Life in a "Tank": A Woman Spent Almost 60 Years on a Ventilator (7 photos)
American Diana Odell was barely three years old when she found herself in trouble. Viral polio had attacked her lungs, and she could no longer breathe on her own. Modern ventilators were still a long way off, and the pinnacle of medical progress in the 1950s were the terrifying devices popularly known as "tanks."
Diana spent nearly 60 years in this "tank." Yet it wasn't just an existence, it was a vibrant, fulfilling life. A senseless tragedy cut her short... 
Until she was 20, Diana was still able to spend two to three hours a day outside the apparatus. She was released briefly from confinement, attending school classes and hanging out with friends. But because she had to lie motionless on her back for hours, her muscles eventually lost their activity, and even temporary freedom was forgotten. 
Young Diana on one of her rare walks.
After finishing school, Diana took the university entrance exams by correspondence. Her father, an engineer, managed to arrange audio broadcasts of lectures for her. She dictated written assignments to her parents. 
Diana's parents kept hoping that technological advances would allow her to escape the "tank," but when a compact, portable device finally appeared, the poor girl couldn't make the transition: her spine was too deformed. 
Diana, however, was undeterred. In 1991, she began writing a book, or rather, her father wrote it down from her words. It took her ten years to complete the children's story "Less Light," which explores the importance of not losing faith in yourself and valuing loved ones. 
After the book's publication, Diana became a local celebrity. Even US Vice President Al Gore visited her. The ailing woman never complained about her fate and insisted that her life was full of bright moments. 
Diana died in 2008 at the age of 58 due to a tragic accident: a power outage in the house. Her parents had twice previously managed to save their daughter by manually pumping the respirator until it turned on, but this time their attempts were futile. 
Another American, Martha Mason, became a hostage in the capsule for 60 long years. Despite her unenviable fate, this cheerful woman never lost her spirit.
