Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by
Peg Kehret
A Touching First-Hand Account Of The Great Suffering That Polio Inflicted
Ten years ago, In a riveting story of courage and hope, Peg Kehret wrote
of months spent in a hospital when she was twelve, first struggling to
survive a severe case of polio, then slowly learning to walk again. The
book deeply touched readers of all ages and received many awards and
honors. This anniversary edition includes an updated and extended
epilogue about the authors experiences since the original publication. It
also includes twelve pages of new photos and a lengthy section about
polio, past and present. This 10th Anniversary Edition will inspire a whole
new generation of readers. Those readers who already love it will find
themselves reaching for it one more time.
Personal Review: Small Steps: The Year I Got Polio by Peg
Kehret

In our modern age of vaccinations, it seems inconceivable that in 1949,
42,033 cases of polio were diagnosed. It was a disease without a vaccine
or antidote that meant excruciating pain, followed by extensive physical
therapy assuming that the patient didn't die from complications. There are
three main variants: spinal polio, which causes rapid paralysis of the arms
and legs (generally asymmetrical), bulbar polio, which causes difficulty
breathing and swallowing (and frequently requiring the use of iron lungs as
breathing muscles and mechanisms are greatly weakened), and
respiratory polio, a combination of the above two. Peg Kehret was twelve
years old when she contracted respiratory polio; she was the only victim in
her small Minnesota town that year.
Peg recounts her terrifying illness in a very matter-of-fact yet gripping
narrative. Paralysis set in rapidly, and she had a fever of 102 for nearly a
week as her muscles weakened, requiring her to use an oxygen tent. But
Peg was lucky; once her fever breaks (aided by a contraband chocolate
milkshake), her recovery is much more rapid than her fellow hospital and
rehab roommates. Even though Peg is nearly a teenager, there are small
poignant touches of the remnants of childhood; her brother Art sent her a
teddy bear that had to be burned once she left the polio ward, and her
mother recommended that she donate her old books and toys to the
children's polio ward. Peg resists, recalling happy memories with her old
books and toys, and is dismayed to find that her parents have redecorated
her old room as a surprise.
Peg is an engaging narrator who brings a distant era to life through radio
dramas such as The Lone Ranger and the simplicity of a time where books
and friendships filled our hours instead of electronics. Her rehabilitation is
tempered with humor and spirit; no self-pity here, only the desire to
become the best she can be. The Sister Kenny method of polio treatment
is described in detail, along with physical and occupational therapy
exercises. Peg has a crush on Dr. Bevis, a handsome doctor who makes
her feel special by painting her toenails when she's still in intensive care,
and promises him that she'll return to walk for him. She makes friends with
several other girls recovering from polio, including the bitter Alice, who's
lived at the rehabilitation center for ten years after her parents couldn't care
for her. The girls are brought together by their shared experiences as polio
survivors, and Peg is apprehensive about rejoining her school and the
outside world.
The novel is brought full-circle by the sad mention that Peg, along with her
former roommates, suffers from post-polio syndrome; around 25% of
childhood polio sufferers develop additional symptoms decades after the
initial infection, including muscle weakness, fatigue, or paralysis. After
working so hard to overcome polio, she's certainly not giving in now. There
are also vintage photographs of the author and her roommates scattered
throughout. A marvelous introduction to polio's debilitating effects and the
power of positive thinking on recovery.

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