Looking Beyond Infantile Paralysis and Life-long Hospital Stay to Achieve Life Goals

Meet a man who has spent 45 years of his life wired to an artificial respirator in a hospital and yet has been able to achieve his dreams.

He is making an animated television series conveying the story of his life and that of his dear friend Eliana.

Paulo Henrique Machado from Brazil is a victim of infantile paralysis due to polio. He also lost his mother two days after his birth.

But he had made good friends in hospital with many like him who needed continuous hospital care. Some of them were dead and gone except for Elaina Zagui, who he had grown close to. They were like siblings and would have their daily arguments.

"I think that's normal between brother and sisters or a couple. But it's not an argument where one side feels offended, you end up reflecting and think, 'OK, I forgive you'," he said.

Due to the risk of infection they live in a hospital and may have stepped out just about 50 times in their life. They cherish times on the beach. "I knew the beach only from photos, films, postcards, stories from other people - so I had built up an image in my mind of what the sea and the beach would be like," Ms Zagui said. "They took us out of the vehicles, Paulo was in a wheelchair and they pushed my bed onto the sand."

It is amazing how despite the disability, Ms Zagui, nicknamed Leca, has published many stories and is an artist. She paints using her mouth.

Mr Machado is now on another goal and for that he has been able to raise funds of about $65,000 to make one of her books, The Adventures of Leca and her Friends into a stop-motion film series.

Hospital authorities are truly amazed to see the positivity in this duo, who are living life and achieving their best despite their severe disability.



Source: Medindia