Read the excerpt from "dorothea lange.” seven years later, she contracted polio, a disease that left her with a weakened foot and lower leg, causing her to limp for the remainder of her life. lange would later say of the disease, "i think it was the most important thing that happened to me, and formed me, guided me, instructed me, me, and humiliated me.” based on lange’s words, it is reasonable to infer that lange’s success came when she was able to forget her past. lange felt a sense of bitterness about her childhood illness. lange may not have become a photographer had she never gotten sick. lange’s work was significantly influenced by her experiences.