Paul Alexander, ‘the man in the iron lung’, has died

[scop]

> Advances in medicine made iron lungs obsolete by the 1960s, replaced by ventilators. But Alexander kept living in the cylinder because, he said, he was used to it.

As somebody with a medical condition since birth, this line really hit home. I'm not speaking for Mr. Alexander, but for myself "used to it" is such a great way of putting the odd experience of living with frequent and cumbersome medical intervention.

On the one hand you have no choice so it is quite easy. You just do it. On the other hand there are often periods here and there through your life where you wrestle with the treatment, complain about it, explore other options, etc. But then a new option does come around every so often and, well, some times you stick with what you know even though there are "better" options.

"used to it" is such a disarmingly accurate way of putting it. It is simultaneously the most difficult and easy thing to do.

Requiem aeternum Paul Alexander.

[dasil003]

That line also jumped out at me. My understanding is iron lungs were only declared "obsolete" due to cost and mobility reasons, but the actual experience of an iron lung is better because it is less invasive and spreads the pressure more evenly over ones whole torso rather than forcing air into the lungs from the inside. In other words, an iron lung is more like actually breathing (and maybe that's how Mr Alexander was able to learn to breathe despite the prognosis).

[candiodari]

This is something people don't seem to realize. Often you hear people talk about how difficult it is to be born blind.

Yet everyone I've ever spoken to that happened to has a simple answer: "not difficult at all. It isn't there". One put it like "I'm also not a tiger and can't jump 8 meters high. It's similar".

Very strange how adaptable humans are sometimes.

[tialaramex]

> "used to it" is such a disarmingly accurate way of putting it.

This happens for medication too. If you're on a specific drug for your whole life, it may be disruptive to switch to a different medication even if it's notionally better. I take a pill every morning, and will for the rest of my life, would I prefer one I took every other day? Not really, it sounds like I'd just miss days sometimes. If it had fewer side effects? I haven't noticed any effects now, despite the list in the leaflet so "fewer" doesn't sound like a meaningful improvement.

In the first few days maybe even weeks of taking it I'd have been open to any improvements, but now I've settled into a habit, so any change needs a serious justification.

[agumonkey]

And the brain might be very sensitive (emotionally and to an extent physiologically) to stay in known condition when you're always walking a thin line.

[deadbabe]

It’s also why people stay in toxic, abusive, exploitative relationships. They just get used to it.

[maximus-decimus]

To piggy back on the same quote, I wonder if iron lungs should really be considered obsolete.

I used cpap for a while and fitting a mask to your face is just a total pain. The default ones would scab my nose, even with foam ones I had to strap is so hard to avoid leaks that it left red marks on my neck for hours after I woke up. You have the change/clean the masks. You risk problems like the recent Phillips one where a component was disintegrating, going into people's lungs and giving them cancer.

The iron lung not having to go over your face would avoid all of those problems so I'm surprised it completely disappeared.

[mvkel]

Thanks for sharing your perspective. It makes a lot of sense!

[marbletiles]

Curious that the story doesn't mention he died of Covid – an infection that, you'd expect someone with his condition to be extremely keen to avoid, and who should have been able to, given reasonable precautions from his visitors.

[zdragnar]

Many people are asymptomatic, and not only that, are exposed by others who are asymptomatic. Short of every single human interaction being preceded by a PCR test, the odds are that he eventually would have been exposed.

It is easy to do an at-home nasal swab test when you are infected but before the viral load has gotten to the point of being highly contagious, at which point you think you are negative but really will soon become contagious.

"Reasonable precautions" would have to be very rigorous, and I have to imagine it would be easy to cave and relax precautions as loneliness sets in.

[lr4444lr]

COVID made its way to Antarctica. I have no doubt 4 years later that it would find its way to Paul Alexander's home.

[xanderlewis]

The reason might be simply that the cause of death isn’t widely confirmed yet, and BBC News (more so than most other news organisations) likes to err on the side of caution.

They’re often late with details for this reason.

[ics]

The Guardian article from May 2020 which others have linked (https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/26/last-iron-lu...) has more information on his life than this BBC one and his thoughts on the present pandemic. Given that his death was recent, I too am curious as to whether there are any further details on his acquiring the illness but suspect there may be little to report on. If you read the Guardian article he is not apathetic at all but expresses a sense that it will likely be what finally gets him.

[Teever]

It sounds like you learned nothing from the pandemic.

It is practically impossible to avoid catching covid in modern society.

'On a long enough timeline everyone's chance of survival drops to zero.'

[StarterPro]

That's the irony, survived from Polio for decades only to be brought down by Covid, which by all points was and is being handled poorly.

[riffic]

he was also 78 and mostly immobile so that may have also played a role.

Edit: the quote below (Palahniuk, fight club I believe,) is an actuarial reality.

[runjake]

Paul regularly livestreamed on TikTok -- almost daily.

When I first saw him, I was rather horrified by his predicament. But then I saw that Paul was always upbeat and positive and accomplished. He seemed to live his life to his maximum. And he accomplished more than the average abled person.

I hadn't seen him the past couple weeks (though my TikTok usage is more cautious morbid curiosity and at an arm's length). I guess this explains it.

[vanjajaja1]

that's how I heard of him too. at first the idea of his stationary life seemed terrifying, but he looked like he made the most of it. sad to hear his passing

[_yb2s]

I've read his autobiography... I highly recommend it, it is a mind blowing story. Amazing that someone with such a severe disability was able to live such a full life with romance and adventure that most able bodied people would be jealous of.

His story and positive attitude has had a lasting impact on me in making me appreciate and enjoy life more- and to really work to make the best out of whatever is thrown at me.

[samstave]

TLDR?

WOW -- I just read this:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/26/last-iron-lu...

[whythre]

Remarkable man! Good on him for achieving all that. The part where he was able to learn how to breathe and leave the iron lung for short periods of time is particularly interesting. I wonder what he did on those outings…

[drewzero1]

I've just been reading this longer article from 2020 which has a lot more about his life: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/may/26/last-iron-lu...

It says he went out with friends, saw movies, and even flew on planes while "frog-breathing", as he called it. He couldn't do it while unconscious so he still had to sleep in the lung.

[danbruc]

Advances in medicine made iron lungs obsolete by the 1960s, replaced by ventilators. But Alexander kept living in the cylinder because, he said, he was used to it.

If this is reported correctly, it would even have been an deliberate choice to not leave more often or entirely.

EDIT: This was seemingly not reported correctly, it seems he only depended on the iron lung while sleeping but could otherwise live without it.

[thatwasunusual]

> I wonder what he did on those outings...

Contracting Covid, unfortunately. :(

[nadermx]

"That year, he published a memoir which reportedly took him eight years to write using a plastic stick to type on a keyboard and dictating to a friend."

Talk about determination

[speedylight]

This man demonstrated such an outstanding will to live and over come his disability. A part of me hopes he has moved on to a better life. Rest in peace, Paul.

[freitzkriesler2]

Very sad. I hope him and his family will find peace. His story was interesting and the team that helped him refurbish his iron lung were angels in disguise.

[keepamovin]

What a legend. You poor man. Thank you for showing us what's possible. Thank you for never giving up on life. He always had a smile.

[Strom]

Paul was an inspiration for having amazing perseverance and determination. I especially enjoyed a 30min interview he did in 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5DOre3MFlw

[yiiyiyiyi]

I remember reading this story a few years ago and realizing that the engineer who maintained it, a guy named Brady, was the same guy who ran my school FIRST robotics team back in 1998-2000. What a guy.

[toomuchtodo]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Alexander_(polio_survivor...

[bouncycastle]

The first time I've learned of an iron lung was from The Big Lebowski, "Is this your homework Larry" scene. Larry's father was in the iron lung, in the living room. I was very curious about the machine, so I've looked it up. Quite an incredible machine, and led me into a deep Wikipedia rabbit hole.

[reddickulous]

I didn't even know he was sick.

[Uptrenda]

He managed to become a lawyer and live a productive life in that thing. Crazy inspiring story.

[CyberDildonics]

Yeah... that's the point of the article.

[anon115]

<333333333333333333333333333333 you can rest now my sweet prince

[lee-rhapsody]

what a weird way to respond.

[daft_pink]

They should post a link to the book. I want to read it now.

[begueradj]

He was too brave.