...First Do No Harm Page #5

- Oh.

Why does he have a fever?

It could be an infection. It could

be part of the seizure disorder.

It could be the medication.

That's something you're gonna have to

talk to Dr. Abbasac about.

That a boy.

You're okay.

Where is Lili?

The little girl in the other bed.

What happened to her?

- She's dead, isn't she?

- It's extremely rare.

She died of the epilepsy,

not the surgery.

There's something wrong here. There's

something really, really, really wrong!

I bring my kid to you people for help,

and all you do is make him sicker.

You give him one drug, and then he needs

another drug to cure him of the first one.

And then he needs another drug to

take away the side effects of that one!

And another one and another one

and another one... I mean, he...

He has had a rash,

swollen glands, a fever...

...constipation, hemorrhoids,

bleeding gums...

And he acts like a drunk,

a zombie, a psycho.

And it's not because of his sickness.

It's because of your cure.

If Robbie doesn't get better...

...if he ends up in a home, strapped

to a wheelchair somewhere, huh...

...what are you

gonna tell me then?

That it's all some big

idiopathic tragedy?

- Lori.

- I'm sorry.

But, you know, there must be something else

that you can do. There must be something.

Lori, wait. I've been meaning to

give this to you for your signature.

It's the paperwork on

the compassionate use program.

We want to try

an experimental drug.

Dr. Abbasac, code blue.

Dr. Abbasac, code blue.

Dr. Abbasac, code blue.

He's in status.

Two milligrams, Valium IV.

One more.

Help me! Help!

Another milligram Valium IV.

Repeat until we have cessation.

Get me four milligrams

paraldehyde.

Hurry. He's

in status epilepticus.

If we can't stop it, we risk

permanent brain damage.

Paraldehyde is a drug

that temporarily freezes

the central nervous system and

prevents that. But like any drug,

- it carries its own risks.

- What risks?

Depressing the nervous system can

result in pulmonary edema, even death.

That's the choice? Probable

brain damage or possible death?

Paraldehyde.

Not oral. Miss Warren, get me a

rectal syringe for the paraldehyde.

But not plastic.

Miss Warren.

Get me four more milligrams

paraldehyde.

Paraldehyde.

Turn him on his side.

Hi.

Oh, I... probably average

three or four seizures a month.

Be better if they restricted themselves

to weekends and holidays.

Yeah.

Um, when I was

in elementary school...

I was on so much medicine,

the other kids assumed I was retarded.

I had a seizure during

our fourth grade talent show.

They must have thought I was doing

my impression of a fried egg.

Not too many kids wanted to

play with me after that.

Took my parents weeks

to go back into public.

Later on, I got to

where I could...

...tell a couple minutes

in advance when one was coming.

I get auras.

Things start to change colors.

My head aches.

I try to hide it at work. I don't wanna

lose my medical insurance...

...or worse, my job.

Can't drive.

My marriage broke up because the drugs

keep me from being a normal lover.

And I seize in my sleep,

I cuss, I make animal noises.

There is anger and loneliness.

But when the self-pity comes,

I try to say to myself...

...instead of,

"What life do I have?"...

..."What life can I build?"

Then who did take it down?

I don't know.

What are you blaming me for?

Because it's a criminal offense to remove

a foreclosure notice. You can go to jail.

So you better tell me you didn't trash

it and you're gonna put it back.

Fine. You want me to say

I took it down? I took it down.

Then put it back.

- How come you're always pickin'

on me lately? - I'm not pickin' on you.

Yeah, you are. You and Mom

think everything's my fault.

I suppose if Robbie dies

it'll be my fault too.

What?

It's not like I meant what

I said. I was just mad.

What are you talkin' about?

Oh, right. Like Mom

didn't tell you.

Tell me what?

I'm sorry! I didn't mean it.

I don't want Robbie to die.

He's my brother. I love him.

Please don't let him die, Dad.

Please don't.

A, B

C, D

E, F, G

- A, B, C

- H, I, J, K

- L-M-N-O

- D

E, F, G

A, B, C

- D, E

- What's gonna happen to him?

- F - Do you think he's

gonna be a vegetable?

Because if he is, I don't know...

I don't know if I could take care of him.

- I don't know if I could stand to see

him like that every day. - E, F, G

Could you?

- Nobody seems to know anything... ever.

- A, B, C

- Nobody can give us a prognosis.

- D

So maybe...

maybe he's gonna die.

- Do you think he is?

- How would I know?

Well, I...

Do you care?

Shut up, Lori!

Don't you even care if your son

is gonna ever be happy again?

- Just think before you talk! - Don't you...

wanna know what's gonna happen to him?

God, what kind

of a father are you?

- You deal with this your way,

and I'll deal with it mine. - Oh!

I'm havin' enough of a problem

the way it is right now.

Do I wanna know how much worse

it's gonna be a week from now?

Or, or a month?

Or a year?

Well, I'm not sure I do.

To tell you the truth, there are times

when I look at Robbie and...

and at my family, and I think if this is

the life he's destined to lead...

...if all he has to look forward to

is more drugs, more seizures...

...brain surgery, retardation...

...and if we really start

runnin' out of hope...

...he may well be

better off dead.

Can I help you?

Point me to the section

on epilepsy.

That's a vast area

of research.

What kind of epilepsy

do you want to know about?

The kind that's

taking away my son.

Somewhere

Over the rainbow

Way up high

There is a land

That I heard of

- Once in a lullaby

- Why is he wearing a helmet?

Epilepsy. The helmet protects

his head when he falls down.

Somewhere over

- The rainbow

- Charlie, it's time to go. Come on. Get up.

- Skies are blue

- I wanna bring it!

And those dreams

That you dare to dream

They really do come true

Someday I'll wish

Upon a star

And I'll wake up

Where the clouds

are far behind me

Oh, yes

Where troubles melt

like lemon drops

Way above the chimney tops

That's where you'll

Find me

Hi.

- Somewhere

- Hi.

- I didn't know this was your place.

- Over the rainbow

So you... you do the

algebra homework?

- And those dreams - We're supposed

to pick up the washer and the T.V.

- That you dare to dream

- Oh, okay.

- You know, but we could come back in an

hour or so, - They really do come true

if you got a wash

goin'or somethin'.

Someday I'll wish

Upon a star

And I'll wake up

Where the clouds

are far behind me

Oh, yes

Where troubles melt

Like lemon drops

Way above the chimney tops

That's where you'll

Find me

Gonna be somewhere

Over the rainbow

Oh

Where pretty little

bluebirds fly

Birds fly

All over the rainbow

Why

Then, oh, why

Can't I?

What's goin'on?

- It's Mom.

- Is Robbie worse?

No, he's the same. She said

she found something, um...

Different kind of treatment

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