The Diving Bell and the Butterfly

Two years ago, one of my professors recommended I read this book. It sounded very intriguing, so I scribbled the title in the margin of my notes to look up later. However, it wasn't until recently I found those notes, sparking a renewed interest in the true story of Jean-Dominique Bauby (a French magazine editor who had a stroke at 42 and suffered from "locked-in syndrome," where he was cognitively in tact, but could only blink his left eye and turn his head). Mr. Bauby wrote this entire book by blinking his left eye as the alphabet was called out to him, one letter at a time.

The girl at the bookstore told me there is now a film based on this book, which was kind of neat to hear about. I think it would be challenging to make a movie in which the main star cannot move or speak.

Anyways, I say all this to get your hopes up...then let you down. I was kind of disappointed with the book. It is good to open our eyes to the fact that this man was still there, 100%, and to begin to empathize with his situation. It is helpful for therapists (speech, physical, or occupational) as well as nurses, doctors, and caregivers, as it shares his comforts and discomforts after his stroke. The book is overall good. It just isn't as good as I was expecting.

It's like my blog: comprised of random thoughts. Though his thoughts came from the mind of a fellow trapped inside his body. The man was very witty and was rather good with words, too. At one point, suspense was building as he spoke of what turned out to be...french fries!

I don't really know what I was expecting, but after watching my professor bawling her eyes out as she read it, I figured it might have the same effect on me, especially since I am most definitely a crybaby. But I did not shed one tear as I read this story.

I just watched the trailer for this movie and realize that the trailer alone is 100 times more vulgar than his book. I only had to use my dark black "censor-marker" a few times in his story. His remarks were usually mild in content, but the trailer for the movie had many, MANY obscenities and even nudity. I repent for having looked it up.

Don't you just love Hollywood?

I think if you are in a medical field and may work with people who have suffered strokes, TBI, or other problems that may render communication difficult, you might find this book interesting and helpful in relating to them.