The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2015)

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Program Note

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, named after Jean-Dominique Bauby’s memoir, is a programmatic work that tells a story about the same horrifying medical complication that Bauby suffered:

The couple wakes up in the morning to a blaring alarm clock, and immediately begin to argue. They are late, angry, and following their typical angry routine. But this day is not like every other day. Before the couple heads off to their jobs that they dread, a life-changing event takes place. One falls to the floor. The other calls for an ambulance.

At the hospital, the medical personnel call it a stroke and are unclear about any chance of a full recovery. But the patient, although appearing incapable, struggles to communicate with the doctors. No one knows the patient is conscious until a specialist comes. “Are you there? Blink once for no, or twice for yes.” Two blinks fills everyone in the room with hope.

Nothing is certain yet. The patient fights against being locked-in, focusing on any attainable movement. With determination and hope, fingers twitch. But that is not enough. The patient fights for more movement. After enormous efforts, the patient finally reaches the beginning of a long road to improvement.

The couple works hard together toward a full recovery, repairing the broken bridges in the patient’s brain and relationship. As the relationship grows stronger, so does the patient.

After recovering, the couple finds that they are more in love than ever before, and they obtain a new outlook on all aspects of their lives.