I know Lorenzo's Oil is just a movie and Susan Sarandon and Nick Nolte are only actors pretending to be passionate parents trying to save their son but I'd like a big wedge of that passion in the care giving of bipolar patients. The equivalent of Lorenzo's nurses in white uniforms tenderly suctioning out the mouth of that child.
There's too much blaming of bipolar patients and their families anytime help is sought. Or perhaps there's too much bad medicine being practiced in the neurobiological arena.
On the new VH-1 show Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew, there's a scene where the doc arranges for one of his patients to get in touch with one of her old, healthy passions. He brings in a ballet instructor to give lessons to Mary Carey. Dr. Drew says if she sticks with the dancing she will stay connected to her true self. No shame. No blame. A bit of tenderness from a doctor dealing with a patient (Dr. David Drew Pinksy is a board-certified internist and an addiction medicine specialist). If it can happen in movies and televison, why can't it occur in real life? After all Oscar Wilde wrote "Life imitates art far more than art imitates life."
