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Since I was paralyzed 18 years ago, nothing has given me such a tremendous feeling of real freedom as floating serenely and INDEPENDENTLY in a pool: no mattress against my back; no pressure on my tail-bone or heels; none of my usual dead-weight feeling; my smallest movement magnified ten times ten to a flowing sweep of motion. They call me "Unsinkable Susan." I'm guaranteed to float. This is amazing -- almost ridiculous. Paralysis causes buoyancy -- the more paralyzed, the more extremely buoyant. Here's an Olympic which quads can win.

Let me tell you of my first daring summer in a pool. Fear was my greatest obstacle. The little ripples in the water created by other people were terrifying. Being able to move all of a sudden was frightening. But, gradually, I gained confidence as I realized that I could not sink. A whole new world opened up to me. I felt I could "swim" the English Channel -- if it were as pleasantly heated as the pool (80o to 90o).

First, I tried floating on a rubber raft to get the feel of the water's motion. When I felt more secure, I dangled my feet in the water, then the lower half of my body. Eventually, only my head was on the raft. The next step was to have my head held securely around the jawbone while my body floated. Then this was too tame -- just being held up and slowly moved. So we put music on the outdoor speaker and started "dancing." We gently "cracked the whip" -- by rhythmically moving my head. My whole body followed in a delightful, undulating motion. Very exciting! It was scary at first, but a wonderful feeling of really moving.

IT IS THE SINKABLE HEAD THAT RESPOS WORRY ABOUT! So we invented a head-holder-upper. We sewed a child's life preserver so that it made a fat sunbonnet-type of hat, with long ties to secure it tightly under the chin, or to criss-cross the chest or under the arms to tie in back. We glamorized it with plastic flowers. And lo, I was on my own!

Each of us has worked out the most satisfying way of getting in the water. I prefer to be carried in. Mickie, who has some leg strength, is "walked' down the steps, with the support of two friends. Sue is tall and must have her head supported, so she uses the hydraulic lift with hammock and headpiece.

Readers, somewhere near you there is a pool, a lake, or an ocean. If I can "swim", you can too. If you have any questions, write to me: 15985 Nelacrest, East Cleveland 12, Ohio

III. Camping

A Wonderful Experience

by Betty Mielke, Fond du Lac, Wisconsin

I first found out about Camp Wawbeek from JoAnn Ulvestad, who had been to Camp the summer before and had a marvelous time. I believe it is the only camp in the United States where an adult handicapped person can stay without an attendant for a two-week period. It is not a family affair. Only the handicapped, between the ages of 8 and 45 can attend. Half of the cost of each camper's stay is paid by the Wisconsin Easter Seal Society, which owns and operates it, and the remaining $60 is paid by the camper himself or some sponsoring organization.

Each camper has a counselor to help him with everything he needs help with and to act as a companion. Most of the counselors are vacationing college students who are planning to be nurses or doctors. They have one rocking bed which JoAnn and I use at different two-week periods. Physicians are on call and a registered nurse is at camp at all times.

There are so many things to do throughout the day that it would be impossible for a person not to find some thing that would be interesting. There is wheelchair bowling, card games, wheelchair ball games, nature-nook, handicrafts, knitting, conferences and lectures on things that are being done and should be done for the handicapped. If you can't bat a ball or hold a hand of cards, a counselor is always there to help. You just tell him what to do.

I think the very biggest attraction is the big heated swimming pool. One of the most exciting things to do is to ride the big trailer, pulled by a tractor, that enables about 25 campers, in their wheelchairs, to go for trail rides in the woods. It is so beautiful -- especially at sundown. The woods seen so peaceful. The pine trees smell so good. You can see so many different birds and hear them singing.

At night there is always one big activity to get everyone together, such as a camp fire sing, or local entertainers, or a costume party, or a wheelchair dance. It is a real dance: a theme is nicked for the decorations, a king and queen and court are selected and a live orchestra plays the music. At the end of our camping vacation a talent show is put on by the staff and campers.

I look forward all year to my two-week camping vacation, not only for the good times, but to seeing my old friends and to making new ones. Every year I have learned a new craft which I can make during the winter and market profitably. Going to camp is a wonderful experience. The Camp is open only to Wisconsin residents. I wish every state had a Camp Wawbeek.