18 quotes
Medical Uncertainty and Parental Concern
Dr. Judalon
I'm sedating him as much as I dare. I don't know what else to do.
Augusto Odone
How can he endure this for so many hours?
Dr. Judalon
Augusto, I don't think he'll have to endure this much longer.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Medical Check-Up and Parental Discussion
Immunosuppression Doctor
What color's that cross?
Lorenzo Odone
Red.
Immunosuppression Doctor
That's right. It's red. I'm gonna speak to your parents but Leah's gonna stay and check your blood pressure, okay? I'll be right back.
Leah
I'll just put this around your arm.
Immunosuppression Doctor
Look, it's important you both know what's going on. Cyclophosphamides are no picnic. This is all-out chemotherapy. We're gonna be suppressing his immune system. It's very high-risk We're gonna need to keep him here at least three weeks.
Leah
That's it.
Immunosuppression Doctor
Lorenzo's still walking, he's still talking, he's still communicating. But that can all change, now, knowing all of this, do you still want us to go through with this?
Michaela Odone
Given the alternatives, yes.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Unexpected Moments of Connection and Humor
Michaela Odone
Anyhow, it was snowing and he began to rub my hands to warm them.
Deirdre Murphy
Uh-oh!
Michaela Odone
No, no, no, he then produced photos of his wife and children.
Deirdre Murphy
That old routine!
Augusto Odone
Oh, Deirdre!
Michaela Odone
Had I'd known this would be the man I would wait ten years for, I would've let you pick up the check.
Lorenzo Odone
(from outside) Hey, everybody! Look at me! (Laughs happily)
Augusto Odone
I did pick it up!
Michaela Odone
Excuse me! You did not! I'm sorry but I… I even left the tip! (Laughs) Look at him, Mother!
Woman
That's not fair!
Girl
Lorenzo's fallen off his bike and he is really bleeding!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Questioning the Effectiveness of Dietary Changes
Augusto Odone
Dr. Nikolais, what about the other boys, what results are you seeing in them?
Professor Nikolais
As with Lorenzo, it's too early to tell. We need the study to run for the full six months.
Augusto Odone
And that would tell you what is obvious right now? That avoiding apple skins and pizza has no effect on this brutal disease?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Moment of Connection and Storytelling
Lorenzo Odone
Now, hold my hand.
Michaela Odone
Yes, Sweetie.
Lorenzo Odone
Now, the story.
Michaela Odone
And what story is that, Sweetheart.
Lorenzo Odone
La Notte di San Lorenzo
Michaela Odone
San Lorenzo, who is?
Lorenzo Odone
My patron saint and saint to my father's village.
Michaela Odone
That's right, and what happened to him?
Lorenzo Odone
He was in Rome and, I forgot.
Augusto Odone
Well; many years ago, the bad guy says to him Bring me the riches of your church! and Lorenzo, he brings them the beggars and the sick people and he says—
Lorenzo Odone
These are our riches!
Augusto Odone
Yes! Bravo, Lorenzino!
Michaela Odone
That's wonderful, Sweetheart! So clever!
Augusto Odone
Bravo! And tonight, August 10th, is?
Lorenzo Odone
La Notte di San Lorenzo.
Michaela Odone
The night of the shooting stars.
Augusto Odone
When anything can happen.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Overlooked Tragedy of Orphan Diseases
Professor Nikolais
Do you know how many children die every year from choking on french fries? Many more than from Adrenoleukodystrophy. You see, ours is what is known as an orphan disease, too small to be noticed, too small to be funded, especially with the iron hand of "]".
[[w:Reaganomics|Reaganomics]
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Confronting Suffering and Denial in Parenthood
Ellard Muscatine
When Michael, our first boy, got sick we searched around looking for anything that might help him. You wanna know the best thing that happened? He was taken quickly. Now Tommy... he has lasted three years, and for two of them, he's been without his sight, his mind, everything that makes him a human being, he's a vegetable. Y'know if you would just stop all this denial, you wouldn't do a thing to prolong your boy's suffering and indignity one minute longer.
Loretta Muscatine
Has it occurred to you that maybe he doesn't want to be around anymore?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Celebration of Lorenzo's Intelligence
Michaela Odone
Here he is! The cleverest boy in the world!
Lorenzo Odone
(laughs) Hi, Mom!
Michaela Odone
What's this?
Classmate
See you tomorrow, Lorenzo!
Lorenzo Odone
It's, uh, it's a picture.
Michaela Odone
Oh, my goodness!
Lorenzo Odone
And, uh, there's the Comoros.The little islands.
Michaela Odone
Of course, it is.
Young Teacher
Mrs. Odone, may I have a word?
Michaela Odone
Very skillful, Sweetheart.
Lorenzo Odone
And, uh, Jupiter.
Michaela Odone
Jupiter's next to the Comoros? I'll be right there, Lorenzo.
Lorenzo Odone
Okay, Mommy.
Michaela Odone
Yes?
Young Teacher
Is Lorenzo having any problems at home?
Michaela Odone
Not that I know of, why?
Young Teacher
Because today, he suddenly started throwing paints around. He went wild destroying other children's paintings.
Michaela Odone
Surely, he must've been provoked then?
Young Teacher
No, it came out of the blue. He's normally such a terrific kid.
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Understanding Illness as a Foreign Journey
Augusto Odone
When we first went to the ], what did we do? We got to know the country, right?
[[w:Comoros|Comoros]
Michaela Odone
Yes.
Augusto Odone
We studied, we got to know the language, resources, its law. We studied, right? We should treat Lorenzo's illness like another country.
Michaela Odone
I don't quite see the analogy.
Augusto Odone
All right, all right. ALD has many dimensions, right?
Michaela Odone
Yes
Augusto Odone
So, in order to understand it, we need to command genetics, biochemistry, microbiology, neurology, ology-ology-ology.
Michaela Odone
Augusto, we don't have time to go to medical school.
Augusto Odone
Michaela, the doctors are in the dark. They're groping in the dark. They've got Lorenzo on a turvy-topsy diet. And that bloody immunosuppression is brutal and useless. Michaela, we should not have consigned him blindly into their hands. He should not suffer by our ignorance. We take responsibility. So... we read a little. And we go out and inform ourselves. Hmm.
Michaela Odone
But... to miss time with him while he can still speak to us... How can…
Augusto Odone
Yes, I know, I know. But he expects it of us.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Lorenzo's Frustration Unleashed in Chaos
Lorenzo Odone
(Aggravtedly screaming and yelling while throwing things around.)
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Concern Over Home Issues in School
Young Teacher
Mrs. Odone?
Michaela Odone
Another incident?
Young Teacher
Yes. And today, it was much worse.
Principal
Mrs. Odone, is there some trouble at home?
Michaela Odone
Why do you assume the trouble is at home?
Principal
Because there's nothing here that explains his behavior. It's... disturbed.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A School of Renowned Medical Experts
Augusto Odone
It's a school, Lorenzo, like any other school.
Lorenzo Odone
It's full of doctors?
Michaela Odone
Yes, Darling. Some of the cleverest in America.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Call for Courage in Adversity
Michaela Odone
The life of one boy is not enough reward for you to risk the reputation of the institution and the esteem of your peers.
Professor Nikolais
That was uncalled for. Your responsibility is merely towards your own child. My responsibility is towards all the boys that suffer from this disease, now and in the future. Of course I anguish for the suffering of your boy. And of course I applaud you for the efforts you make on his behalf. But I will have nothing to do with this oil.
Michaela Odone
We are not asking, Doctor, for your anguish or your applause. We are asking merely for a little courage.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
A Mother's Concern for Her Child's Feelings
Michaela Odone
Darling, how were they annoying you? Were they teasing you?
Lorenzo Odone
No.
Michaela Odone
Were they touching your paints?
Lorenzo Odone
No.
Michaela Odone
Well, how were they annoying you?
Lorenzo Odone
They just were.
Michaela Odone
Doing what?
Lorenzo Odone
Things.
Michaela Odone
What kind of things?
Lorenzo Odone
Things that make me feel annoyed.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Understanding Hyperactivity and Structured Activities
School Therapist
He does present as a Hyperactive.
Michaela Odone
But Hyperactives repeat tasks endlessly, don't they?
School Therapist
They perseverate, yes.
Michaela Odone
Lorenzo's activities all have a shape and structure: beginning, middle and end.
Augusto Odone
My Gosh, he's learned three languages. How can he be Hyperactive?
School Therapist
I know it's hard to accept that a gifted child may also be disturbed.
Principal
I think that Lorenzo needs to be referred to our IDP committee.
Michaela Odone
What's that?
Augusto Odone
For what?
Principal
Individual Disablity Placement. Lorenzo needs to be in a special ed. class.
Michaela Odone
Any special ed. our son needs will be provided at home.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Lorenzo's Presentation to Medical Faculty
Immunosuppression Doctor
The faculty is very grateful to Lorenzo for doing this.
Immunosuppression Doctor
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Lorenzo Odone; whom I've spoken to you about. Now; young Mr. Odone, you need to come with me. You're getting so big! I'm gonna put you up here so we can all see you, okay? Attaboy. Ten weeks after diagnosis, we observe hemianopia. The pupillary light reflexes are still intact and, as yet, there is no optic atrophy. However, there is evidence of early occipital lobe involvement.
Lorenzo Odone
Why are all these people here?
Immunosuppression Doctor
I beg your pardon, Lorenzo?
Lorenzo Odone
Why are all these people here?
Doctor
He asks why all these people are here.
Immunosuppression Doctor
Well, they're all doctors and they want to learn how to help other boys in the future.
Lorenzo Odone
Other boys with the boo-boo?
Michaela Odone
Yes, Darling.
Lorenzo Odone
Mm-hm.
Immunosuppression Doctor
Thank you, Lorenzo. Now in the scanning speech, we look for both ends of the pathology: centrally for the dysphasia and peripherally for the dysarthria. Now, Lorenzo, would you walk for me please? Attaboy. That's right, hold my hands. That's right. Two months ago, there was simply motor lag. Now, note the characteristic gait, it's due mostly to hyperreflexia but exacerbated by the encroaching paresis. You're doing very well, Lorenzo! Keep coming!
Lorenzo Odone
Only if you stop talking like that.
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Parental Comfort in Difficult Times
Augusto Odone
Michaela, let me take him. You need rest.
Michaela Odone
I'm fine. I could use a cup of coffee though.
Augusto Odone
Okay.
Michaela Odone
Lorenzo, Lorenzo, listen to Mama. Can you hear me, my darling? If this is too much for you, my Sweetheart… well then, you fly. Fly as fast as you can to the Baby Jesus. It's okay, Mama and Papa will be okay.
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Questioning the Presence of Others
Lorenzo Odone
Why are all these people here?
Immunosuppression Doctor
Beg your pardon, Lorenzo?
Lorenzo Odone
Why are all these people here?
Doctor
He asks why all these people are here?
Immunosuppression Doctor
Well, they're all doctors and they want to learn how to help other boys in the future.
Lorenzo Odone
Other boys with the boo-boo?
Michaela Odone
Yes, Darling.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.