Lorenzo's Oil Page #4

a little paradox, a mystery, OK?

Why, when we reduce the dietary intake

of saturated fats...

...does the level in our sink, which

we would expect to go down, go up?

So, logically, we should

take him off the diet.

Well, Michaela...

...just as logically, we should not.

Because let's not do

what the doctors did.

Let's not act without knowing why.

Why, when we turn off this tap,

does the level in our sink rise?

I married a plumber.

You married a man with a simple mind,

who asks simple questions, that's all.

Here, Michaela. Brain food.

- Come on.

- Oh. Thank you.

Polish rats! I think I have

an explanation for the paradox.

Lorenzo, kiss your clever mother.

Polish rats with a fatty-acid storage

disease. Let me use your kitchen sink.

Here's our tap for what we eat.

And here's our tap for biosynthesis.

I see. Biosynthesis. Mm-hm.

When the rats were deprived

of a specific fat in their diet...

...their body cells compensated

by overproducing it.

- So if this holds true for humans...

- Then the diet is useless...

...unless we can stop it overproducing,

slow down biosynthesis, s?

Yes, and there's more. And for this,

I deserve two kisses, my darling.

In the summary, it talks about

the concept of fatty-acid manipulation.

- What's that?

- Well...

...they stop the rats

producing one kind of fat...

...by loading their diet with another kind.

So maybe we could stop Lorenzo's body

from producing C24 and C26...

...by loading his diet with another kind

of fat, one that's less harmful.

We should have this translated

as soon as possible.

I have some news too.

It's a letter from Omouri.

He wouldn't open it until you got home.

- Omouri.

- Yes.

Michaela, by tomorrow morning...

...your Polish rats will be

speaking to us in English. Hm?

I've been thinking.

I found that article by accident.

I just as easily could have missed it.

It was written by a Polish biochemist,

who I'm sure knew nothing about ALD.

Well, Michaela, still it gives us

a new line of inquiry.

Yes, but it could take months.

And there will be other leads that take

more time, and it's time we don't have.

All these experts, working in isolation,

each one on his own piece of the jigsaw.

Of course, a symposium is the best way

to accelerate the exchange of information.

In that sense,

it's a very good idea, Mr Odone.

Only... May I say something?

Have you any idea how many children

in the United States die every year...

...from choking on French fries?

Many more than from

adrenoleukodystrophy.

Ours is what is known as

an orphan disease.

It's too small to be noticed,

too small to be funded...

...especially with the iron hand

of Reaganomics.

So while, as I say, this remains a very

good idea, it's a luxury we can't afford.

Well, we appreciate that,

so we have prepared a budget...

...based on 40 participants for two days.

We think it can be done for $35,000.

My wife and I will raise the money.

- We can't ask you to bear the cost.

- Oh, no, no, no, no.

That's the least of our concern.

And of course, your institute

will not be at risk...

...because the Odones

will underwrite any shortfall.

And we took the liberty

of drafting an invitation list.

Forgive me, Dr Nikolais.

We wish to make two conditions.

We would like the symposium

to emphasise therapy...

...and Michaela and myself would like

to participate in the discussion.

Martha, I'm afraid we'll have to

add to your workload...

...but it's in a very good cause.

We've decided to convene

the first symposium on ALD.

We should notify the Muscatines.

Of course. The foundation could

help with the arrangement.

They could even, perhaps...

find some funds.

How about we hook it to the back of

the next Foundation Family Conference?

- When would that be?

- Next summer. 4th of July.

- That's nine months away!

- It will take us all that time...

...to invite those busy doctors

and raise the money.

- I don't think so.

- What's your time frame, Mrs Odone?

- Five weeks from now. November 10th.

- That's not possible.

Oh, I think it is.

Pardon me,

but what is the point of rushing?

As ALD parents, we both know

the answer to that inane question.

If you want this to happen,

you're going about it the wrong way.

At least we are going about it.

- Sorry, I don't understand.

- He wants his diaper changed.

Mrs Muscatine, look... Hello?

Hello?

They should be hung by their eyelashes.

- They won't help?

- It doesn't look that way.

- Good boy. I'll take him.

- No, I got it.

- What'll you do? Mortgage the house?

- Not until I have to.

Michaela!

I've spent two months pulling

on the heartstrings of Washington...

...to raise money for multiple sclerosis,

sudden infant death and cystic fibrosis.

Then why exclude adrenoleukodystrophy?

Because I also cover politics,

the arts, women's issues and stuff...

...and my readership likes

to have a little balance.

I cannot do another medical story

right now. Maybe in another month.

Joyce, I think you should meet my son.

My friends...

This is so generous.

You know, Augusto, our wives

are eager to form a committee...

- ...to, perhaps, help with hospitality.

- Oh, wonderful, wonderful.

Not only will we be saving money,

but they'll be extremely well fed.

For breakfast, French pastry, correct?

Lunch, UN finger food.

The British will do afternoon tea.

And for dinner, I know

a marvellous Italian cook.

Are you needin' another pair of hands? I'll

lick envelopes, serve coffee, whatever.

And this is for your boy. I grow

the best organic produce in Virginia.

- Thank you.

- You don't remember me!

Wendy Gimble. Foundation Family

Conference. I yelled louder than you.

- Yes, of course. You have two boys.

- We lost Jaybird, but Jake here is fine.

We think what you're doing is fantastic.

Hello, Jake. Come on in. Thank you.

When I read about what you were doing,

I thought "It's time we did something."

- Please, come in and meet the others.

- Is that Lorenzo?

Yes. Lorenzo, this is Jake.

He's a young man of your age.

Look, Lorenzo, a great big pumpkin.

Let's go down and feel how big it is.

What, sweetheart?

I'm sorry, Lorenzo.

Let's try that again.

This morning I could still understand him.

When we can clone the ALD gene,

we can identify the deficient enzyme...

...mass-produce the gene,

implant it into ALD sufferers...

- ...and normalise their metabolism.

- How long would that take?

Seven to ten years.

You see, science has its own time...

...and, very often, any new advance

can be a matter of serendipity.

For the last six months, all

our ALD boys have been on a regimen...

...which excludes saturated C24 and 26.

But despite this restriction

in the diet...

...these long-chain fatty acids

have remained the same...

...in some cases even increasing.

Now, this compensating increase

I put down to biosynthesis.

But, Gus, if you could maintain the diet...

...and somehow inhibit biosynthesis,

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