All language subtitles for First DoNoHarm.1997.EnglishHOH.23.976fps

[Man]
"I do solemnly swear..."

[Group Repeating]
"I do solemnly swear..."

"...that I will be loyal
to the profession of medicine..."

"...that I will be loyal
to the profession of medicine..."

"...and just and generous
to its members,"

"...and just and generous
to its members,"

"...that I will prescribe regimen
for the good of my patients..."

"...that I will prescribe regimen
for the good of my patients..."

"...according to my ability
and my judgement,"

"...according to my ability
and my judgement,"

"and above all else,
first do no harm."

"and above all else,
first do no harm."

[Boy And Woman Laughing]

[Woman]
Yep.

[Boy]
That emperor marched down the street...

...in front of all the people
wearing nothing at all?

[Woman Laughs]
Yeah. But then a little boy whispered...

..."But Mother, the emperor
has nothing on!"

But see, the tailors had told him
that they made his clothes...

...out of the most splendid cloth
in all the land...

...and that only stupid people
couldn't see it.

The emperor
couldn't see it...

...but he didn't want anybody
to think he was stupid.

The boy could see the silly emperor
didn't have any clothes on.

- Mm-hmm.
- He believed his own eyes.

Did the boy's mother
believe her own eyes?

Hmm. Well, let's see.

No, she didn't, Mommy.

Hmm.

Why?

[Stammers]
Well, he was the emperor.

Dad's home
from his poker game.

Oh. Tell him his dinner's
in the oven.

Mr. Turgen's with him.

Okay, buddy.
You come on, into the beddy.

Into the beddy. Yeah.

[Kisses] How much do I love you?

- More than life itself?
- Don't you forget it.

- I want to kiss Daddy.
- When he comes up to bed.

- I want to kiss Mark.
- Mark's doing his homework.

- I want to kiss Lynn.
- He's all yours.

- The little bird...
- [Laughing]

- ...is coming to say good night...
- No! No!

- ...to the little log.
- No!

- Say good night.
- No little bird kisses!

The little log is gonna give
the little bird good night kisses.

- Dave.
- Here she comes.

Hey, Wally.

[Clears Throat]
How are you?

I got coffee on.

Uhh, no, thanks.
I-I gotta get going.

What's up?

- [Sighs]
- Hey, Mr. Turgen. Sweet truck.

Hi, Mark.

[Sighs]
I lost.

You lost.

Yeah, well, the good thing
is who I lost to.

Wally. He's willing
to lease it back to us.

Lease what back to us?

[Mark Laughing]
Good one, Dad.

He's raggin'on you, Mom.

If you're joking me,
Dave Reimuller, I'm gonna kill you.

And if you're not joking me,
I'm gonna kill you. I will!

- [All Laughing]
- Nah!

- Not till you see what I've won.
- Oh, man!

[Wally]
She's yours. Come on.

[Horse Neighs]

- Oh, no. Uh-uh.
- [Lynn] Mom!

Oh, honey, do you have any idea how much
a horse like that is worth?

- Wow!
- [Wally] Nothing to me. She injured
a foot as a two-year-old.

She'll never make
a field hunter.

- You could still ride her. [Sighs]
- Mom, please!

As deputy sheriff
and town councilman...

...I order you to take her.

Hey, there, cowpokes!
I'm gonna ride him first!

- Hey!
- Hey, what are you doing outta bed?

Well, you can't sleep now.
Okay, big fella, mount up.

- I'm going to call him "Schwartz".
- Schwartz?

What kind of name
is Schwartz?

I'm sure she already
has a name, Robbie.

Mrs. Schwartz is Robbie's favorite
preschool teacher. Right, honey?

- Schwartz likes me.
- [Neighs]

- [Laughing]
- I guess you can't fight
City Hall, you know?

[Wally]
No,you can't.

- Mr. Turgen gave us this.
- [Mom] Ohh.

It was taken
at the Vilas County Fair.

I just don't feel right
about taking her.

Well, Wally wanted you to have her.
That's how come he put her in the pot.

[Sighs]
How'd you know you'd win?

I always win.
That's why they call me "Lucky Dave".

- [All Laughing]
- [Schwartz Whinnies]

How much have we got?

Oh, about $600
less than we need.

Great. I'll be taking
my grandchildren to Hawaii.

Why would Wally
want to give me his horse?

- [Schwartz Whinnies]
- He has a thing for you.

- Oh, David!
- [Whinnying Continues]

She's lonely, Mom. Listen to her. Can I
go out and keep her company a while?

No, you can go up to bed.
Both of you.

[Groans]

- Can't I watch TV?
- Mm-mm.

- Give me a kiss.
- Thanks, Dad.

- Good night, Dad.
- Oh!

You know, you've completely ruined your
daughter's chances for a happy marriage.

Where on earth is she gonna find
a guy who'll win her dream horse
in a poker game?

Well...

what have I done for my chances
for a happy marriage?

[Laughing]

Mmm.

I take it back. This is why
they call me "Lucky Dave".

- [Laughs]
- [Whinnying Continues]

[Grunts]

Oh, maybe Lynn's right.

Maybe I should go bed down in her stall
just for the first night.

- [Sighs]
- Or you were hoping
I'd bed down in yours?

- Yes.
- Show a little appreciation?

- Somethin' like that.
- Oh, sorry, Schwartz.

[Man On Radio] Kansas City's
number-one-rated country music--

[Lynn]
Mom, do you know where my backpack is?

[Mom] No. You think back
to where you last saw it.

- [Dog Barking, Chickens Clucking]
- [Lynn] Found it!

- Did you make your bed?
- I'll do it before we leave.

- Hey, Mom, I want to ride Schwartz.
- A little later.

- You said I could ride him.
- Yeah.

- It's a her.
- How do you know?

After school you can.

- Promise?
- Uh-huh. Scout's honor.

Get the oil changed
in the car today.

Yeah. I'll drop it off
on my way.

Okay, troops...
we have five minutes.

[Man On Radio, Indistinct]

Ooh! Strong, darlin'.

- Fertilizer should be in
in a couple of weeks.
- Good.

And you can tell Nancy that--
[Continues, Indistinct]

Thanks, Lori.
See you next week.

- Hey, Doc.
- Hey, Lori.

Looks like the airline's
got you busy.

Yeah, I'm flying
K.C.-Denver-San Francisco this month.

- And I'm plantin' my crops
whenever I have a few minutes.
- Ooh.

So, are you still
seein' patients too?

Not for years.
That was another life.

I wouldn't know a stethoscope if it
jumped up and strangled me.

Oh, I hear you have a new mouth to feed
over at your place.

- [Phone Rings]
- Wally Turgen's hunter.

- [Woman] Old Mill Hardware.
- Where'd you hear that?

- Paperboy this morning.
- Oh. Grapevine must be slippin'.

We had her at least seven hours by then.
[Laughs]

Lori, that was Robbie's school.
He took a tumble.

He's okay, but they
want you to check it out.

[Sighs]
Oh, okay. Oh! My car's in the shop.

- You need a ride over there?
- Is that all right?

Thanks. I really
appreciate this, Doc.

[Children Playing,
Laughing]

Well, I wouldn't have bothered you
except for the way he fell.

He was taking
a snack plate to the trash...

- and it seemed like he
just kind of collapsed.
- Uh-huh.

But he got right up,
and he's been fine ever since.

Hey, how come you
fell down, kiddo?

- I didn't fall down.
- Well, I'll give
his pediatrician a call.

-I made a picture of the emperor. See?
-The emperor?

- Oh, that's goo--
- No. Like this.

Oh, that-- Yeah.
Well, I like it better the other way.

[Laughs]
He's okay, I think.

Hey, Dr. Peterson, do you
want to see my picture?

[Neighing]

Hey, Mom!
I wanna ride Schwartz!

- She's not ready yet.
- I'm ready now!

When we're done
lunging her you can.

You promised.
Scout's honor!

[Laughs]
Oh, oh! Wait. No, wait.

We gotta get the beans out of Schwartz
before we put you on her.

Don't want to have
two matching shiners, do we?

Hey, Mark, I got a world-class
assistant truck washer here.

- Happens to have an opening
in his schedule.
- [Whinnies]

All right, squirt.

- Hey, stop calling me squirt!
- Mark.

Fine. When I finish washing a spot,
you rinse it off.

Oh, but, whatever you do,
don't do this.

[Gasps] Hey, quit it!
Mom, Mark squirted me!

Mark, be nice
to your brother.

Sorry.
Here you go, squirt.

You told me to squirt!

Ohhh, I'm drenched.

You know I'm just gonna have to get you
back double for what you did to me.

I'm comin'.

Robbie? Robbie,
quit screwing around.

- [Robbie Whimpering]
- That's it.

- Robbie?
- [Whimpering Continues]

Mom! Mom! Mom, come quick!
Something's wrong with Robbie!

Hurry, Mom! Hurry!

Mom!

[Whimpering Continues]

Oh, Robbie, Robbie.
It's okay.

- [Whimpering Continues]
- It's okay. It's okay.

It's okay.

It's okay.

[Siren Wailing]

He was admitted 45 minutes ago,
and he's still post-stictal.

Lori, Dave,
this is Dr. Neaves...

-the ped's neurological consultant here.
-Hi.

- Hi.
- He knows a lot about epilepsy.

Epilepsy?

Uh, yes. One seizure
is just a seizure...

...but two, by definition,
is epilepsy.

But he's only had one.

The fall you called me about
this morning was probably
another kind of seizure.

So we're going to admit him and
watch him for a couple of days.

But this is a kid who
hardly catches a cold.

How could he
have epilepsy?

Well, there's a lot of different
triggers for seizure disorders.

We're gonna run some tests
and see what we can find out.

[Dr. Neaves] I think the best way
to understand what a seizure is...

...is to think of it as
a short-circuit in Robbie's brain.

Something interferes
with the normal electrical flow...

...and everything goes
temporarily haywire.

Oh, oh, oh. It's okay. It's okay.
Look at you so brave.

[Dr. Neaves] Now,
Robbie's going to need a CATscan...

...so we can see if his seizures have
a cause that we can treat surgically.

We'll inject a dye
while his head is being X-rayed...

...and then a computer
takes a picture...

...just as if we'd cut
a slice of the brain.

[Tapping Computer Keys]

The EEG is used for comparison if
Robbie's seizures change in character.

It's helpful in diagnosing
some special forms of epilepsy.

We do these tests to find out
if your son has a tumor
or lesion in his brain.

- A spinal tap is used to rule out
bacterial meningitis.
- Hold him just like that.

If we catch it early, it can easily
be treated with antibiotics.

- [Screaming]
- Usually we don't find anything.

[Screaming Continues]

We don't necessarily
need to find a cause.

Most of the time we don't.
But we do have effective drugs.

As a matter of fact, 70 percent
of kids with epilepsy...

...have their seizures reasonably
controlled with the first medicine.

We'll start Robbie
with phenobarbital.

It's been around the longest,
so we know the most about it.

Although it can cause
behavioral problems...

...and is associated with withdrawal
symptoms and lowered I.Q....

...most kids on phenobarbital
do just fine.

- It's boring!
- "And the emperor--"
Oh, Robbie, come on.

I don't wanna read!
It's boring. I hate it.

- I know. All right. You just--
- I hate it!

- I wanna ride my bike!
- You can't ride your bike, honey.

I told you that. Because we don't
want you to fall down and hit your head.

- I wanna go ride Schwartz!
- [Knocking]

- You can't ride Schwartz.
I told you, sweetie.
- I wanna go pet him!

- [Woman] Anybody home!
- Let's go see who this is.

Come on.
Maybe it's the emperor.

- Hey!
- It's just Margeen.

- Well, nice to see you too, Robbie.
- [Indistinct Shouting]

You can go play upstairs
in your room quietly, but no jumping.

- [Shouting]
- You hear me?

[Coughs, Chuckles]

I ran into
Doc Peterson today.

He wanted to know if Robbie's okay after
the fall he took at school.

I told him I wouldn't know
since I hadn't seen you in a dog's age.

Where have you been?

Home, with Robbie.

What's the matter with him?

Well, they're not sure.

Probably just a virus.
[Sighs]

He's on medication, but it's--
he's having a reaction to it.

- Coffee?
- Sure.

What kind of reaction?

Well... he won't eat,
can't sleep...

...and he thinks that he can leap
tall furniture in a single bound.

[Laughs]
What kind of medicine is he on?

What!
[Sighs]

Our insurance company's
computer...

...is unable to handle the fact
that Dave has transferred union locals.

So I submit a bill;
they send it back to me.

I resubmit it;
they send it back to me.

- I mean, it's--
- [Clattering]

- Want me to go check on him?
- No, it's all right.

I'll go up myself
in a second.

[Sighing]
What's new?

- [Loud Clattering, Glass Breaking]
- Robbie!

- Check his room.
- Okay.

[Gasps]
Robbie!

Hey! How are you--
Come back here!

- Come here, sweetie.
- You'll never catch me!

- Ohh! Rob!
- I'm too speedy!

[Indistinct Shouting]

- Come here, honey!
- [Crying]

- Ohhh!
- Oh! Ow! It hurts!

[Crying Continues]

It's okay.
It's all right.

- It's okay. Stay here.
- Ow! It hurts!

- I know, I know, I know, I know.
- [Crying Continues]

[Margeen Muttering]

I want my Mom!

Hello, this is Lori Reimuller...
S

...and I need to talk to Dr. Miller
about Robbie's medication.

[Panting]
Now!

[Robbie Singing] #A, B, C, D, E, F, G
H, I, J, K, L-M-N-O, P#

- Hey, when's this new stuff--
What's it called?
- [Lori] Dilantin.

- ##[Robbie Continues]
- When's this Dilantin
supposed to kick in?

Oh, about a week.

They're tapering off
the phenobarb...

...and they're getting the Dilantin
up to a level where it'll work.

What did he do? Break every bottle
of perfume in the house?

This place smells
like a brothel.

Hmm. Not that you'd know
what a brothel smelled like.

- #Q R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z#
- [Laughs]

- #Now I know my ABC's
Tell me what you think of me#
- Has it been that long?

#A, B, C, D, E, F, G
H, I, J, K, L-M-N-O, P#

#Q R, S, T, U, V
W, X, Y, Z#

- It'll never be that long.
- #Now I know my ABC's, Next time
won't you sing with me#

On the other hand...
it has been a while.

Mmm.

[Whispers]
Listen.

He's okay.

Don't let your imagination
run away with you.

You'll drive yourself crazy.

[Laughs]
Yeah.

[Sighs]
Come on.

Peanut.

Be careful.
You'll wake him.

I'm just gonna--
I'm just gonna cover him up...

...make him cozy.

[Sighs]

[Sighs]

This is embarrassing.

What do you mean bringing home
a report card like this?

No kid of mine is gonna do
better than I did in school. [Chuckles]

- Don't have to make A's to do that.
- Well--

- [Rooster Crows]
- You have me to make you look good.

[Schwartz Whinnying]

I hate grammar! It's boring!

Well, no argument there.

Um, what would make it
less boring?

- If Miss Kirchwall taught naked.
- [Laughing]

- Gross!
- [Laughing Continues]

[Dave Sighs]

For a year I've been putting money away
to buy your mom a good horse.

Now we've got Schwartz.

- I want to ride him.
- Mm-hmm.

How boring would it be
if I added that money to the trip jar...

...and booked us
to Hawaii next month?

And there was even enough
money left over for, um...

...scuba diving lessons
when we got there?

[Laughs]

Bring your grades up
to a mere... "B", and it's a deal.

- I'll help you.
- Whoa. Grammar rules!

[Laughs]

Incentive.

Bribery.

- [Knocking]
- Oh. We're closed!

[Knocking]

Sorry, we're cl--
[Frustrated Grunt]

- Sorry, we're closed.
- Lori?

- Yeah.
- Bob Purdue. High school.

I was a couple years
ahead of you.

- Oh, yeah.
- Can I talk to you for a minute?

Sure.

- So how you been?
- Good.

How's your boy, Robbie?

[Stammers]
Uh, h-how do you know Robbie?

I was in here a couple of months ago.
He was being your little helper.

- He took me right over
to the garden tools.
- [Laughs]

I'm sorry I didn't
recognize you then.

Oh, that's all right.
You were busy.

Such an ugly disease for such a sweet
little guy to have, isn't it?

Epilepsy.

Who told you
Robbie had epilepsy?

I saw his prescription
at the pharmacy.

I've taken the same drugs.
I've had epilepsy since I was four.

So you hide it?

No. Actually, they're not
even sure Robbie has epilepsy.

- [Scoffs]
- He's only had a few episodes.

Doctors are talking about
taking him off medication.

You sound a little
like my parents.

They still won't say
the word "epilepsy."

They call it "Bob's spells"
or "Bob's condition".

I don't remember 'em
using the word "episodes",

but I'm sure they threw
that one in there too.

What did you want
to talk to me about?

Lori, I know this seems
like none of my business...

...but Robbie's gonna need
a strong ally.

Robbie's got plenty of allies.
He's got his family, and he's
got some really good doctors.

But no doctor knows
what makes a seizure start or stop.

No doctor knows why the drugs work on
some people and not on others.

So your child becomes something of a
laboratory. They type-treat the drugs.

- [Phone Ringing]
- That means they start
with a low dosage.

Then they crank it up until
either the seizures go away
or your boy becomes toxic.

- I think you better go now.
- If you place Robbie's health
entirely in their hands--

Robbie is gonna be
just fine.

[Lynn Crying On Phone]
Mom, if you're there,
pick up, please! Mom!

- Lynn?
- Mom, Robbie's had a horrible seizure!

- What?
- He stopped breathing.

They took him to the hospital.
Dad went with them.

Well, take Mark
and go to Margeen.

Mom, is he gonna die?

No, he's not going to die.

The keys?

[Keys Jingling]

Get out!

[Engine Starts]

[Tires Screeching]

[Dave]
Do you want to double-check?

[Woman] You're positive that
your company's kept up...

...on the contributions
to your health plan?

It's a major contractor.
It's not some fly-by-night operation.

[Chattering,
Children Crying]

- Hi. I'm Dr. Brown.
- Hi. How do you do?

How are you doing?

Oooh, doesn't look like
we're havin' fun yet.

Let's see if we can't
do somethin' about that.

All right, I want you to follow my
finger, okay? With your eyes.

So, Robbie was admitted
with idiopathic epilepsy?

"Idiopathic"?

Of uncertain origin.

Oh. He had a grand mal seizure
with a respiratory arrest.

And since then he's had
three more grand mals...

...plus some other kinds too.

Hmm, hey, the good news:

You'll never have to worry about
Robbie being in the military.

They won't take him.

[Sighs] He was transferred here
to see a specialist.

Dr. Stanfield.
He's the best.

- [Groans]
- Okay.

Did we talk to you about
compassionate use programs?

"Compassionate use"?

During the testing period
for a new drug...

if it shows promise, the government will
approve its use for select people...

...who aren't part
of the official study.

That's something Dr. Stanfield
may recommend you look into.

Mm-hmm.

See, times have changed
in medicine.

It's not just up to the doctor.
We look to the parents
to help chart the course.

It's called
"joint decision making".

Great. So do we have to wait
for Dr. Stanfield?

Only until tomorrow morning.

Okay. Thanks.

[Phone Ringing]

[Woman On Phone]
Transportation Health Plan.

- It's Gene, KC Trucking. Local 59.
- [Horn Honks]

I got a driver here who's gettin' the
runaround on his kid's hospital bills.

Give me somebody who can
straighten it out, will ya?

- I'll transfer you.
- Yeah, thanks.

- [Making Car Noises]
- Let's see your bear.

- Hi, Margeen!
- Hey, look at you!

- Hi.
- Out of I.C.U. already?

- Yeah.
- They work fast in this place.

Yeah, well,
all except Dr. Stanfield.

- He's a no-show.
- Mmm.

- Have you seen Dave?
- Not today. Isn't he working?

I thought he was gonna take off to
come here. How are the kids?

Oh. Mark's team won three-zip this
morning. He scored the second goal.

And Lynn's at your place
working with Schwartz.

They sent Robbie a little something!
[Chuckles]

- Ooh, what do you say?
- Wanna see what my bed can do?

What do you think
I'm here for?

[Both Laughing]

[Groans, Choking]

Hey! You okay?

- I had another one, Mom.
- Yeah, he's okay.

I know you did, sweetheart.
Come on.

Come on.
We'll take you in.

Hmm?

Mmmm! Oh, boy!

Let's get this
off you now, huh?

Yeah. There you go.

How are you
gettin' through this?

[Sighs]
I'm... gettin' through it.

- [Electric Bed Elevating]
- Ohh!

[Laughing]
Oooh!

Cool!
[Laughing]

Oh, here's stuff. A change of clothes,
some potato salad from lunch.

- Ohh.
- I'm 20 minutes late.

- How am I gonna repay you?
- You're not.

Mmmm. You're in my debt
for life.

[Lori Laughs]
I think so.

- Bye, Margeen.
- Bye-bye.

Bye. Let's see
what she's got here.

Ooh, gummi bears!

[Robbie]
Can I have this one?

[Lori] Oh, you're gonna make me
dig down to the bottom?

[Woman]
Do you want to check the Reimuller boy?

[Chattering]

So, you're leaving us
tomorrow, huh?

No.

Well, that's
what it says here.

No, he was transferred here
to be evaluated by Dr. Stanfield.

He hasn't even seen him yet.

I'll make a note of it.

[P.A., Indistinct]

- Hi, Dad.
- Hi, guy.

- [Making Airplane Sounds]
- Hey, where've you been?

[Sighs]
We have no insurance.

What?

Yeah, when I changed locals, there was a
six-month "no benefits" period.

It's not up for a month.

And after that they won't
cover him because he'll have
a pre-existing condition.

No. Nobody-- Nobody ever said anything
about a "no benefits" period!

Supposedly, we were notified.

I read the fine print, Dave, and I do
keep records. We were not notified.

That's their policy.

That's why. That's why
Robbie's transferred out of I.C.U.!

I'll bet you that's why Stanfield
never showed up too!

And I'll bet you that's why they're
gonna kick us outta here!

Oh. So what are we
supposed to do now?

Well, what people
that don't have insurance do.
We take him to County Hospital.

And you're just
gonna accept that?

- Do you have a better idea?
- Yeah, I do!

Hey, wanna see my truck?
[Grunting]

- Kansas City.
- [Robbie] That's not your truck, Dad.

Transportation Health Plan.

Hey! That's
a flammables carrier, Dave!

Yeah. I put in
to drive nights.

No way. No way!
You promised!

- We agreed you would never--
- You know how many thousands
of dollars we are in the hole?

Well, I'll take a telephone sales job
where I could work at home.

We could go on welfare!
But you are not gonna drive
a flammables carrier!

- My family is not going on welfare!
- [Robbie Crying]

There's no way you could make a dent
in our debt with hazard pay!

- Do you know why they call it
hazard pay in the first place?
- [Crying Continues]

Why don't you just take a rider on your
life insurance and live off of that?

- Stop yelling!
- What am I supposed to do,
Lori, huh? Huh?

What in the hell
do you want me to do?

[Lori Sobbing]

- [P.A., Indistinct]
- [Door Slams]

[Sobbing Continues]

##[Radio Playing
Country Music]

[Schwartz Whinnies]

[Dog Barking]

##[Radio Continues]

[Engine, Music Stops]

[Dog Continues Barking]

Oh, no.
Oh, damn it.

[Grunts]

[Barking Continues]

[Tires Screeching]

[Panting]

[Footsteps]

[Clock Ticking]

[Sighs]

[Lori]
Okay. Dilantin.

A hundred milligrams.
That a boy.

And Tegretol.

A hundred milligrams.
That's it. Good boy.

- And the depakene.
- I don't want that.

- I know, honey.
- It tastes yucky.
It makes my tummy hurt.

I know, darling, but I got
a new medicine for that.

Come on.
[Making Airplane Noises]

[Laughs]
That's a boy.

- [Mark] Foreclosure?
- [Dave] They take our house.

[Mark]
What do you mean, they take our
house back? It's our house.

Yeah, as long as we make
the payments.

Well, don't we?

When we can,
as much as we can.

We have to pay the hospitals first,
or, uh, they'll take my pay.

How can they take your pay?
You earned that!

Well, they earned it too,
taking care of Robbie.

Come on, kids.
The bus'll be here in a second.
We can talk about this later.

[Coughing, Gasping]

Okay, okay, Rob.
I'm here, honey.

I'm here.
That's okay.

So, what happens when the bank
takes back the title of our
house, or whatever you said?

- They'll sell it.
- They'll sell it?

Where are we
supposed to live?

What about the animals?
What about Schwartz?

- I don't wanna sell our house.
- I know, honey.

- And what, you're just gonna let them?
- Mark!

I'll do everything I can
to keep our house.

I could use some support.

Fine. I'm sorry.

[Groaning]

Lynn? Lynn?

[Coughing, Groaning]

- [Sighs]
- [Door Closes]

[Man] Let's see. Um, do you have any
untapped financial resources?

Savings, investments,
family?

Well, uh, we've already
gone through our savings.

All we have left is the farm.

[Sighs] We're not in the business
of taking people's homes.

We'd much rather
work something out.

What kind of payments do you think
you can handle, say, half-monthly?

Well...
[Sighing]

...that's how much
I have today.

I don't know
about next month.

Come on, Lori.

- [Whinnying]
- Come on, sweetie.

I want to pet him.

[Dog Barking]

- Can I ride him?
- [Neighing]

Someday. I promise.

Scout's honor?

Scout's honor.

[Lynn]
Mom is gonna be so excited!

- [Mark] I get to tell her first.
- Okay.

Hey, where were you guys,
huh? Huh?

I called and I called
from the doctor's office...

...to get Daddy to pick up
Robbie's prescription.

And the phone rang and rang,
and nobody answered it.

We were here. Maybe you dialed wrong.
What did the doctor say?

Well, it's not measles.
You want that?

It's Stevens-Johnson's Syndrome...

...one of the rare
side effects of Tegretol.

I don't know why
they call 'em side effects.

As if a 102 temperature
and a rash over his whole entire body...

...is somethin' off
to the side somewhere.

Did I forget
somebody's birthday?

No, it's something else.
We're gonna wait for Dad.

[Sighs]
What is wrong with this--

Oh, my God!

What time is it?
I still have time.

- Lynn, do you have any money?
- Uh, a couple of dollars.

- Never mind. I think--
- What are you doing?

The phone's turned off.
We didn't pay the bill.

Well, good. We won't be waked up by
stupid people yelling we owe them money!

- I have ten minutes.
Will you watch him for me?
- Uh-huh.

You can't take money out of there.
No one touches that money!

We have to have a phone, Mark.
What if Robbie needs 911?

No, this is for our trip!

What trip?
Mark, look at your brother!

You really think we're gonna
take him on a trip?

When they kick us out of our
house, you think we're gonna
go on vacation?

Oh, well, I thought since
I got an "A" in English...

...we'd be going to Hawaii and
taking diving lessons like Dad said.

- Dumb me!
- Oh, honey, I'm sorry.

Me too! I'm sorry
Robbie was ever born!

- Don't say that!
- If he's gonna die,
why doesn't he do it?

Mark!

Mark! Mark!

[Lynn]
Mom, Robbie's having a seizure!

Mark!

Mom, it's a bad one!

[Loud Whimpering]

Okay. Okay, darling.

It's okay.
It's over.

- [Robbie Gasping, Choking]
- He's doing it again.

[Gasping Continues]

It's okay.
It's okay, honey.

It's okay.
We're here.

It's okay.

It's okay, sweetie.

[Siren Wails]

[Woman On P.A.]
County Hospital cafeteria
will be closed in ten minutes.

[Man On P.A., Indistinct]

- I'm Dr. Abbasac.
- Hi.

Robbie's failed to respond
to most of the usual
anticonvulsive medications.

The problem's compounded by the fact
that he has multiple seizure types.

We're gonna try some
less commonly used drugs.

What about
a compassionate use program?

I see no reason to use
an unproven drug when there are
proven ones left to try.

I'm ordering a series of tests
for tomorrow morning.

We'll repeat them
on a regular basis...

...to monitor changes as we begin
the new med regimens.

- Is that necessary?
- Is what necessary?

Well, he's had the same tests over and
over, and they're pretty hard on him.

- Yeah.
- They always turn out the same.

There's something I should make
very clear to both of you.

After a first
antiepileptic drug fails...

...there's only a 15 percent chance
the drugs will ever work.

After that,
there's only surgery.

You shouldn't expect this
to be easy.

[Sighs] Why not? So far
it's been a piece of cake.

Robbie's what I consider
a high-stakes case.

If I can stop his seizures,
he still has a very good chance
for a normal, healthy life.

But a young brain can't tolerate
seizures of his intensity
and frequency indefinitely.

Well, what if you
can't stop them?

There are no
hard and fast rules...

...but it's not unusual to find
neurological compromises:

diminished capacity,
developmental delays...

progressive retardation.

- [Sighs]
- Excuse me.

[Man On P.A., Indistinct]

Not much of a view, huh?

[Laughs]
No.

- Your boy has seizures?
- Yeah.

That's what Lili had.
They did brain surgery.

Oh.

How is she doing?

Okay, I guess.

She's a beautiful little girl.

And I checked with several colleagues
from across the country...

...all of them very accomplished
neurologists.

A few of them run pediatric
neurology departments at major
med schools and hospitals.

It sounds like you're in very good hands
right where you are.

Uh-huh. Okay.

They differ slightly in the order
that they try the drugs.

After that, there's surgery, but
you're not ready for that yet.

- Oh, no, we are not.
- Oh, Lori, one other thing
they did agree on:

Treating seizures in kids
is much more art than science.

- [Robbie Grunting]
- Okay, Doc, thanks. Bye.

I'll put a request in
to Dr. Abbasac for a stool softener.

That should help.

Why does he have hemorrhoids?

The medication causes
the constipation...

...and the pushing
causes the hemorrhoids.

##[Radio]

#Hey, little pretty girl#

[Man On CB]
Hey, KC Tanker.

Will you be needing any 24-hour
roadside assistance there,
good buddy? Come back.

[Dave On CB]
Negatory there, heavy hauler.

Just pullin' over
to check my rig. Thanks a lot.

##[Continues, Indistinct]

[Traffic Passing]

[Horn Honking]

Stay away!

- Come here, Robbie. Robbie.
- [Screaming]

- Oh, God! [Muttering]
- Get away from me!

- Come back here, you! Robbie!
- You're gonna kill me!

- I got you now.
- Let me go!

- I got you. There's your Dad.
- Hey, what's goin' on?

- Get out of here!
- It's a reaction to the mysolene.

- Get out of here!
- Will you be still?
Look at Daddy's truck.

- Let me go, you pig! I hate you!
- Ohhh!

Hey, don't you ever talk to your mother
like that! Do you hear me? Ohh!

- [Robbie Crying]
- Oh, no! Oh, honey.

Come on.
Somebody help me, please!

Somebody help us!
Oh, it's okay.

[Robbie Gasping,
People Chattering]

It's okay.

Ohhh, okay.

I've called Dr. Abbasac
to authorize a sedative.

Why don't you go home
and get some rest?

I'll look out for him.

Go on, Lori. It can't do him
no good to stay and sit.

[Lori]
I will, I will.

[Screaming]

Mommy, Mommy, let me out!

[Screaming]
No! Mommy!

Mommy, don't leave me!

I'm not going anyplace, honey.
We're gonna stay here.

- Let me handle this.
- [Screaming Continues]

- Here. You know what?
- Mommy!

- [Crying]
- You know what we're gonna do
when you get better?

We're gonna go
to the playroom.

- Mommy, don't leave me!
- They have some neat toys in there.

And when you get
really, really better...

-we're gonna go down to the cafeteria...
-Mommy!

- and we're gonna get
some lemon merengue pie.
- Mommy!

- [Crying Continues]
- It's the best.

[Sobbing]
Oh, I can't. I just can't.

- It's okay.
- Mommy, Mommy, let me out, please!

- It's gonna be okay.
- Help me!

- [Sobbing Continues]
- Please let me out!

[Man On P.A.]
Dr. Abbasac, code blue.

[Alarm Beeping]
Dr. Abbasac, code blue.
Dr. Abbasac, code blue.

- Good morning.
- [Woman] Good morning, Steve.

Ohhh! Oh!

[Phone Ringing,
Machines Beeping]

[People Chattering,
Children Crying]

- He has a fever.
- How high?

- We've stabilized it.
- Oh.

[Panting]
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?

[Stammers]
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.

[Woman On P.A.]
Dr. Abbasac, code blue.

Dr. Abbasac, code blue.
Dr. Abbasac, code blue.

[Gasping, Choking]

[Chattering]

He's in status.
Two milligrams, Valium IV.

[Robbie Continues Gasping]

One more.

[Robbie Gasping]
Help me! Help!

[Machine Beeping]

Another milligram Valium IV.
Repeat until we have cessation.

[Gasping Continues]

[Beeping Continues]

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 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.

[Machine Continues Beeping]

[Man]
Paraldehyde.

[Dr. Abbasac]
Turn him on his side.

[Robbie Crying]

[Children Playing,
Chattering]

Hi.

Oh, I... probably average
three or four seizures a month.

Be better if they restricted themselves
to weekends and holidays.

[Laughs]
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.

[Sighs]

[Car Horn Honking]

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#

- [Children Muttering]
- #There is a land#

- #That I heard of#
- [Both Laugh]

- #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!

[Boy Cries]

#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#

[Sighs] So you--
you do the algebra homework?

[Door Closes]

- #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?#

[Phone Rings]

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
that could help Robbie. A diet.

You mean it can make
his seizures go away?

Good, Mom. A diet.
Why don't we try a rain dance?

Then I'll get a doll
that we can all stick pins in.

[Phone Rings]

Dr. Forman's office.
How may I help you?

Hi, this is Lori Reimuller...

...and I've just read, uh,
Dr. Livingston's book about the diet...

...that treats childhood epilepsy,
and I would like to make
an appointment for my son.

Well, we have a cancellation
tomorrow at 1:30.

But you're, uh, in Maryland, and
I'm calling from Kansas City.

I'm sorry. Well, that's our
only opening for three months.

Three months?
Oh, no, no, no, no, no. [Sighs]

Robbie can't wait three months.
He's too sick.

Well, then he'll require hospitalization,
and there are no available beds...

...in our inpatient program
for the foreseeable future.

Uh, why don't I put you on our
waiting list. We do have cancellations.

- I need to talk to the doctor.
- He's with patients, Mrs. Reimuller.

Why don't you send us your son's
records. I'm sure something
will come up before too long.

Okay, I'll take that
appointment tomorrow.

- What is the patient's name?
- Uh, Robbie...

...Reimuller. R-e-i...

- Excuse me.
- ...m-u-l-l-e-r.

- Thank you.
- Who is it?

I've-- I've been doing
some reading, and I've...

...come across a treatment
for epilepsy...

...called the keto--
ketogenic diet.

It's by a doctor
from Johns Hopkins.

And the diet,
the best I understand it...

...makes the body go into a fasting
state, and something about that
fasting state...

...stops the seizures.

The Comprehensive Management
of Epilepsy in Infancy,
Childhood and Adolescence...

...by Samuel Livingston.

The bible on pediatric epilepsy.
Every neurologist in the country
owns a copy.

With the exception
of the material on the ketogenic diet...

...it's an invaluable piece
of medical literature.

The diet is not
an approved treatment.

- But there have been a lot of studies.
- Those studies are anecdotal...

...not the kind of studies we base
sound medical judgement on,
not double-blind studies.

The ketogenic diet
is highly suspect.

You have to starve the child
to begin with, and what you
feed him consists mainly of fat...

...which is not only unpalatable
but nutritionally inadequate and
extremely difficult to maintain.

I've seen it tried a few times,
and my experience is that
it simply doesn't work.

I've been meaning
to give this to you.

It's the number of an outstanding
pediatric neurosurgeon on our staff.

It's time to see
if we can find a focus...

...a starting point in the brain
for Robbie's seizures.

If we can, there's
a good possibility we can remove it.

Not brain surgery.
We don't want brain surgery.

I'm not proposing surgery.
Not yet.

I'm talking about
a diagnostic procedure.

We remove the top of the skull
and place electrodes
on the brain for a few days...

...to see if we can map it
and try and locate the problem.

It's the next logical step, and
I'd like to schedule it immediately.

We can't because
we're goin' to Baltimore.

Robbie has an appointment with
Dr. Forman at Johns Hopkins tomorrow.

And how are you planning
to get Robbie to this appointment?

I booked us on a flight.

There is a danger of
a life-threatening seizure
if you stop the drugs abruptly.

Well, who's talking about
stopping drugs?

I, uh, have administered enough
drugs to Robbie in nine months
to get a pharmacy degree.

You'll need an ambulance
to transfer him from the hospital...

...a plane that will accommodate
a medical transfer, his meds...

...a drip, emergency oxygen
and a doctor to accompany him.

There is no way
that we can afford all that.

When you have met these conditions
for his safe transport...

...I'll be glad to sign
for his release.

[People Chattering,
Machine Beeping]

- [Moans]
- Shh, shh, shh.

- Have you taken his B.P.?
- Yeah, I did.

Oh!

-Can I help you?
-Radiology, um-- My son needs an X ray.

- Let me see your lab slip.
I'll tell you where to go.
- Oh, huh--

I must've left that
down in emergency.

Take the elevator
to the first floor, follow the signs.

Okay, thanks.

Major babe.

Ma'am?

Ma'am.

Security.

Ma'am?
Ma'am, excuse me.

You'll have to come with me.

[Machine Beeping,
People Chattering]

Do you know what would have happened
if he hadn't stopped you?

Yeah, I'd be on a plane
to Baltimore.

When he was discovered missing, an all
points bulletin would have gone out.

- What? My arrest?
- Yes.

- I was the mother.
- It doesn't matter.

You could have been charged with
kidnapping and child endangerment.

- You could've lost custody.
- What?

The institution can petition
for legal guardianship of any child...

...whose interest and well-being they feel
aren't being served by his parents.

And the courts
usually grant it.

Well, what if I feel that
his interests are not being
served by the institution?

What if I feel that he's,
he's actually being harmed
by the whole, you know, system?

What if-- What if I just can't sit here
and watch him... fade away?

Don't I have a right?
Don't I?

- To try to protect my own child?
- Lis-- I--

I shouldn't be telling you this.
I could get in a lot of trouble.

We had a staff meeting
this afternoon.

Dr. Abbasac discussed your plans
to take Robbie to Baltimore.

She believes you're losing it,
that your judgement's impaired.

- And after tonight they have
all the evidence they need--
- Oh, they're not--

they're not talkin' about
takin' Robbie away from me.

She's on her way down here now.
It might be best if you were
gone when she gets here.

All right.

I don't agree with the doctor.
I think you know your child
better than any of us...

...and you're just trying to do
what's right for him.

A lot of kids get well here...

...but Robbie's not.

[Schwartz Snorts]

- Oh. Come on!
- [Whinnies]

[Screams]

So even though we missed
the appointment, I went back
and looked it up again.

And all these doctors
had the same results.

About a third of the kids
that stick with the diet
have their seizures go away.

And another third are
significantly improved. Look.

1927. Dr. Hemholtz
from the Mayo Clinic.

Uh, 1937.

That's Dr. Wilkins
from Johns Hopkins.

And-- And--
And 1954, 1973.

Dr. Livingston
from Hopkins.

And 1963, Dr. Keith
from the Mayo Clinic.

And 1989, and-- We're talking
a couple thousand kids, here.

And-And look, look.
Just last year.

Published 1992.
Johns Hopkins.

They took 58 of the sickest kids,
put them on the ketogenic diet...

...and almost a third of'em
had their seizures go away.

The 1920s? How many kids like Robbie
have there been since then?

I mean, how many children
have been given drugs and operated on...

...and not one of them
was told of this diet?

Something doesn't make sense.

I mean, if all the doctors
we've talked to know
about this "kenogenic" diet--

- Ketogenic.
- Ketogenic diet.

Even if they don't like it
for some reason, don't they
have to tell us about it?

Can they really censor
information like this?

How can there be joint decision
making if they don't give us
information, 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?

[Phone Rings]

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.

[Sighs]

[People Chattering]

Doc?

Hi. Dave tells me I might
be of some help to you.

[Knocking]

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.

[Laughs]

- 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?
- [Laughs]

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.

[Robbie Whimpering]

- 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.
- [Sighs]

[Sighs]

[Tires Screeching]

[People Chattering]

- 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.
- [Moans]

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.
- [Sighs]

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.

[Chuckles]

[Sighs]

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.

[Sighs] 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.

[Sighs]

- Thank you.
- Oh.

I wonder if you'll ever know
how lucky you are to have
this lady for a mother.

- There you go, buddy.
- Hey.

- [Laughs]
- Thanks.

Okay.

- Hi.
- Good morning. How's
everything going so far?

Good! I, um,
I dreaded the fast.

I thought he'd be beggin'me
for food, but so far he's not.

He has had... seizures
the last two days...

...but only small ones.

I don't know if it's
my imagination or not, but his
whole body seems more relaxed.

Many parents notice positive changes
during the fasting period.

Fasting rests the body.

Now, you'll know within
a month whether the diet
is gonna work for Robbie.

And if it does, you'll
keep him on it for two to three years...

...before returning him
to a normal diet.

- Okay.
- To be effective, the ketogenic diet...

...must be rigidly controlled.

Each meal is precalculated, and all
foods are weighed on a gram scale.

- Right.
- It's difficult.

Well, is it more difficult
than watchin' your kid have
a hundred seizures a day?

I've been teaching
and administering the ketogenic diet...

...here at Hopkins
since 1949...

...to well over 500 patients.

I've never seen a parent,
win, lose or draw, that regrets
having given it a try.

Dear Dave, Lynn and Mark:

This is day five.
I'm holding my breath.

No seizures
for three whole days.

Not one.

I guess it could be the drugs, but we
already started to take them away.

The plate is already weighed
and now I'm gonna weigh out 17 grams--

Mrs. Kelly, the dietician here--
she's been so enthusiastic and helpful.

She treats us like we were her first
patients. It's hard to believe...

...she's been doin'this
for over 40 years.

See how close
to 17 that is? Yeah.

- I wanna know how good it tastes.
- [Laughs] He loves bacon.

Robbie's meals are actually
much better looking
than I thought they'd be.

And he wolfs 'em down.

[Priest]
Our scripture today is from Matthew 17.

"A man came to Him
saying, 'Lord..."

"...have mercy on my son,
for he has epilepsy
and suffers severely'.

"And Jesus rebuked the demon,
and he came out of him..."

"...and the child was cured
from that very hour.

"Then the disciples came
to Jesus privately and said..."

"...'Why could not
we cast him out?'"

"And Jesus said, 'This kind does not
go out except by prayer and fasting'."

Let us pray. Father...

...we ask Your blessing
on this child, Robbie...

...that he may come forth from
sickness into health, to live
as Your servant in wholeness--

[Lori] The nuns are
so good to us. They really
made us feel welcome.

And we're trying not to disrupt
their lives too much.

- Roast beef.
- I'm almost afraid to say this,
but I think this is working.

- Tonight we have a choice of--
- I know it is.

Dave, I keep remembering
the questions you asked...

...about the doctors
censoring information...

...and robbing us
even of hope.

And I keep wondering, what could
have gone so horribly wrong...

...with this whole
medical system?

Hey, I'll race ya!

We gave them our son.
We gave them our trust.

We damn near had
to give 'em our home.

But instead of giving us
the simplest information...

...they abused Robbie, and
they almost destroyed us all.

- Yea, I won! I won!
- Not that any of'em will ever ask...

...but I wonder if they have
any idea of the pain they caused.

And I wonder if someday
I'm gonna be able to find...

...in my heart a way
to get past the anger...

...and feel forgiveness.

I don't know, Dave.
I don't know.

- Hello?
- Hi, it's me.

- Is everything okay?
- Yeah, we're fine.

- How's Robbie doing?
- Well...

...he's almost
our old kid again.

I think he's comin' back
to us, Dave.

Ohh.

- Thank God.
- [Laughs]

I miss you so much.

I miss you too.

I miss us.

Do you miss us?

Oh, boy, do I miss us.

[Laughs]

Tell me.

- Dave, we're in a convent here.
- [Laughing]

Give the nuns something
to remember you by. [Laughing]

[Laughing]

[People Cheering]

#[Band Playing "The Stars
And Stripes Forever"]

Come on! Hurry up!

- Do you see him anywhere?
- I don't see him.

See him?

Hey, squirt!

Good goin',
but you need to hang on.

I don't need to. I'm big!

Gotcha!

Hey, Margeen, look at me!

[Margeen]
Ride 'em, cowboy!

[Robbie]
Hi, Marissa!

- Hi, Mom and Dad!
- Hi, sweetie!

#Somewhere#

#over the rainbow#

#way up high,#

#there's a land#

#that I heard of#

#once in a lullaby.#

Not much of a view, huh?

#Somewhere#

#over the rainbow#

#skies are blue,#

Security.

#and those dreams#

#that you dare to dream#

- Hold him just like that.
- #they really do come true.#

#Someday I'll wish#

#upon a star#

#and I'll wake up#

- #where the clouds are far behind me#
- [Growls]

#Oh, yes,#

#where troubles melt#

#like lemon drops#

- #way above the chimney tops#
- I've never seen a parent...

- win, lose or draw, that regrets
having given it a try.
- #that's where you'll#

#find me.#

#Gonna be somewhere#

#over the rainbow#

#oh, where pretty little
bluebirds fly#

For more information on
the ketogenic diet, please call
the Charlie Foundation at:

#All over the rainbow,#

#why#

#then, oh, why#

#can't I?#