A MAN IN FULL

In submitting my final post for Jerry's Blog, I borrowed the title of one of Tom Wolfe's later novels, A Man In Full.  Jerry Erich lived a full and robust life, not defined by his disability, but by his passion to serve. RI Past President, Rick King, a close friend noted that Jerry's medicine throughout his life was to "get to work". Work was his "tonic". Jerry's philosophy was that the more you do, the more you get; when you give people more than they expect, the more you get back.He mastered the "art of service". Another dear friend of Jerry, the late Past District Governor of Rotary district 5170, Bill Mayhood noted that Jerry never "bemoaned his and Dorothy's polio disease." He would not tolerate pity nor condescending talk from others. This would invoke at minimum a hard stare from him or for the egregious offender, a verbal rebuke".

I have many good memories of Jerry and Dorothy Erich. From his taking me under his wing when I came to my first Rotary meeting in May, 1986 to schooling me on the intricacies of the RI and club bylaws. I remember him supporting his head on his hand, surrounded at the lunch table by his mates never failing to deliver a wry quip when my Domers lost! I also remember Dorothy's radiant and warm smile when she attend our club events. I remember how much he look forward to visiting the RYLA campers, counselors and staff every June when he and his buddies came to the BBQ and donated ice cream to all. Finally, I remember him anticipating his frequent trips to his condo in Maui along with his beloved friends, Ray and Audrey Clark. These and many, many more memories will be in my heart for the rest of my days and in the hearts of all those who were the beneficiaries of his love, friendship and fellowship!

Gerald "Jerry" Edward Erich, January, 1929 to January, 2009.

JERRY ERICH, ROTARIAN

Jerry Erich was a polio survivor, husband, father, business owner, mentor and philanthropist. but what defined him was being a Rotarian. He believed deeply in the mission of Rotary International and its worldwide efforts to help people. He was a proud charter member of the Rotary Club of San Jose East Evergreen (CA). He served two terms as club president and was a generous supporter of District 5170. He donated generous gifts to Rotary's Polio Plus program aimed at immunizing the world's children against polio. Jerry was also a huge advocate for high school students in East San Jose. He established and generously funded the Dorothy and Jerry Erich Vocational Scholarship where he bequeathed a magnanimous gift of $1M, a sum that will guarantee that students will be able to pursue their vocational studies well into the 21st century!

Jerry's other passion was to support his beloved Alma Mater- San Jose State University.  Besides establishing the Packaging Degree Program in the 1980's, he was a season ticket holder and loyal booster of Spartans' football and basketball teams. He was a member of the Spartan Foundation, Quarterback Club and Rebounders/ Hoopsters Club. He also was a member in their Alumni Club and the Heritage Society.

SETBACKS AND ADVANCES

"Failure isn't so bad if it doesn't attack the heart. Success is all right if it doesn't go to the head."-Grantland Rice.

"While Jerry was away from the business end of the print shop, things got out of hand and his stepfather had to declare bankruptcy. He signed the papers with his pen in his mouth since he could not use his hands. They had a big auction and all the equipment and the new building were sold. What a heartbreak for him! However, he didn't sit back and do nothing. He decided to go back into the printing business once he had his operations and was able to move around reasonably. He heard about a print shop for sale that belonged to an old friend who was going out of business. He often mentioned that he would find out who his friends were when he was asking for some help to get started. Having just getting out of the hospital, he didn't have much to start with. He managed to borrow enough money to get started again. He was able to buy the shop and lease the equipment with the option to buy. When he got started, he kept going not only with a print shop but joined with some friends and started an ad agency. That didn't last too long as they lost two big accounts. He had two employees when he hound a new location for his print shop."

Once he heard that a building was for sale on Julian St., he decided that it was for him. He was able to acquire the place and soon filled it with printing equipment. It was so full, you could hardly walk. He was getting well known in the printing business. As time went on, he bought more land at the same location. Soon, he had a big metal building built to hold more presses and folders, and it was soon filled. Then he needed a machine that would but books, programs and magazines together, so another metal building was constructed. He also used the space to store paper as he would buy the paper in big amounts on skids to save money. At one time, he added a mailing machine to mail the monthly publications. He made the front building into the art and camera departments. Jerry was a great businessman, and at one time, he had over 50 employees. 
He had customers from all over the Bay area with all kinds of printing needs. He became the publisher of several trade magazines during this time; the biggest one being ' Good Packaging magazine'. It was one of the first packaging magazines on the West coast to inform people how products were packaged. With his interest in packaging, he helped start the school of packaging at SJSU. At one time, he bought a house down the street on Julian St where he moved the  magazine department. It was assembled there and printed at the shop." 

Audrey Clark concludes her recollections of he beloved friend, Jerry Erich: " He bought a cabin in Boulder Creek, CA. where he could relax on the weekends. Driving by a print shop in Felton one day, he stopped to chat. He found out it was about to close due to lack of funds. After thinking it over for a week or so, he stopped by again and bought the place. The employees were quite pleased to have a new owner. It didn't take long until he had the place making money with his 'know how' in running a business His good credit withthe paper and ink companies also helped."

JERRY'S JOURNEY, CONT.

There is a wonderful word in Hebrew: "yoke" ("wooden bar") that Jesus uses in Matt 11:29, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart and you will find rest for your souls". 

Spouses are "yoked together" by the love of God and their love for each other. The love that Jerry and Dorothy had sustained severe trials throughout their lives, however, the "yoke" that bonded them would shower much loving service to their community and beyond through Rotary.

JERRY'S JOURNAL, CONT.

" Love bears all things, believes in all things, hopes all things, endures all things."- 1 Cor 13:7

"While he was a patient at Rancho Los Amigos, he met his future wife, Dorothy Foley. She was a polio patient also. She had a tracheotomy , her head held up with a halo and no hair the first time he saw her. He was using a wheelchair and was all over the place in the chair. She didn't know what to think about him. The polio affected his muscles in her legs and foot so she had trouble walking. She had to use the trek in order to speak. They were good for each other as the understood what each other had gone through because of polio. They were married in 1962 and they had one son, Stephen. He had high hopes that Steve would love the printing business as much as he did, but it didn't work out that way. Steve went to college and have several jobs, but he had no interest in being a printer. In April 1978, Steve passed away due to cancer. That was very hard on Jerry and Dorothy."

" Dorothy and I (Audrey) became very good friends. We would go to lunch, movies and even took some adult education classes together along with Weight Watchers. We would take the kids swimming and on picnics. If Jerry was home sick  and she had to go out, she would call me to come sit with Jerry as she didn't want him to be alone. If they were going out of town, some times, Steve would be with us. She loved it when Kelly, our daughter, who was born on Dorothy's birthday would come to stay with them. Kelly's daughter was born on Jerry's birthday, 1991." 

JERRY'S JOURNEY, cont.

It is hard for us to "wrap our minds" around the hardship that polio victims had to endure in order to survive. I believe that the key for polio victims and people who are challenged with serious illness lies in the attribute of resilience. Merriam-Websters Dictionary defines resilience as the "tendency to adjust to misfortune and change". I believe that this attribute is formed in one's personal character. Since all of us must undergo life's tests, we are presented with many opportunities to develop a strong character with the ability to adjust to the most severe tests.

JERRY'S JOURNEY, cont.

Audrey continues: "If Jerry was standing or sitting, he was able to breathe on his own. Once he laid down, he had to have help breathing, so he had to have a respirator. The first one was like a shell over his lungs for sleeping. Then he discovered a type of respirator called "bantam". It was a small case with a hose he held in his mouth to blow air into his lungs to open them. Later they improved a respirator which was much more dependable. He was told that he would not be able to hold the mouth piece in his mouth while he slept, but he was able to sleep that way for over 50 years."

JERRY'S JOURNEY, cont.

" Through strife, all things arise and pass away. "- Heraclitus

Jerry and Dorothy Erich were polio survivors along with several million afflicted persons over the past century. I believe that survivors of any debilitating disease are faced with the crucial challenge of whether or or not they are willing or able to live out lives of value. I also believe that those who take the path of creating a value filled life allow their suffering to bring for the virtues of fortitude (courage), hope (perseverance), and charitable action (service).

Audrey Clark continues Jerry's story: " A great thing happened for Jerry when he was told about a man in Fresno who had invented a foot control to drive a car without using his hands. It was a plate with a boot like device on the floorboard where he put his foot in to turn the steering wheel. It could only be installed on Fords. Jerry was friends with the Ford dealer since he had done a lot of printing for him, and he was also chairman for the March of Dimes for Santa Clara county. Jerry had an old car that the dealer took for trade-in and he ended up with a new 1957 Ford. They made arrangements to get the car to Fresno for the adjustments and get it back to him. He was the first person in CA to be licensed to drive a car with foot control!

I experienced Jerry's "foot control" driving first hand. Once during my time at Camp RYLA, he drove me from his cabin in Boulder Creek, CA to the camp. My emotions ranged from terror to amazement as he used his feet to drive with dexterity and speed. I breathed a sigh of relief when we reached camp-whew!!

POLIO SURVIVORS, CONT.

John Nanni (10.03.2013, reply) "I am a polio survivor and suffer from severe post-polio syndrome (PPS). At the age of 10 months old in 1953 (months before the Salk vaccine was widely distributed), I was paralyzed from my neck down for 6 months. After the polio virus did its damage, my mother performed (on me) extensive PT developed by Sister Kenny, an Australian nurse, which stopped my muscles fro atrophying.

I recovered and now lead a "normal" life. I played baseball, basketball and football as a teenager. Forty years later, I started to have renewed weakness, pain and severe fatigue. After 2 years and 10 different doctors, I was finally diagnosed with severe PPS.

Under my PPS Dr. care, I have learned how to best deal with PPS and how to preserve my ability to walk. To do so, I am now in a wheelchair for most of my mobility needs outside my home. I am limited to under 900 walking steps per day. I do deep water running to help keep my muscles active without damaging them. I eat a high protein diet because I like it and protein helps reduce fatigue.
I joined Polio Network of New Jersey (PNNJ) in 1992 to learn more about PPS In September 2012,
I was appointed to their board of directors. PNNS is a wonderful organization dedicated to help polio survivors deal with PPS.

I joined RI in 2010 after being a guest lecturer at the Rotary Club of Hamilton Township (Mercer Co., New Jersey). I have been appointed to the Rotary District 7510 Polio Plus committee and was part of the Polio Plus delegation to the UN General Assembly's special session on September 27, 2012 with world leaders and Bill Gates meeting to "Unite Against Polio" (endpolio.org/blog/polio eradication/2012/10/03/un.event-inspires). RI has played a major role from 1985 when they started their Polio Plus project to "End Polio Now". Rotary has helped reduce polio cases from 350,000 per year in 1985 to only 223 WPV cases in 2012.

My polio goals are: (1) To play a role in helping RI and Global Eradication Initiative (GPEI) eradicate polio worldwide in three remaining countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria,(2) To help other polio survivors and their families learn how to best deal with PPS, (3) To help educate doctors and other medical personnel about PPS, (4) To advocate for greater accessibility for the handicapped."

Sincerely in Rotary Service,
John Nanni

POLIO STORIES, CONTINUED

Joe Randig (11.22.2013, reply): "Hello, Esther, I am a 66 year old polio survivor. I have had PT a few times over the past few years, and I would recommend it (PT) with caution. The place I go has a gym membership that lets me use their equipment to exercise. I had surgery on my left shoulder and thought that I would need it on my right shoulder also. I got involved in a restricted exercise program to maintain range of motion and strength. After several months, my shoulder pain decreased and my strength improved making it easier to get around on my crutches. Just make sure that the therapist completely understands your situation and goals. Take it easy, go slow, and let your body determine how much you can do. Good Luck-Joe."

POLIO STORIES, CONT.

Esther Salinas, (2.8.2013, Laredo, TX)- "I am a polio survivor having contracted polio in 1955 at the age of 12. I am now 69. I was almost 100% paralyzed, able to move only my fingers and hand. After receiving extensive PT at the Gonzales Warm Springs Foundation in Olin , TX for 6 months and continuing PT at home in Laredo for an additional 2 years, I regained most of my strength. I thought I was 'cured' and I then enjoyed a very active personal and professional for about 10 years.

I would then be faced with unexplained generalized pain, loss of strength, stamina and energy only 
to discover after personal research that these symptoms were late effects of polio, or post polio syndrome(PPS). I was no longer able to continue with my career in education, and I was unable to make it through the workday. Today, although I am able to walk with assisted devices, I have energy and strength to be  minimally active for about three hours a day, from about 11 am till about 2 pm.
The rest of my day is spent either sitting or lying down. While I am out of my home, I use an electric
scooter, or the scooters provided by some businesses.

What lies ahead concerns me as I become weaker. Currently, I am not receiving any treatment other than the prescription medication for depression, pain, sleep, HBP and elevated cholesterol. I am wondering whether PT would slow down my progressive weakness or if it would accelerate the loss of muscle strength. When I was first diagnosed with PPS, I was told I should ' conserve to preserve', i.e., conserve energy to preserve muscles. I wonder if any polio survivor who is reading this has found PT to be helpful or harmful...or whether some other treatment has proven to be helpful in either slowing down or halting the progression of your symptoms. Thank you."

POLIO SURVIVORS TELL THEIR STORIES

The ones whose soul and heart are filled with high purpose. Yes, these are the living ones.-Victor Hugo

The Rotary Foundation has within their action groups a "polio survivors and associates" subgroup who refer to themselves as "Voices of Polio". Their goal is to let those with polio or family members tell their stories of how polio has defined their lives. (RI website)

Earl Dean Popplewell (9.22.2012 reply): " I had polio back in 1944-45 when I was around 6 or 7 years old. I was sick with fevers and very weak for a couple of months. One day, I remember carrying an arm load of toys across the room that had been given to me, because I had been sick in our farm house in Kentucky. I fell to the floor totally paralyzed. I remember my mother rushing over picking me up and I slid between her arms and fell to the floor again. My father  drove me to the children's hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. where I spent about 6 months, part of which was in the iron lung. I left the hospital wearing braces on both legs for around 20 years. About 20 years ago, I hurt my knee skiing and developed PPS, which left me with a slight limp. It appears that polio does come back for people that had polio previously after they had some form of traumatic injury, as I did. I can consider myself lucky. I believe there are many people that have not been so lucky."

THE SCOURGE OF POLIO

" Extreme remedies are very appropriate for extreme diseases"- Hippocrates: Aphorisms

" Polio (poliomyelitis, infantile paralysis) is a highly contagious, sometimes fatal viral infection that affects nerves and can cause permanent muscle weakness, paralysis and other symptoms.

• Polio is caused by poliovirus, an entrovirus which is spread by swallowing material contaminated by the virus.
• Serious symptoms include: fever, headache, stiff neck, back, deep muscle pain, and sometimes weakness or paralysis.
• The diagnosis is based on symptoms and the results of a stool culture.
• Some children recover completely, whereas others have permanent weakness.
• Routine vaccination can prevent the infection.
• There is no cure for polio.

In the early 20th century, polio was widespread throughout the United States. Today, because of extensive vaccination, polio outbreaks have largely disappeared, and most doctors have never seen a new polio infection. The last case of wild polio virus (WPV) infection in the US occurred in 1979. The Western Hemisphere was certified polio free in 1994. A global polio eradication program has been underway for decades, but cases still occur in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia. Unimmunized people of all ages are susceptible to polio, however, polio outbreaks occurred mainly in children and adolescents. Many other people had already been exposed to the virus and developed immunity." (The Merck Manual Home Health Book, 2009)

There are statistics that have accumulated over the 20th century that underscore the widespread devastation, not only of human deaths and disfigurement, but also the contagion of fear. In 1988, a public health effort to eliminate all cases of polio infection around the world was led by WHO, UNICEF, and The Rotary Foundation (Polio Plus). This has reduced the number of annual (WPV- wild polio virus) diagnosed cases from the hundreds of thousands to 94 in 2015. (TRF website). Even though this represents a 99.9% reduction (Wikipedia), there has been a bounce back of WPV in some countries. The fight against polio continues. Dr. Jonas Salk is immortalized in annals of medicine for his development of the polio vaccine.

JERRY'S WATERSHED YEAR

"Rarely does a person ever have the opportunity to test the limits of his ability. We can accomplish pretty much whatever we make up our minds to accomplish. If we are not forced to test our strength through dire necessity, through struggle, through hardship, we seldom discover our possibilities."- Napoleon Hill

In September, 1953, Jerry was in charge of managing the exhibits at the Santa Clara County Fair when he became very ill. He held up long enough to complete his job. He was taken to the Santa Clara County Hospital in a coma. When he woke up days later, he was paralyzed and placed into an iron lung. He had contracted poliomyelitis (polio). During that time, he had several operations, mostly to hold his head up coupled with a tracheotomy. Jerry spent 18 months in an iron lung.

After Jerry was out of the iron lung for brief periods, he was determined to spend his time at the print shop. He couldn't do much , but he could tell people what and how to do things. A worker from the shop would pick him up at the hospital in the morning so that he could work, and was returned to the hospital so he could sleep in the iron lung. Jerry's polio had paralyzed his lungs which caused him to struggle with his breathing when he was out of the iron lung. He was able to walk and move around, but that was about all he could do. Jerry weighed about 100 lbs, his head held up by a brace. He could not turn his head, and his arms were in slings. He couldn't move his fingers, and he was hand fed at the hospital with puree food and avocados. Jerry became aware by an old friend, Joyce Young, of polio treatments and surgeries done at a hospital in Rancho Los Amigos, Downey CA. She made arrangements for him to to be admitted into this hospital and drove him there where he underwent several operations on his arms and hands. This was a huge struggle for him.

SAN JOSE, CA

Jerry Erich's mother met and married a printer, Lawrence Dugdale, who owned the Graphic Arts Press, located on So. Second Street in San Jose. Jerry started working and learning about the printing business at an early age under the tutelage of his step-father. He attended Lincoln Grade School, Woodrow Wilson Jr. HS and graduated from San Jose HS in 1947 which was located on the campus of San Jose State University. He worked at his step-father's shop most of his spare time, and he had a passion for all sports, especially basketball. He was involved in the First Methodist Church and its youth group. Jerry enrolled at SJSU taking business and printing classes, and he found the time to take printing classes at Stanford.

Jerry as a young adult was very ambitious and had plans of accomplishing many things in his life. He wanted to get involved in local politics and gave thought to running for mayor of San Jose. He had big ideas on how San Jose could improve and become a major city. He also tried to enlist in the Navy but was rejected due to a disability. Jerry was running the print shop most of the time when it was decided to build a building for the new print shop on N. Fourth St. He sold the house he bought on Reed St. ($6500) and moved to a nicer, bigger place on Alum Rock Ave. Things were going well for Jerry, and he was learning a new style of printing called "offset printing" at a school in Oakland. All that changed in September, 1953.

Jerry Erich's history as a young adult would serve him well as a family man, business owner, Rotarian and philanthropist. The roots of true conservatism were planted in him- a respect for tradition, hard work, frugality, service of community, stoicism in the face of adversity. 

EARLY YEARS-COMMENTARY

"Far and away, the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing."- Theodore Roosevelt, Labor Day speech.

Most Americans who survived the Great Depression were deeply scarred, physically and emotionally. This national trauma drove many into despair and self-destruction while many others developed a resiliency (defined by Websters as "an ability to recover from or adjust easily to misfortune and change"). I could not imagine that any adjustment would be "easy" during that time. It seems that the incredible work ethic, entrepreneurial spirit along with his financial aspirations that Mr. Erich developed early in his life provided him with the fortitude-the "mental toughness" that would serve him to survive the next great trial of his life-polio.

EARLY YEARS

" He who has done his best for his own time has lived for all times".-Johann von Schiller

I am grateful to Rotarian Audrey Clark of District 5170 for providing me with Jerry Erich's biographical information.

Jerry Erich was born on January 22, 1929 in Taft, CA, child of Westly and Vivian Erich. His father worked for the Standard Oil Company. As a youth, Jerry liked playing baseball, and his dad played for the Standard Oilers. His family moved to Stockton, CA. where his father started working for his brother, Bill at Erich Radio.  After the move, Jerry's dad started playing baseball for the SF Seals. Soon afterward, his parents split up, and he and his mother moved to San Jose. Jerry spoke of them having a very hard life during their early years, and he recalled having dreams of being rich.. The family would go to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk  when they could. Jerry loved the merry-go-round thinking to himself, "someday, I'm going to be rich enough to ride this all day". When he was 10, he was mowing lawns and shining shoes on the street. At 12, he worked two paper routs in the morning and evening. When a carrier  didn't show up, he would deliver their routes for a dollar.  Jerry had the job of "shack captain" where he would assign paper routs to carriers. He was paid $25/month. He saved his money and bought war bounds. At age 14, he had saved enough, $1500, to buy his mother a house on West Reed St. He was also repairing and fixing bicycles to make more money.

INTRODUCTION

Hello friends. It has taken me three years since I originally started this blog with the inspiration and support of Rotarian Audrey Clark who was a lifelong dear friend of Mr. Jerry Erich of San Jose California- husband father and Rotarian. Many of us attribute courage as physical courage, the ability to withstand suffering on a physical level or performing actions that are routinely done by first responders. However, courage/fortitude can manifest itself in so many different ways beside physical actions. Jerry and Dorothy Erich served as witnesses to many people of their courage in the face of a debilitating and frightful disease-poliomyelitis (polio). The purpose of this blog is to share with you the story of a wonderful and courageous couple who dealt with their lifelong disease with grace and joyful service. It is my hope that this blog will serve as an inspiration to all of us that even under the most extraordinary difficulties and suffering, each of us has the power to live a courageous and joyful life. Your comments and stories are most welcomed.