...First Do No Harm Page #7

- tell us options?

- Didn't you say Doc Peterson,

talked with his neurologist

friends about Robbie...

- ... and not one of them mentioned

a diet? - That's right.

Just drugs... and surgery.

If this stands any chance

of working, let alone...

...a one in three chance

of stopping his seizures altogether...

...why would they rob us

of that hope?

Dave Reimuller.

We'll be there.

Meeting with Abbasac in an hour. She

wants to talk about Robbie's surgery.

- Oh.

- Uh.

I'll, uh, I'll meet you.

Don't see anyone

until I get there.

I'll meet you in an hour.

Doc?

Hi. Dave tells me I might

be of some help to you.

Come in.

- There's no need to have an

attorney present. - I'm not a lawyer.

- I'm a friend of the family.

- This is Jim Peterson. Dr. Abbasac.

This is Dr. Alison, the pediatric

neurosurgeon I mentioned to Lori.

- How do you do?

- Hi.

Please sit down.

I examined Robbie this morning

and, uh, reviewed his record.

We have his procedure

scheduled for tomorrow morning.

I'll just need the signed consent form I

gave you so we can process the paperwork.

The Reimullers have decided

to go in another direction.

They're gonna enroll their child in the

ketogenic diet program at Johns Hopkins.

I told Lori what conditions

for safe transfer must be met...

...including a medical doctor

to accompany Robbie.

Now, I don't know

of a single M.D. who would endorse...

...the kind of foolishness she's

proposing to subject her son to.

Of course you don't.

Since so many in our profession...

...choose not to look beyond

the limits of drugs and surgery.

It's what made me change careers, but

I've kept my medical license current.

- You're a physician? - We'll meet your

conditions for Robbie's safe transfer.

I'll accompany him

to Baltimore.

I assume you've spoken to Johns Hopkins

about these arrangements?

I have, and the arrangements

have been made.

They're expecting us.

Dr. Peterson?

I assume you know all the evidence in

favor of the ketogenic diet is anecdotal.

There is absolutely

no scientific evidence this diet works.

When you say scientific evidence,

if you mean double-blind studies...

...then I have to ask you, where are the

double-blind studies on the effects...

...of the interactions between all

the drugs you've had Robbie on?

Where are the studies

on the surgery you'll propose...

...as a result

of the electrocorticogram?

Dr. Abbasac, to arbitrarily pretend that

your treatments for epilepsy are science...

...and then argue against

a ketogenic diet...

...seems to me to be the cruelest

of double standards.

When you and I became doctors, we swore

an oath that said, "First do no harm. "

Now, if these folks wanna try

to control their son's seizures...

...by changing what he eats

instead of drugs and surgery...

...well, I think

they deserve that chance.

Dr. Abbasac gave the order

to pull him off the paraldehyde...

...to prevent respiratory problems

while he's traveling.

Hopefully there'll still be enough left

in his blood to keep him from seizing.

I put in for a couple

of vacation days, and my supervisor's...

...pulling together the meds

he'll need for the trip.

You're goin' with us, then?

Things don't fall into

place the way this has...

Dr. Peterson offering

to go with you...

...another space opening up

for Robbie at Hopkins...

unless they're meant to be.

Besides, I think Dr. Peterson is

volunteering his degree, not his expertise.

If something should go wrong,

he'd need me.

I haven't seen a doctor

insert an IV in 15 years.

- Heads up.

- Hey.

Found a place for you

to stay... free!

Wh... Holy Sisters

of Saint Francis?

Mmm! My sister

was a novice there.

She says the nuns are very nice,

even though they don't talk.

Uh! Mom in a silent convent?

Well, it could happen.

Come on, buddy.

Whoa!

We're goin' on an airplane,

you know that?

Big, big, big one.

I'm excited, Mommy.

You know that I believe in my bones

what you're doing is wrong.

I know you do.

I've been told over the years that I'm

not the easiest person to deal with.

I hope you're not sacrificing this beautiful

child to a personality conflict with me.

He's my boy, and I'm his mom.

I'm just doing what I think is right.

If it were your child, can you honestly

say you'd do anything different?

I'll be sending you

little bird kisses.

Hope you get to ride

in a jumbo jet.

Bye, buddy.

- Bye, Mom.

- Bye, Mom.

- I'll take care of him.

- Okay.

- Thanks.

- Be nice to the nuns.

Be careful.

- Bye, Robbie.

- Have a good flight!

Good luck, squirt.

- Put this underneath.

- We've arranged for an ambulance.

- It's okay.

- It's already been 15 minutes.

- Should we give him some

Valium intramuscularly? - That's it.

- He's okay.

- Good. I'll tell the pilot.

That's it, sweetie.

- Hi.

- May I help you?

I'm...

I'm Lori Reimuller.

Oh, yes, Mrs. Reimuller.

Your son's appointment was two days ago.

I know, I know, I know. But, uh, this

was the soonest that we could get here.

I'm sorry. Don't you remember

I told you very clearly on the phone...

...we have no appointment

openings with Dr. Forman

- or available beds in our hospital program.

- He has to be in the hospital.

He transferred out of pediatric

intensive care to come here.

Wait here.

What do we got here?

Oh! This is Robbie Reimuller.

I'm his mom.

- Uh, I have his medical records.

- I've seen them.

As my receptionist told you,

there are no more beds in the clinic.

Please, you're not gonna tell me

after we've come all this way...

...that we have to turn around

and go... back.

It's of the utmost importance

that the ketogenic diet be started...

...under strict

medical supervision.

There are risks.

Do you have a place nearby to stay?

Yes, yes.

Five minutes away.

No needles. Follow.

When was his last meal?

Uh, breakfast, this morning.

Push.

All right.

No more food for two days.

And then we'll start the diet.

You know, they took him off

paraldehyde to make the trip out here.

And the place where we're staying isn't

really set up for a sick child.

He wants to be treated

like a normal healthy boy.

Do that, starting now.

I've been on an airplane.

And how'd you like that?

Fun.

I'm sorry. I thought he would be

staying in the hospital.

I wouldn't ask you except that

we don't have anyplace else to go.

No male has ever

slept on these premises.

If you can manage with

the simple essentials...

...you're both welcome to stay

with us as long as you need to.

- Thank you. - Sister Josephine

will show you to your room.

Can I have a minute?

If, uh, he gets bad,

you be sure and call 911.

The hospital can always find

a bed on an emergency basis.

I know "sorry" doesn't

begin to cover it, but...

You understand

if anything had happened...

...Marissa could've lost

her license and her livelihood.

- Thank you.

- Oh.

I wonder if you'll ever know how lucky

you are to have this lady for a mother.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes