Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Jen: SUPERMAN!
[ COOING ]
Bill: ON THIS EPISODE OF "THE LITTLE COUPLE"...
Jen: BILL AND I HAVE BROUGHT WILL TO WILMINGTON, DELAWARE,
TO SEE SOME SPECIALISTS.
CAN YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH BIG FOR ME?
AHH. YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.
[ TRILLING ]
DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT HIS HEARING?
YES, WE DO.
HE MAY HAVE SOME HEARING ISSUES,
BECAUSE HE IS BEHIND IN HIS SPEECH.
YEAH, THAT'S AN EARDRUM THAT IS NOT MOVING
AS I CHANGE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.
MY BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW
IS THAT WILL DOESN'T NEED ANY SURGERY ANYTIME SOON.
[ CRYING ]
Bill: I'M BILL.
Jen: I'M JEN. I'M 3'2".
AND I'M 4 FEET TALL.
I'M A DOCTOR.
AND I'M A BUSINESS OWNER.
WE'VE BUILT OUR DREAM HOUSE, AND WE'VE STARTED A FAMILY.
THIS IS ABOUT LOVE, MARRIAGE...
AND THE BEST TIME OF OUR LIVES.
THIS IS OUR STORY.
AND WELCOME TO IT.
-- Captions by VITAC -- www.vitac.com
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
WHERE DID HE GO?
HEY, WILL.
YOU WANT TO SIT DOWN NEXT TO MAMA AND READ A BOOK?
NO? COME ON.
COME SIT NEXT TO MAMA.
LET'S LEARN OUR BODY PARTS.
CAN WE LEARN OUR BODY PARTS?
[ CRYING ]
WE HAVE A LOT OF THINGS TO LOOK AT WITH WILL.
AW. WHAT DO YOU WANT?
A LOT OF MEDICAL ISSUES THAT WE NEED TO SORT OUT
SINCE WE'VE BROUGHT HIM HOME.
COME ON. LET'S READ A BOOK.
[ CRYING ]
HEAD, SHOULDERS, KNEES, AND TOES?
DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?
NO? YOU DON'T WANT TO READ IT?
HE KIND OF EQUATES READING BOOKS WITH GOING TO BED.
I DON'T BLAME HIM. YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BED.
Bill: PART OF THE ADOPTION PROCESS IS
YOU DON'T KNOW THEIR MEDICAL HISTORY
UNTIL YOU TAKE YOUR SON HOME
AND HAVE A CHANCE TO BRING HIM TO YOUR DOCTORS.
[ GRUNTING ]
[ BOTH LAUGHING ]
Jen: SUPERMAN!
[ COOING ]
SO, JENNIFER AND I DECIDED TO BRING WILL TO SOME SPECIALISTS
WHICH ARE BASED OUT OF A FACILITY CALLED duPONT
IN WILMINGTON, DELAWARE.
GIVE ME FIVE.
ALL RIGHT.
SO, YOU READY TO GO TO DELAWARE?
NO.
Jen: THERE ARE HEALTH ISSUES
ASSOCIATED WITH BEING A LITTLE PERSON.
GROWING UP WITH MY TYPE OF SKELETAL DYSPLASIA,
I HAD TO HAVE FREQUENT SURGERIES
TO TRY AND STRAIGHTEN AND REALIGN MY LEGS
SO THAT I COULD WALK STRAIGHT,
AND SO WE KIND OF LOST TRACK ALONG THE WAY
ABOUT HOW MANY SURGICAL PROCEDURES
I'VE ACTUALLY HAD DONE.
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20 AND 30.
Bill: AS A KID, I HAD
PROBABLY ALMOST 20 SURGERIES.
HANG ON. WHERE'S YOUR HEAD?
[ WHINES ]
THIS IS YOUR HEAD.
THIS IS YOUR HEAD.
[ LAUGHS ]
THIS IS YOUR HEAD.
Jen: FOR BILL AND I, BECAUSE OF OUR EXPERIENCES,
HAVING GONE THROUGH LOTS OF SURGERIES,
I HOPE THAT IT HELPS US PREPARE WILL
FOR ANY MEDICAL PROCEDURES HE NEEDS.
HOPEFULLY, HE WON'T NEED NEARLY AS MANY AS WE DID GROWING UP.
ALL RIGHT, COME ON, BOYS. LET'S GO.
WE GOT TO PACK TO GO SEE THE DOCTOR.
Jen: HERE WE GO.
Bill: ALL RIGHT.
NEMOURS/ALFRED I. duPONT HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN.
ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS, I THINK,
IS TO SEE THE SPECIALISTS WHO REALLY ARE EXPERTS
IN TAKING CARE OF CHILDREN WITH SKELETAL DYSPLASIAS.
Will: [ WHINES ]
YOU'RE OKAY, WILL.
LET'S GO CHECK IN.
HELLO.
Jen: WHAT BILL AND I ARE HOPING TO LEARN,
OUT OF ALL THE THINGS THAT WILL IS AT RISK FOR,
BEING A LITTLE PERSON,
WHAT THINGS DOES HE HAVE,
AND THEN OUT OF THOSE,
WHAT THINGS DO WE NEED TO PRIORITIZE FIRST,
BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO OVERWHELM WILL
WITH A BUNCH OF PROCEDURES AT ONCE IF WE CAN AVOID IT.
Will: [ CRYING ]
Jen: THERE ARE A FEW THINGS
THAT WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT ORTHOPEDICALLY.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE HIS BACK IS GOOD,
SO WE WORRY ABOUT THE SPINE FROM TOP TO BOTTOM.
Bill: CAN YOU COME UP HERE? CAN YOU GET UP HERE?
WOW, LOOK AT YOU, DUDE.
THIS THE DIRECTION WE WANT TO GO IN?
Nurse: YES.
AWESOME.
SO, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS
GET HIM UP HERE.
OKAY.
ALL RIGHT.
STAND UP HERE, OKAY?
READY? OKAY. [ Grunting ] OH, BOY.
THANK YOU.
YOU'RE WELCOME.
ALL RIGHT! LOOK AT YOU.
YOU GONNA SMILE?
HOLD UNDERNEATH HIS ARMS.
THERE YOU GO.
WANT ME TO HOLD HIS FEET?
NO, YOU'RE GOOD.
OKAY, READY?
SMILE.
CHEESE.
[ BOTH LAUGH ]
LIKE, "I DIDN'T SEE THE FLASH.
WHERE'S THE FLASH?"
HEY, YOU'RE DOING SUCH A GOOD JOB, BUDDY.
FACE ME. OKAY.
FACE ME.
LOOKING AT MOM.
HOLD HIS KNEES.
YEAH, YEAH.
OKAY? WHERE'S MOMMY?
HEY, LOOK AT ME. HEY, LOOK AT MAMA.
Jen: IT WAS DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE TRYING TO
GET A 3-YEAR-OLD TO COOPERATE WITH AN X-RAY.
[ TRILLING ]
LOOK AT ME. LOOK AT MAMA. LOOK AT MAMA.
DID YOU GET IT? OKAY.
AWESOME. GOOD JOB.
WOW.
YOU DID SO GOOD. YOU DID SO GOOD.
[ GROWLS ]
ALL RIGHT.
Nurse: ALL RIGHT, YOU'RE ALL DONE!
GUESS WHAT?
YOU'RE ALL DONE.
WAIT A SECOND. WAIT FOR MAMA.
OH, TRUST FALL.
[ LAUGHS ]
TRUST FALL.
YOU KNOW, IT'S SCARY, BUT HE DID WELL.
GOOD. GOOD. GOOD.
HE'S ALREADY LEAVING.
Nurse: ALL RIGHT, SO...
OH, YOU'RE ALL DONE. YOU WANT A STICKER?
LET'S GET SOME STICKERS.
HE SAYS, "I STILL DID HALF OF IT RIGHT, RIGHT?"
[ CHUCKLES ]
Bill: "DO I GET A HALF A STICKER?"
I KNOW. [ CHUCKLES ]
ARE YOU READY TO PLAY SOME LISTENING GAMES?
WE'VE BEEN WORRIED AND CONCERNED ABOUT HIS HEARING.
Jen: LET'S GO INSIDE. LET'S GO SEE BABA.
Will: NO. [ CRIES ]
YEAH, GO SEE BABA.
Jen: WE ALSO KNOW HE'S GOT SPEECH DELAY, SO...
[ CRYING ]
...IT REALLY RAISES OUR RED FLAGS ABOUT THAT.
[ CRYING ]
YOU'RE OKAY.
YOU'RE OKAY. WE'RE GONNA BE OKAY.
Will: ALL RIGHT.
Bill: ALL RIGHT.
Nurse: OKAY, WE'RE GONNA GO RIGHT THROUGH HERE.
Jen: BILL AND I HAVE BROUGHT WILL TO WILMINGTON, DELAWARE,
TO duPONT CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL.
WE'RE GONNA GO SEE DR. WILLIAM MACKENZIE,
WHO IS A PEDIATRIC ORTHOPEDIST.
THERE YOU GO.
YOU OKAY?
MM-HMM.
Bill: THE ORTHOPEDIC CONCERNS WE HAVE FOR WILL ARE
HIS LOWER LIMBS SEEM TO BE A LITTLE UNSTABLE,
AND HIS SPINE.
HIS SPINE HAS A PROMINENT CURVE,
WHICH IS CALLED KYPHOSIS,
WHICH IS A CURVE THAT'S LIKE A HUMP,
BUT LOWER IN THE BACK THAN, SAY, QUASIMODO.
AND WHILE THAT'S SUPPOSED TO BE SOMETHING THAT HE GROWS OUT OF,
IT'S STILL RATHER LARGE,
AND SO WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT, AS WELL.
AWW, MISTER WILL.
Jen: SO, WHILE WE WERE WAITING TO SEE DR. MACKENZIE,
WILL WAS BEING A 3-YEAR-OLD.
HE'S BASICALLY DOWN TO HIS DIAPER AND STICKERS.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN COUNT THAT AS AN ARTICLE OF CLOTHING.
AAH!
Bill: [ CHUCKLES ]
OH.
SITTING IN THE OFFICE, WAITING FOR THE ORTHOPEDIST TO COME IN
DEFINITELY BRINGS OUT A LITTLE BIT OF DéJà VU.
WILL. WATCH OUT. STAY AWAY FROM THE DOOR.
YEAH, 'CAUSE IT MIGHT OPEN UP, HONEY.
IT'S LIKE, HERE WE GO AGAIN, ONLY NOW IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT
'CAUSE WE'RE NOT THE ONES BEING SEEN.
[ GRUNTS ]
WE'RE MOM AND DAD AND WILL'S THE PATIENT,
SO MY BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW
IS JUST FINDING OUT THE RESULTS OF THE X-RAYS,
AND, HOPEFULLY, FINDING OUT
THAT WILL DOESN'T NEED ANY SURGERY ANYTIME SOON.
LOOK WHO'S HERE.
Jen: SAY HELLO.
HI, WILL. HOW ARE YOU?
WELCOME FROM CHINA.
GIVE DR. MACKENZIE FIVE.
GIVE ME FIVE.
GIVE HIM FIVE.
ALL RIGHT! [ CHUCKLES ]
CAN I SIT HERE?
YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.
I CAN SEE COLLEEN'S BEEN TO WORK.
YES. WE GOT OUR FILMS.
TAKING A PEEK.
GOOD WORK.
HE'S MOVING AND SHAKING.
HE ACTUALLY LOOKS PRETTY STRONG.
HE JUST JUMPED UP THERE IN A SECOND.
OH, YEAH. HE CAN GET UP WITHOUT ANY HANDS.
Bill: ONE OF THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY KIND OF GETS A KICK OUT OF
IS HIS ABILITY TO GO FROM A SITTING POSITION
TO A STANDING POSITION WITHOUT USING HIS HANDS.
HE'S SITTING WITH HIS LEGS STRAIGHT OUT,
SO IT'S KIND OF THIS DAVID BLAINE,
DAVID COPPERFIELD THING THAT HE DOES.
SOMEHOW, HE GOES FROM HAVING HIS FEET OUT IN FRONT OF HIM
TO AN UPRIGHT STANDING POSITION,
AND NOBODY'S REALLY SURE HOW THIS MIRACLE HAPPENS,
BUT IT LOOKS LIKE SOME SORT OF FEAT OF LEVITATION.
AND IT'S ONLY FOR A WHILE. IT WON'T BE FOR --
IT'LL MAYBE LAST SIX MONTHS TO A YEAR,
AND THEN IT'LL GO AWAY.
Bill: HE'S GONNA BE BUMMED WHEN HE HAS TO USE HIS HANDS
TO GET UP FROM THAT POSITION.
RIGHT NOW, HE'S ABLE TO HOLD A GLASS AND A CRAYON
AND JUST GO FROM SITTING TO STANDING.
HE HAS A KYPHOSIS.
DR. MACKENZIE THEN SPOKE ABOUT HIS BACK,
AS FAR AS THE CURVATURE'S CONCERNED.
WHEN HE LIES ON HIS TUMMY AND HE EXTENDS,
IT FLATTENS OUT PRETTY NICELY, SO...
Jen: HE CONFIRMED THE FACT THAT, YES,
WILL DOES STILL HAVE SOME KYPHOSIS.
CAN I PUT HIM ON THE TABLE?
YEAH, YOU CAN.
IS HE GONNA LIKE ME?
HE MIGHT.
YOU GONNA LIKE ME?
YAY!
SAY HI TO DR. MACKENZIE.
HE WAS REASSURED BY THE FACT
THAT WHEN HE EXAMINED WILL AND HE LAID DOWN,
IT WAS ABLE TO STRAIGHTEN OUT.
Dr. Mackenzie: SO, I THINK WE'LL HOPE
THAT AS HE DEVELOPS BETTER TRUNK STRENGTH AND MUSCULATURE,
THAT IT SHOULD FLATTEN THIS OUT.
WE'LL WATCH IT. I DON'T THINK WE NEED TO
CONSIDER A BRACE OR ANYTHING FOR IT.
IT'S GREAT NEWS, WILL.
Bill: SO, DR. MACKENZIE'S FEELING IS,
IS THAT HIS LEGS ARE LOOKING GREAT,
HIS SPINE WILL DO PERFECTLY FINE,
AS FAR AS THE CURVATURE'S CONCERNED.
WE SHOULD BE STRAIGHT AS AN ARROW --
OR AS STRAIGHT AS A LITTLE PERSON'S ARROW GETS --
HOPEFULLY, SOON,
AND WITHOUT THE NEED OF A BRACE OR SURGERY.
GOOD SEEING YOU.
IT WAS A PLEASURE.
THANK YOU.
Jen: THANK YOU.
AFTER WE'RE DONE WITH OUR APPOINTMENT,
WE CAUGHT UP WITH THIS KID, PAUL, AND HIS FAMILY.
Jen: OH. NICE TO MEET YOU.
NICE TO MEET YOU, TOO.
I'M JEN,
AND THIS IS WILL AND BILL.
AND YOU ARE?
PAUL SR.
PAUL SR., YEAH.
PAUL SR., ALL RIGHT.
I'M A JUNIOR ALSO, YOU KNOW THAT, PAUL?
YOU WOULDN'T KNOW, BUT I'M A JUNIOR ALSO.
PAUL IS A LITTLE PERSON WITH ACHONDROPLASIA,
JUST LIKE WILL.
DURING THIS TRIP HERE, WE'VE RAN INTO
MANY OTHER LITTLE PEOPLE WHO HAVE SKELETAL DYSPLASIAS.
DID YOU SEE DR. MACKENZIE?
YEAH.
OH, YEAH. HE'S REALLY GREAT.
Bill: PEOPLE COME TO THIS CLINIC
FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY TO SEE THESE EXPERTS.
SO, ARE YOU IN SCHOOL?
YEP.
YEAH? WHAT GRADE YOU IN?
FIRST.
FIRST?
VERY COOL. HOW DO YOU LIKE IT?
GOOD. IT'S GOOD.
YOU KNOW, THAT'S US IN SIX YEARS,
COMING BACK FOR OUR OTHER VISITS
AND MANAGING PROBLEMS AS THEY COME UP.
Paul Sr.: ALL RIGHTY. THANK YOU, GUYS.
TAKE CARE. HAVE A SAFE TRIP BACK.
OUR NEXT STOP IS AUDIOLOGY,
SO WE'RE GONNA GO GET A HEARING TEST FOR WILLIAM.
ARE YOU READY TO PLAY SOME LISTENING GAMES?
Bill: OUR FIRST MEETING IN AUDIOLOGY WAS WITH DR. YELL.
IT'S NOT JUST A CATCHY NAME, I GUESS. [ CHUCKLES ]
MY FIRST QUESTION IS,
DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT HIS HEARING?
Jen: YES, WE DO.
HE MAY HAVE SOME HEARING ISSUES,
BECAUSE HE IS BEHIND IN HIS SPEECH,
SO HE'S NOT SPEAKING MUCH MANDARIN OR ENGLISH, SO...
Jen: WE'VE BEEN WORRIED AND CONCERNED ABOUT HIS HEARING
BECAUSE WE KNOW HE'S AT RISK FOR HEARING ISSUES
DUE TO HIS SKELETAL DYSPLASIA,
BUT WE ALSO KNOW HE'S GOT SPEECH DELAY.
IT REALLY RAISES OUR RED FLAGS ABOUT THAT,
SO I'M REALLY EXCITED TO SEE WHAT HIS HEARING TEST SHOWS.
Bill: WHY DON'T I SIT, AND YOU GUYS DRAG HIM IN?
Jen: OH, BOY.
GOOD LUCK WITH THAT.
HEY, WILL. COME WITH MAMA.
HERE, LET'S YOUR CAR -- LET'S GO GET BABA.
YOU WANT TO GET BABA?
DR. YELL BROUGHT US INTO THIS TESTING BOOTH,
WHICH IS BASICALLY THIS SOUNDPROOF BOOTH
WITH DEVICES AND SPEAKERS ON EACH SIDE OF YOU
THAT SHE MANIPULATES IN ORDER TO TEST YOUR HEARING.
LET'S GO INSIDE. LET'S GO SEE BABA.
Will: NO.
YEAH, GO SEE BABA.
OH, WHEEL THE CAR IN.
THERE YOU GO. AND I'LL COME OUT.
YEAH, COME ON IN.
[ WHINES ]
COME HERE, WILL. COME ON, BUDDY.
SOMETIMES HE'LL FOLLOW, BUT MAYBE NOT.
HOW ABOUT THIS? I WILL COME OUT FOR A SECOND.
LET'S SEE IF HE'LL GO IN IF I'M NOT IN,
AND THEN WE'LL GO FROM THERE. [ CHUCKLES ]
Jen: HE WAS A LITTLE AFRAID OF IT
OR JUST DIDN'T WANT TO GET IN THERE,
AND SO, CLEARLY, WHEN HE DOESN'T WANT TO DO SOMETHING,
HE IS VERY STRONG-WILLED, AND WE GAVE HIM A GOOD NAME...
Bill: COME HERE, WILL.
HERE, COME TO BABA.
COME ON. COME ON.
[ CRYING ]
...BECAUSE HE'S DEFINITELY GOT A LOT OF WILLPOWER
AND FOUGHT US TOOTH AND NAIL TO GET IN THAT ROOM.
[ CRIES ]
WE'RE IN. YOU'RE OKAY.
YOU'RE OKAY. WE'RE GONNA BE OKAY.
HE MADE IT CLEAR
THAT HE WASN'T GOING TO HAVE ANY PART OF IT.
HEY, CAN YOU SIT ON BABA'S LAP WITH MAMA?
[ WHINES ]
NO.
[ CRYING ]
IT'S OKAY. IT'S OKAY. IT'S OKAY.
YOU'RE OKAY.
Will: [ CRYING ]
Jen: HEY, CAN YOU SIT ON BABA'S LAP?
[ CRYING ]
WILL DEFINITELY WASN'T TAKING TO
THE BOOTH FOR THE AUDIOLOGY EXAM.
[ YELLING ]
Bill: WHEN WILL GETS HIS MIND SET ON NOT BEING SOMEWHERE
OR NOT WANTING TO DO SOMETHING,
HE'S AS STUBBORN AS HIS OLD MAN.
DO YOU SEE THE BUNNY?
Dr. Inverso: PEEK-A-BOO. BA, BA, BA, BA.
WE DID OUR BEST TO CALM HIM DOWN
SO, HOPEFULLY HE WOULD RELAX A LITTLE BIT.
UH-OH, WHAT'S THE MONKEY SAYING?
HE SAYS HI TO YOU.
Jen: BILL HAD TO PICK HIM UP AND TRY PUTTING HIM ON MY LAP,
AND HE REALIZED THAT THIS WASN'T GONNA HURT.
IT'S OKAY.
HE FINALLY SETTLED DOWN.
UH-OH. UH-OH, WILL.
OH, GOOD LISTENING. VERY GOOD.
WHAT DR. YELL DOES IS SHE HAS THE MONKEY OR THE BUNNY
MAKE A SOUND AT A VERY SPECIFIC DECIBEL LEVEL...
[ DRUMMING ]
YES, THERE'S THE MONKEY. GOOD JOB.
...AND THEN TRY TO ASCERTAIN WHETHER OR NOT WILL HEARS THAT
BY HIM LOOKING AT IT AND TURNING TOWARDS THE SOUND.
YAY! THAT WAS SO GOOD!
WHO'S GETTING A STICKER?
DR. YELL NEEDED TO DO ANOTHER TEST
TO CHECK THE FLUID IN HIS EARS.
ONE OF THE THINGS WE KNOW
IS THAT CHILDREN WITH ACHONDROPLASIA,
WHICH IS THE TYPE OF SKELETAL DYSPLASIA WILL HAS,
CAN BE AT VERY HIGH RISK OF FLUID IN THE EARS,
WHICH CAN LEAD TO DIFFICULTY HEARING.
YEAH, THAT'S AN EARDRUM THAT IS NOT MOVING
AS I CHANGE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE.
Bill: WHAT WE DISCOVERED IS
THAT HE HAS SOME MILD HEARING LOSS.
SO, HE'S DEFINITELY GOT FLUID?
YES, HE'S GOT OBSTRUCTION,
AND USUALLY THAT IS FLUID.
SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 20% AND 40%,
WHICH IS SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO BE CONCERNED.
WHAT THAT MEANS IS
THAT HIS SPEECH WILL BE ADVERSELY AFFECTED.
Jen: HI, BUDDY.
MAMA.
YES? YOU'RE A SWEATY MESS.
ALL DONE, SWEAT BALL.
SO, AFTER GETTING THE HEARING TEST,
DR. YELL TOOK US UP
TO MEET AN EAR, NOSE, AND THROAT SPECIALIST.
[ Muffled ] I CAN'T TALK ANYMORE.
[ GASPS ]
OW!
[ LAUGHS ]
[ Normal voice ] THAT HURT.
OH, MY GOODNESS.
LET'S SEE IF WE CAN DO A BETTER JOB, THOUGH, HUH?
IF YOU'RE GONNA DO IT, DO IT RIGHT.
[ LAUGHS ]
[ CHUCKLES ]
SAY, "BABA SILLY."
[ GRUNTS ]
BABA SILLY.
[ MUMBLING ]
[ Muffled ] GIVE ME A KISS.
HELLO.
HOW'S EVERYBODY?
GOOD. HOW ARE YOU?
GOOD. HOW ARE YOU, SIR?
STEVE COOK. NICE TO MEET YOU.
NICE TO MEET YOU. JEN.
MR. WILL. HOW ARE YOU?
I'M TRYING TO KEEP YOUR PATIENT HAPPY.
[ BOTH CHUCKLE ]
THAT'S OKAY.
[ Normal voice ] WHAT HE WILL DO
IS REVIEW WILL'S AUDIOLOGY EXAM
AND ALSO TAKE A LOOK AT HIM PHYSICALLY,
PINPOINT WHAT OUR PROCESS WILL BE
TO HELP HIM WITH HIS HEARING.
SO, CAN YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH BIG FOR ME?
AHH. YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO.
SHOW ME YOUR TONGUE LIKE A DINOSAUR.
GIVE ME A SHAKE. YOU DID A GREAT JOB.
I'M GONNA LOOK HERE.
CANAL'S COLLAPSED A LITTLE BIT.
THIS TIME, OVER HERE.
I'M GONNA LOOK.
Bill: DR. COOK AGREES
THAT THERE'S LIKELY FLUID BEHIND THE EARDRUMS
THAT IS PREVENTING WILL FROM HAVING GOOD HEARING.
[ COOS ]
ALL DONE. VERY GOOD.
ALL DONE.
BASICALLY, WILL IS HEARING MUFFLED SOUNDS,
SO WHAT WILL IS HEARING IS WHAT YOU OR I MIGHT HEAR UNDERWATER.
I THINK IT WOULD BE WORTHWHILE
TO CONSIDER TUBES IN THE EARS FOR HIM.
YOU HAVE TO SURGICALLY PLACE EAR TUBES
THAT BASICALLY GO THROUGH YOUR EARDRUM
SO THAT THE EARS CAN CONTINUALLY DRAIN THE FLUID.
IDEALLY, ONCE THAT'S DONE,
WILL WILL BE ABLE TO HEAR MUCH BETTER,
AND, HOPEFULLY, PICK UP HIS SPEECH RAPIDLY.
WE DO WANT HIM TO CATCH UP.
BY 3 YEARS, HE REALLY SHOULD HAVE
ABOUT A 100-WORD VOCABULARY AND SHORT SENTENCES.
THIS IS PRIME-TIME DEVELOPMENT IN THE BRAIN
TO DEVELOP SPEECH, AND SO IT'S IMPORTANT
TO PUT THE EAR TUBES IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,
BUT IT NEEDS TO BE ONE OF THOSE PROCEDURES
THAT WE'D PRIORITIZE.
Bill: EW. STOP THAT.
THE MAJOR MEDICAL ISSUES --
IS THIS ONE OF THEM?
IS THIS A MAJOR MEDICAL ISSUE?
I'M TRYING TO STAY SERIOUS AND FOCUSED,
AND MEANWHILE, WILL GRABS MY HAND
AND STARTS LICKING ONE OF MY FINGERS INCESSANTLY.
Jen: [ LAUGHS ]
REALLY KIND OF GROSS.
Jen: LET'S GO.
Bill: ALL RIGHT!
ANOTHER BUSY DAY.
READY TO GO VISIT DR. BOBER?
Jen: SO, TODAY IS DAY TWO --
THE SECOND DAY OF NONSTOP DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENTS.
THIS IS NOW PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT APPOINTMENT,
WHERE WE MEET WITH DR. BOBER, WHO IS
A GENETICIST WHO SPECIALIZES IN SKELETAL DYSPLASIAS.
HELLO, SIR. GOOD TO SEE YOU.
HOW ARE YOU?
GOOD.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SQUEEZING US IN.
DOCTOR.
HOW ARE YOU?
AND THIS IS WILL.
WHAT'S UP, MAN?
Bill: HE'S BASICALLY THE PERSON THAT WILL GIVE US THE --
IF THERE WAS A 10,000-FOOT LEVEL,
A BIGGER PICTURE,
DR. BOBER CAN PAINT THAT PICTURE FOR US.
SO, YOU'VE SEEN A BUNCH OF OTHER FOLKS
YESTERDAY AND TODAY.
YEAH, WE DID.
WHAT'S LEFT ON YOUR MINDS?
WHAT QUESTIONS CAN WE HELP TRY AND ANSWER NOW?
THE MAIN THING THING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO
WRAP OUR HEADS AROUND NOW
IS WHAT EXACTLY WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT
FROM THIS POINT FORWARD.
ACHONDROPLASIA IS THE MOST COMMON FORM OF DWARFISM.
HE'S LICKING MY FINGER.
I'M TRYING TO STAY SERIOUS AND FOCUSED,
AND MEANWHILE, WILL GRABS MY HAND
AND STARTS LICKING ONE OF MY FINGERS INCESSANTLY.
PEOPLE WITH ACHONDROPLASIA HAVE LARGER HEADS.
I WAS COMPLETELY DISTRACTED,
AND THERE'S NO WAY I COULD ACTUALLY
FORM A THOUGHT OR A SENTENCE.
THE MAJOR MEDICAL ISSUES --
IS THIS ONE OF THEM?
[ CHUCKLES ]
IS THIS A MAJOR MEDICAL ISSUE?
I'M SORRY, THIS IS THE TYPICAL 3-YEAR-OLD STUFF
THAT I CAN'T HELP YOU WITH.
THE LIZARD "COMPONENT" OF ACHONDROPLASIA.
[ LAUGHTER ]
THE MAJOR PROBLEM THAT WE WORRY ABOUT IS,
IN 100% OF PEOPLE WITH ACHONDROPLASIA,
THIS OPENING IS NARROW.
Jen: CHILDREN BORN WITH ACHONDROPLASIA
ARE AT RISK FOR A NARROWING AT THE BASE OF THE SKULL,
WHERE THE SKULL MEETS THE SPINE.
IT CAN CAUSE INJURY TO THE SPINAL CORD,
WHICH CAN BE, OBVIOUSLY, DEVASTATING.
WE HAVE TWO MRIs FROM CHINA
THAT ARE SHOWING US
THAT THIS IS KIND OF A TIGHT SPACE.
DR. BOBER AND DR. MACKENZIE BOTH AGREE
THAT HE NEEDS ANOTHER MRI TO LOOK AT THAT.
LET'S GET THE BEST PICTURES WE CAN GET.
LET'S GET THE MOST INFORMATION WE CAN GET
AND SEE WHAT THAT TELLS US.
AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE.
SO, TO ME, THIS IS THE FIRST STEP,
IS SORTING OUT WHAT WE HAVE HERE, RIGHT?
Bill: DR. BOBER ALSO HAD A CHANCE TO REVIEW
SOME OF THE DETAILS OF THE SLEEP STUDY
THAT WE DID IN HOUSTON.
THE RESULTS OF THAT SLEEP STUDY BASICALLY SAID
THAT HIS SLEEP APNEA IS EVIDENT.
SLEEP APNEA IS, BASICALLY,
WHEN YOU STOP BREATHING WHILE YOU'RE SLEEPING.
MAJORITY OF THE KIDS THAT HAVE THE PROBLEM
DO RESPOND TO TONSILS AND ADENOIDS COMING OUT.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT HE'S GOT SOME HEARING LOSS.
I THINK THAT'S PARTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS SPEECH.
FOR DR. BOBER, IT'S A BIG PRIORITY
TO GET THE TUBES IN HIS EARS
SO THAT WE CAN ADDRESS THE HEARING ISSUE
AND THEN IMPROVE HIS SPEECH AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.
LET'S MEASURE.
[ COOS ]
LET'S MEASURE. LOOK.
WILL BEING A LITTLE PERSON, IT'S EVEN MORE PARAMOUNT
TO HAVE HIM MAXIMIZE HIS SPEECH,
BECAUSE ONCE YOU GO TO SCHOOL AND YOU'RE AROUND OTHER KIDS
OR EVEN, POTENTIALLY, OTHER ADULTS,
BECAUSE OF HIS STATURE,
HE'S AT RISK FOR BEING, POTENTIALLY,
MORE BABIED OR TREATED AS IF HE'S NOT AS INTELLIGENT
IF HE HAS A SPEECH DELAY,
AND YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE LAST THING WE WANT FOR HIM.
GET HOME, TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
AND GO FROM THERE.
GO FROM THERE.
LOOK, I MEAN,
FORGET ABOUT EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
HE LOOKS AWESOME. [ LAUGHS ]
HE'S A HEALTHY 3-YEAR-OLD BOY.
I KNOW.
REALLY?
I KNOW. IT'S LIKE HE DOESN'T KNOW ANYTHING'S WRONG.
HE'S HAPPY AS A CLAM.
HONESTLY, I'M WAY IMPRESSED
WITH HOW WILL DID OVER THE LAST TWO DAYS.
I'M PROUD OF HIM -- HE'S A TOUGH GUY
AND HE REALLY HELD IT TOGETHER THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
YOU DO FIST BUMPS?
OH, OF COURSE HE DOES FIST BUMPS.
Bill: WE'RE IN THE PROCESS OF DIGESTING
ALL THE INFORMATION THAT ALL OF OUR DOCTORS HAVE GIVEN US,
AND ONCE WE'VE BOILED IT DOWN
AND WE UNDERSTAND WHAT THE PLAN OF ATTACK IS,
WE WILL MOVE VERY, VERY AGGRESSIVELY TO DO SO.
ALL RIGHT.
Jen: OF COURSE, I'M WORRIED ABOUT
ALL THE MEDICAL PROCEDURES THAT WILL'S GONNA HAVE TO HAVE.
I'M A PARENT -- I THINK THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO.
I'M ALSO A PHYSICIAN,
SO I DEFINITELY THINK THE WORST-CASE SCENARIO,
BUT I'M GOING TO HAVE TO KEEP IT TOGETHER FOR WILL.
THINK WE HAVE SOME THINKING TO DO.
LOTS OF THINKING TO DO. LOTS OF WORK.
WE HAVE SOME TRAVEL TO DO.
YES. LUNCH FIRST, AND THEN HOME.
ALL RIGHT. LUNCH FIRST, THEN HOME.