Grrr! After an explosive start, I came in second. I’m already working on a hot new strategy for next year!)

Bay Cliff is located right on the shores of beautiful Lake Superior in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It’s a perfectbaycliff sunrise getaway spot for our holistic wellness program. The sun rises every morning directly in front of the lodge’s big screened-in porch. Rows of old fashioned rocking chairs invite us to settle in with our freshly brewed cup of coffee in hand to welcome the bright new day. The wind softly rustles through the tall surrounding hardwoods that are just starting to glimmer yellow and orange in the early daylight. The lake begins to sparkle as we inhale deeply, inspired by the crisp fresh air and the stunning sight before us… Cameras start clicking. Then the breakfast bell clangs through the camp grounds, heralding all to join in friendly fellowship for a family style breakfast. It’s 8:00 AM. The day has begun.

From Monday evening through Friday evening, the days were filled with a myriad of educational and recreational activities customized especially for polio survivors. We discussed how body, mind and spirit can all work together to create good health.

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Fred Maynard, M.D. (top center) and our four orthotists. (left to right) Alicia foster, Ken McMaster, Michelle Carlson, and Joe Baczkowski teamed up to provide customized one-on-one bracing advice to participants at the “Bracing and Mobility” session.

BODY: We learned more about the physical aspects of having had polio–specifically the late effects of polio; what’s new from physicians, researchers and therapists. Throughout the week there was a variety of sessions on relevant topics such as, “post-polio pain,” “aging and general health,” “what’s best for you in bracing,” “food as medicine,” “acupuncture,” and “the benefits of massage.” Speaking of massage, everyone received a free one during the course of the week. Each morning we participated in exercise opportunities such as swimming, yoga, Tai Chi or cardiovascular workouts. Lots to do. One lady, new to the retreat, stated that her primary goal for attending was to learn about “how to keep moving.” She sure was moving every time I saw her!

MIND: This year we watched and discussed an excellent DVD on the mind-body connection and how scientific studies are proving the critical impact that the mind has on healing the body’s variety of illnesses. I highly recommend that you get a copy and watch it. It’s not only helpful; it’s also fascinating. Because it’s about 85 minutes long, this would make a great two-part support group program with discussion. For more information on this DVD, click on the following link: The Connection: Mind Your Body.

SubstandardFullSizeRender (1)SPIRIT: The presentation on spirituality this year was titled, “Spirituality for Wellness: Completing the Healthy Trinity of Wholeness.” After focusing on the wonderful power and value of inspiration in our lives, we got into small groups and discussed the following questions:

  1. What was a time in your life that was a real low point for you? A time when your inspiration had seemingly abandoned you, leaving you alone and miserable?
  2. What were some warning signs that alerted you that you were getting stuck in your doldrums?
  3. What did you do to reach out for inspiration that brought you out of it? Describe your avenues back to inspiration. Was it through your mind or body? Were there spiritual exercises like meditation or prayer that you tapped into? Where did your spirit lead you to rediscover your inspiration? What has worked for you?

The group came up with a long list of spiritual strategies and insights that have helped them get through discouraging times.

Beyond the educational content of the program, there were many recreational activities to join in on every day. These included accessible nature hikes, lighthouse tours, an ice cream social, coloring in coloring books for adults, table games, ceramics class, fishing, movies, and singing around the campfire–complete with s’mores (the American and Canadian campfire treat: a roasted marshmallow and a layer of chocolate sandwiched between two pieces of graham cracker).

Cornish-Pasties upFinally, on Saturday morning, as we were preparing to head home, our hosts made sure everyone got a homemade pasty for the road. Pasties are a special U.P. delight originally made popular by the Cornish and Finnish miners in the old days. They are made by placing an uncooked filling, typically meat and vegetables, on one half of a flat shortcrust pastry circle, folding the pastry in half to wrap the filling in a semicircle and crimping the curved edge to form a seal before baking.  U.P. insiders told us that the best pasties in the entire area come from Lehto’s Pasties in St. Ignace. They use the freshest meat and have been in business for 68 years.  Pasties are great for road trips. They are a tasty treat that can be a whole meal in themselves. No silverware needed!

As we left Bay Cliff, the joyful spirit of the retreat continued to linger long after. In fact, I tapped intocamp Sign that joy as I  wrote this message for you (smile) …

 

Thanks for reading,

Sunny

 

treesP.S.  Post-polio wellness retreats are a wonderful option for polio survivors who are growing older and seeking strategies to stay healthy and feel good. Since the first retreat at Bay Cliff in 2006, similar retreats have sprung up at Georgia Warm Springs, across Australia, New Zealand, and most recently in Colorado. Perhaps your group would consider organizing a retreat in your area? You’d need to start with an accessible retreat location and a group of skilled organizers. It can be done and is very rewarding.

What are your thoughts on this?

 

P.P.S.  I am happy to announce that I will be guest-speaking at the Power Over Polio Support (POPS) group in the Seabreeze Recreation Center at The Villages near Ocala, Florida at 1:00 PM on February 12, 2016. Group leaders tell me that if you are in the area then, you are more than welcome to attend. Looking forward to this event!

 

P.P.S.S. One major and recurring message from our retreat was how important it is to control the stress in our complicated lives. Having a disability can be more than challenging at times. And too much stress can ruin good health!  Here’s a nicely-written book that might help. Lately I have enjoyed reading the daily meditations in …  

runnP.P.P.S.S.S.  Personal weight loss update: my doctor told me to lose 10 pounds by Halloween. To date, I have taken off 11.5 pounds, which isn’t too bad I guess, since I was away from my routine at the exercise gym and healthy WeightWatcher’s eating plan for five weeks. Vacations.  Now I’m back and staying on track better. Whew!

Gotta keep going! 

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The Colorado Post-Polio Wellness Retreat: Grasping Sweet Thorns in the Rockies

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It wasn’t the stunning mountain vistas 9,000 feet up, or the warm 90-degree swimming pool sparkling with joyful sunlight.  It wasn’t the cheery summer wildflowers popping up beside the woodland paths or the rushing waterfalls that met us as we wandered in and out of the nearby forests.

Nope.  It was the people.  And it was the polio. Somehow we had found each other and became freshly entwined. We, with our partially paralyzed post-polio bodies, made friends quickly, as if we had known each other since childhood.  

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Tree-top mountain view from the Georgetown Loop Railroad car.

Fifty-three of us attended the Colorado Post-Polio Wellness Retreat from August 17-20, 2014 at Rocky Mountain Village in Empire, Colorado. This experiential holistic wellness program for polio survivors featured guest speakers and planned activities revolving around three major themes: the mind, the body and the spirit. We slept in the Easter Seals camp’s rustic cabins, shared communal bathrooms, ate meals together in the large dining hall and joyfully participated in program sessions that ranged from aerobic exercise to zip lining. Yes…zip lining! We went on bird and wildflower hikes, and a recreational train ride through the mountains. We enjoyed a reflexology treatment, learned about post-polio syndrome, and heard about mindful meditation. Then we tie-dyed t-shirts. And that’s just a sampling of the rich program agenda. The entire retreat cost was $300.00 plus transportation.

At retreats like this I have found that we as participants each learn and grow in different ways, depending on what our life circumstances are at the time. What was going on at home? What new experiences and challenges had we been facing? What kind of people have come in and out of our lives lately? What new awareness about life was waiting to emerge? Mine became clearer and clearer to me each day of the retreat.stream

It was all about the flow and depths of compassion—that “sympathetic consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it.”  I saw it everywhere and was astounded by the amount of compassion these polio survivors had for one another. People connecting…polio survivors who had never met before feeling each other’s pain, need, grief, and joy…holding hands…hugging…crying…carrying cups of coffee for each other…picking each other up in golf carts to ease the daily trek around camp. One woman cried as she described to the group her plight as a young paralyzed Jewish girl hiding from the Nazis during WWII. We wanted to help her let go of her nightmare and replace it with love and optimism. Another woman anguished one morning at the breakfast table, expressing her fears about growing old, infirm and lonesome with a post-polio disability. Her kids don’t want to visit her anymore. She was in pain. We talked about making new and younger friends and transforming our homes into happy places that many will want to visit as we grow into late life.

reflex

Reflexology treatments from one camper to another brought comfort and relief.

I have planned and attended nine post-polio wellness retreats since we started them in 2006 and this year the compassion I witnessed and felt was somehow exceptional.  At night in the cabin our group of women shared stories about how they became widows and got through the grief. It takes years and years to reconcile the loss of a true love. We listened and empathetically nodded our heads as one woman described her six-year road to healing from the sudden death of her husband–overcoming the disappearance of insensitive kids, returning to encouraging grief counselors and having many heart-to-heart lunches with friends in her book club. Two young women originally from India discovered they had both been cast off to orphanages there as young girls paralyzed by polio, then luckily adopted by American families. What they were delighted to learn was that now they only live a few miles from each other in Denver and with the help of public transit, can cultivate a warm friendship that may last a lifetime. If they had not attended this retreat, they might never have met.

Perhaps for me the most interesting reflection about compassion came during our large group discussion of spirituality and disability. It was when a lovely polio survivor named Karen told us all about an interlude she and her husband had encountered on a trip to Naples, Italy. They had found a monastery that had, over the years, necessarily evolved into a restaurant. After wandering in, they found a table, sat down and ordered their lunch. As they were waiting, a young priest asked if he might join them. They agreed and engaged in warm lunchtime chatter for quite a while.  Upon leaving, the couple rose and walked away toward the door of the restaurant. It suddenly became obvious to the friendly priest that Karen dragged a heavy brace on her leg and walked with a limp. Stunned with compassion he lovingly called out across the room to them both “Mia spina dulce!” rose(sometimes said, “il mia dulce spina”) in Italian. Translated, he was saying “my sweet thorn!” They looked back, smiled and never forgot what he had bellowed with affectionate sensitivity.

It was a commentary about the grace it takes to live well with a disability. Having a disability from polio is our thorn. It is the childhood stench of hot wet wool to rejuvenate weakened muscles, the pain of never being asked to a school dance or the terror of crutch-walking on ice and snow. It hurts, is unwanted, and can keep people away. How can this thorn be sweet, as the priest suggests? Therein lies our life challenge. Think of the rose.  At first as only a budding stem, it has ugly thorns, but as it grows and matures it becomes the most adored sweet-smelling bloom on the planet— the ancient symbol of love and beauty, a sign of compassion at funerals and the symbol of religious exemplars including the Virgin Mary.

I reflected that the nasty thorn, our disability, paradoxically supports, protects and raises us up to the grace, which is the rose in us–if we let it. We must accept it, make it work for us, and let the beauty begin. It is only with our thorn that we can ever hope to become a rose– as a rose is meant to be. That rose, that grace, is what I witnessed in Colorado. It was the overflowing of care and compassion these polio survivors had for each other. We deeply understood each other’s sorrows and thorns, softly embraced them together, and peacefully commingled to bless one another in many new ways. Only because we had grasped and accepted our thorn, could we offer each other the very rose we had become.

And…we had one heck of a lot of fun doing it!

zipper

Another first-time zip-liner!

 

Happy New Year!  

What shall we look forward to?

 The next post-polio wellness retreats will be held on the shores of Lake Superior in Big Bay, Michigan in September 2015 and then high in the Rocky Mountains in Empire, Colorado in August 2016. Connect to Post-Polio Health International’s website for updates: http://post-polio.org/