Brain on Fire Page #4

Have you never seen

someone who's passionate

- and excited about something?

- Yup.

I know the workers out there who's

kinda typing their computers

and get sh*t done! But I'm not doing that!

Susannah, when is the last

time you spoke to your family?

- I don't think that what matters here.

- What did they say? Did they see you?

Richard, they support me.

I'm supported by everyone.

But I'm not feeling it from

you, so that's the question.

Do you support me, like

my family support me?

Like Margo supports me?

Or what? Hmm?

I want you to go home. I'm gonna support

you from home. I want you to go home.

Are you firing me?

No, I'm not firing you.

I'm sending you home.

Great.

Good talk. Send me that email.

Yeah, I need Susannah Cahalan's all

personal file brought up to me.

Any contact for a family?

Yeah, thanks.

- I'm sorry, say that again?

- I'm bipolar.

- Tell me why you think you're bipolar.

- I googled it.

- You googled it?

- Yes.

For the last two weeks I'm not be

able to concentrate, eat, sleep.

I smile, I cry, I laugh.

I, I'm happy, I'm sad.

What I do know, doctor,

is I'm a creative person.

And this happens to creative people.

A lot of creative people are bipolar.

Bipolar is what makes me who I am.

It's just a part of me and

I have to accept that.

Have you ever felt like this

before, anytime in your life?

You mean, I've always been energetic?

- Ever suicidal?

- No.

I mean,

everyone daydreams about dying.

But I don't wanna die.

- All right.

- So I'm bipolar, right?

It's too early to say for sure.

But, you know, I do see serious

signs of mixed episodes,

meaning extremely high highs

and very low lows.

But, I happened to aggre

with Dr. Samson.

I mean, you have a lot of going on

in your life right now.

Sometimes they come across as

manic and depressive elements.

Typical of bipolar disorder.

But just because you got a bruise on your

face, doesn't mean you've been punched.

So, I'm gonna give you a

prescription for Olanzapine.

It's an anti-psychotic prescribed

to treat mood and thought disorders.

Take these pills

and check back in with me.

Let me know how you responding.

And we'll make a follow-up

appointment in a month.

Why are you walking away from me right now?

I look this up, all right.

I'm not making it up for fun right now.

Listen to me. You wanna

hear the side effects?

Euphoria, fever, general feelings

of discomfort, illness, headache,

hyperventilation, irregular

heartbeats, irritability, Mom,

this is it!

It's making me crazy!

Susannah, you have been on them

on 24 hours.

No! It doesn't matter, okay?

They're poison! They're toxic!

- Just take the pills.

- You want me to die?

Take the pills for me!

Do it for your mother!

Take the pills!

Give them a chance to work!

Please!

You know what?

When I die,

I want you to bury me right next to granny.

Bipolar? That doesn't seem right to me.

Maybe she's drinking too much.

You sure, you're not overreacting?

You haven't seen it so

you don't know, okay?

I'm not overreacting.

Our daughter is in trouble

and I am exhausted.

And I need you to.. I need you to help me.

I need you to take her.

Okay, I will keep an eye on her.

And we will get to the bottom

of this, if we stick together.

Intense though, you'll see.

It's really scary.

Okay.

- Susannah? Lunch is ready.

- It's a lovely day.

Yeah, it's nice out.

Do you want juice or water?

Are you okay?

Why don't you go ahead and take a seat.

Want some bread?

Thank you.

- Want some butter?

- Oh, no. Okay thank you.

Will you stop?

Just stop chewing.

Aren't you gonna it?

It's your favorite.

Giselle put in a lot of effort

to make this for you.

It was no trouble.

Why did you say to me?

Susannah, I didn't say anything.

Susannah, she said nothing to you.

No!

No, right there!

Right there! You just

called me a spoiled brat!

- No, Susannah...

- You just said it!

- You just said it again!

- Susannah!

Calm down.

Why are you doing this to me? Why?

- What are you talking about?

- Why did you just say that to me?

I haven't done anything to you!

- Why did you say that to me?

- She didn't say anything.

- I heard you say it!

- No, Susannah.

You just said it to me!

- Susannah, go to your room!

- I just heard you say it!

Go! What is wrong with you?

- Susannah, what is wrong with you?

- No! No! No! No!

- Tell me what is wrong.

- Get away from me!

I can't help you if you don't

tell me what is wrong!

Get away! Get away!

I heard you! I heard you!

I want you get away!

You're not gonna take me!

Giselle is trying to kidnap me!

- No. No one's trying to kidnap you.

- Please, please. Don't touch me.

- It's okay.

- Don't touch me. Don't touch me.

It's okay, it's okay, it's okay.

Look, her EEG is completely normal.

Her MRI is normal, her

neurological exam is normal.

Her blood work is all normal.

It's all clear, it's all normal.

She's drinking too much

and she's exhibiting

the classic signs of alcohol withdrawal.

I know this is hard to

hear about your daughter.

She needs to take the medications,

stop partying, and get some rest.

I haven't seen her have a

drink in over two weeks.

Now, I have been known to enjoy a

glass of wine or two in my day

and all I experienced was a bad hangover.

Alcohol withdrawal? Are you kidding me?

Do you really think we're

gonna believe that?

She needs to be hospitalized now.

Not tomorrow, not today. Now.

And I'm not leaving here

until we have hospital bed,

that we can put our daughter into, tonight.

So, go ahead, call the police.

I got nothing to lose.

Good morning, Susannah.

How are you today?

Thank you.

Would you sit up for me, please, Susannah?

Great, thank you.

- How are you feeling?

- He wants to save his girl,

Susannah gets some help.

What is wrong with you?

You're falling apart..

You gotta get me out of here.

I don't belong here.

And they're all saying bad stuff about me.

Who's saying bad things about you?

Susannah, what is wrong with you?

Them.

The people on the TV right there.

Okay.

Susannah, can you tell me

a little bit about

how you felt before you came

to the hospital?

I felt disappeared.

Can you explain that to me a little more?

Tired.

Like I wasn't alive.

Now, Susannah, I'm gonna ask you

some basic questions.

And I just need you to do your best

and answer it, okay?

- What's your name?

- Susannah Cahalan.

- Do you know what year it is?

- God. You don't hear that?

- Hear what?

- That?

Susannah, I just need you to focus

and answer my questions, okay?

You gotta get me out of here.

- Right now.

- Susannah.

Okay.

Susannah, we're here to help you.

We're not gonna hurt you, okay?

I promise.

- All right.

- Don't touch me.

Okay.

I want you to, I want you

to hold out your arms,

like you're holding a tray, okay?

No, no, no, no.

I'm not doing it anymore.

- Why are you interrogating me?

- I'm not interrogating you, Susannah.

- I'm.. I'm..

- Get out!

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes