The Upside Of The Downside: Journeys With A Companion Called Polio

Kent Kloepping contracted paralytic poliomyelitis in 1945, at the age of seven. Though he would never walk again, he refused to let this event define the rest of his life. His family, friends, and community treated him like any able-bodied person, and this was the treatment he expected--and demanded--after he graduated from high school and left his hometown.

"Being disabled isn't really funny, in and of itself," says Kloepping. "But precisely because of the disability, I have experienced, observed or been told of amusing--even hilarious--situations." He shares those stories here, helping us understand the challenges faced by those with physical limitations . . . and giving us insight into the upside of the downside.