Man in the Iron Lung: Paul Alexander Discovers ‘Frog Breathing’ That Allows Him To Spend More Time Outside Metal Contraption

Paul Alexander has spent over seven decades living inside a metal contraption after he was struck down by polio, earning him the moniker "the man in the iron lung" or the "iron lung man." However, he just developed a new breathing technique that allows him to spend more time away from the machine.

Man in the Iron Lung With Frog Breathing Technique

Paul was placed inside an iron lung and has relied on it since 1952. Polio has left him paralyzed from the neck down.

The ventilator, which looks like a metal coffin, allows patients to be inside it while firmly wearing the device around their necks.

In order to mechanically draw oxygen into the lungs for patients whose central nervous system and respiratory function were severely damaged by polio, it works by producing a vacuum.

After over 70 years, he developed his way of breathing, which he called "frog breathing." The strategy allows him to spend more time outside the metal contraption.

Glossopharyngeal breathing is the medical term for what Paul calls "frog breathing." It is the act of gulping and swallowing air.

His physical therapist-assisted him in learning the breathing method. She encouraged him by promising him a puppy if he could go three minutes without the ventilator.

Paul finally acquired his puppy a year later. He named his beloved pet Ginger. Once he could breathe on his own for extended periods, he could leave the iron lung and make his way first to the porch and then the yard.

Paul still needs to sleep in the iron lung. However, his new breathing technique has allowed him to enjoy more time outside the ventilator.

Who Is Paul Alexander - The Iron Lung Man?

Paul Alexander contracted polio in 1952. He was only six years old at the time. The condition led to paralysis from his waist down, and he was placed in the iron lung.

Despite his illness, he continued living his life. He was the first person in Dallas, Texas, to graduate from high school at age 21 without ever being there. He went on to become a trial lawyer and even represented clients in court using a three-piece suit and a modified wheelchair.

He has flown on airplanes, lived alone, experienced love, prayed in a church, been to the seashore, and even found himself in a strip club over his lifetime.

He organized a sit-in supporting disabled rights and released his autobiography, "Three Minutes for a Dog: My Life in an Iron Lung."

Paul took five years and 155 pages to write his memoir. He used a pen on a stick in his mouth to write each word.

He has outlived both of his parents, his brother and even his original iron lung, which luckily was fixed by a mechanic, Brady Richards, after it started to leak air in 2015. Richards was inspired to fix it after watching a YouTube video of Paul screaming for assistance.

In a 2020 interview with the filmmaker Mitch Summers, Paul stated that despite his circumstances, he never gave up on himself.

"No matter where you're from or what your past is, or the challenges you could be facing. You can truly do anything. You just have to set your mind to it, and work hard," he said.

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