The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY

Look! He's waking.

- Page Dr. Cocheton. Quickly.

Dr. Cocheton to room 119, please.

Mr. Bauby, open your eyes.

Open your eyes.

Mr. Bauby, open your eyes.

You've been asleep for a long time,

you're waking up now. Can you hear me?

Yes, I'm hearing you.

What's happening?

Jesus, a hospital.

Mr. Bauby, open your eyes wide.

Try to keep them open.

Yes, like that.

Follow this lamp with your eyes.

Alright.

Don't be alarmed.

You're in a hospital.

I'm a doctor. My name's Cocheton.

These are nurses.

We're here to take care of you.

Do you remember what happened?

Do you remember what happened?

Just vague images

You're in the Naval Hospital, Berck-sur-Mer.

On the coast. At Calais.

You were treated first in Paris,

and then brought here.

Do you remember that?

Jean-Dominique.

You've had a stroke.

You've been in a coma for

almost three weeks.

But now you're waking up and you'll be fine.

I promise you.

Thank you

- I have to give you some simple tests.

Keep your eyes on me.

Good.

Follow my finger.

Good.

When I say blink,

please blink.

Excellent.

Now, tell me your name.

Jean-Dominique Bauby.

- Come on, try

I just did.

- Try really hard, say your name.

Jean-Dominique Bauby.

Try saying your children's names.

Thophile, Cleste, Hortense.

Don't worry.

It's a slow process.

But your speech will come back.

What? Can't you hear me, doctor?

Doctor?

What's happening? I can't speak.

They can't hear me.

Oh my God.

I can't speak.

What's happened to me?

My name is Jean-Dominique Bauby.

Doctor?

All right, all right.

I've had a stroke my speech'll

come back my memory will come back

Everything will be alright, Mr. Bauby.

We are here to care for you.

I'll be patient.

Ok.

Ok, I believe you.

Who brought these flowers?

Roses.

Ins.

Did you sleep well?

Let's see.

You're going to have an important visitor.

Dr. Lepage, your neurologist.

So we want you at your very best.

Good morning.

I'm Alain Lepage, your neurologist.

You know Dr. Cocheton, of course.

Jean-Dominique...

no, no, your friends call you Jean-Do.

So that's what I'm going to call you.

Think of me as your friend.

Sure Doctor.

As a friend I know how

difficult this is for you.

Nobody here has explained to

you the full extent of your condition.

You've had what we call a

cerebrovascular accident.

It's put your brain stem out of action.

The brain stem is an essential

component of our internal computer

the link between the brain

and the spinal cord.

In the past, we would have

said you'd had a massive stroke.

You would very

probably have died.

But now we have such improved

resuscitation techniques

that we're able to prolong life.

Is this life?

Is this life?

- Yes, prolong life.

I'm not going to mince words,

Jean-Do. You are completely paralyzed.

You have realised you are unable to speak.

You have what we call...

...'locked-in syndrome'.

locked-in syndrome.

- Locked-in syndrome.

It will be of no comfort to you but your

condition is extremely rare.

And we simply don't know the cause.

You don't smoke and you're

not a heavy drinker.

It just happened all of a sudden.

However, apart from being totally

paralysed...

...you are normal in every other respect.

Normal?

- There is hope.

Your brain is functioning.

You're able to understand us.

You follow our movements with your eyes.

Although I'm not entirely

happy with your right eye.

This muscle doesn't work, see?

The eye doesn't get moisturized.

I'm afraid we have to cover that.

Don't we?

- Cover?

What does he want to cover?

- but I'll take a second guess on that.

We want you to take it easy for a few days.

What d'you think I'm doing now?

- and then two beautiful

young women will visit you.

And when I say beautiful,

I mean beautiful.

- Fine.

They are great. Outstanding therapists and

miracle workers.

No miracles please.

- And so, as I say, there's hope..

That's what you all showed me.

You'll be well looked after, Jean-Do.

Really.

That's a good start.

- You'll be well looked after.

Good morning.

Have I gone to heaven?

- I'm Henritte.

And I'm Marie.

- You can blink your eyes, don't you?

So, I want you to blink once for yes,

twice for no.

Fine! Two beauties and I'm helpless.

- Can you read that?

Where?

H. Durand, logopediste.

- Can you see Durand?

Good, Mr. Bauby.

- Mrs. or Miss?

I'm your physical therapist.

First you have to learn again to swallow.

So I'll be working on your tongue and lips.

Sounds fun.

- And I'm your speech therapist.

Until you can actually speak again

I have to find a way for you to communicate.

Your condition is extremely rare.

- I know.

we're going to have to work very hard.

- So we'd better get started.

Exactly. I just came in to introduce myself.

See you.

See you.

I want you to know...

...that this is perhaps the most important

job I've ever been given.

and I'm determined to succeed.

With your help, of course.

I think you understand,

but I will ask you some questions.

Ok?

Remember, you answer

by blinking once for yes

or twice for no..

Am I a man?

Am I a woman?

Is the sun too bright for you?

Is it midnight now?

What kinds of questions are this?

- Are we in Paris?

Are we in Berck?

Does wood float?

- I don't think so.

Do you remember having your stroke?

Were you the editor of Elle magazine?

Yes, I was the editor-in-chief of Elle.

To Alaa.

Your right eye isn't working properly.

Can you hear me?

Your right eye isn't working properly.,

I'm going to sew it up.

Sew it up?

- That happens...

...an ulcerated cornea.

I've been skiing in St. Moritz.

It's wonderful there now.

I don't give a sh*t.

nothing like sailing down a slope

with the wind in your face..

Keep away from me

Don't worry

- keep away from me

You won't feel a thing.

- Please.

No, please don't...

- You won't feel

anything. Just be quiet.

Don't

I've done this dozens of times.

It will be fine.

Don't worry.

Almost done.

A few more pinpricks.

Perfect, even if I say so myself.

Done.

We're going to dress you to

cheer you up a bit.

Afterwards we have a surprise.

We're going to try

you in this wheelchair.

Ok.

Wheel him up and down, will you?

These are my students.

Pay no attention to them.

I want to be sure that

sitting like that won't

trigger uncontrollable muscular spasms.

He needs a cushion behind his head

Sorry we have to do this to you, Jean-Do.

Excellent. Excellent.

You can handle the wheelchair.

You can handle the wheelchair.

What an honor.

- That is good news.

And now for the surprise

Oh my God, who's that? Me?

I look as if I've emerged from a vat

of formaldehyde.

Horrible.

Is that my surprise?

To see myself?

Cline.

How are you?

Ok, let me explain that.

Isn't this a wonderful surprise, Jean-Do?

Your first visitor is your wife.

No, she's the mother of my children.

- He understands everything.

Everything.

If you ask a question,

make it a yes-or-no question. Ok?

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