A Short Stay in Switzerland Page #3

to maintain.

There are always things going wrong.

The lights keep blowing.

Have to get an electrician in.

It's just one thing after another...

And I've had a few nasty falls.

It's probably nothing,

just me being careless, I expect.

You must go to the doctor!

Sophie, I've been practising

medicine for thirty years.

I don't need advice!

Say something.

And have you bite my head off?

You're tearing up

plants, Mother, stop it!

They're my ruddy plants to tear up!

Say nothing to your

brother and sister.

Then you'll go to a doctor.

Promise?

Of course.

But I break promises,

it's part of my charm.

I think I've found the problem!

Mrs Turner, are you there?

See what he wants.

I'll take these upstairs.

Coming!

Don't tell me this

is going to be a big job.

Mrs Turner!

Jesus Christ, Mrs Turner!

We'll have to lift her!

Don't move a muscle of her!

We'll have to fetch a doctor.

Well, get a move on!

I'll stay with her.

What is the matter

with you, Mrs Turner?

Oh, is there much blood?

Don't you worry about that.

Is the laundry ruined?

All that ironing for nothing.

I'll give you a hand...

Just you stay put!

One move and I'll give you laundry.

What is happening to me?

What is happening?

SHE SOBS:

Jack, Sophie, Edward, Jessica.

Jessica, Edward, Sophie, Jack.

Help me, help me,

help me, help me.

Worst diagnosis I could have had.

You would agree with that,

I presume? Yes.

The odds of this happening twice

in one family must be

many millions to one.

So...

a bomb going off

slowly but surely inside my body,

and there is nothing to be done,

is there?

You could lie to me, Richard.

You could comfort me.

I know you too well not to,

Dr Turner.

Yeah.

Thank you for sparing me nothing,

I do prefer that.

Courage, boys, courage.

Richard, it's me.

I'm at the surgery.

I might appreciate

that lift home. Thanks.

Still taking it all in...

the news.

One thing to ask. Fire away.

Any point in more tests?

Any hope they could be wrong?

Well, there's always hope, Anne.

Have you said anything

to the children?

Well, what will they be able to do?

You need to tell them.

Would you like me to break the news?

I'm happy to do it.

Then one of us is.

More tests, then?

Let battle commence.

PSP.

Progressive supranuclear palsy.

Are you going to say nothing?

Better ask me what it bloody

is while I can still answer you.

Is it... is it like daddy's?

Worse.

This can't happen twice. It has.

It can't.

It can't, they must be wrong.

No... they're not wrong, Sophie.

What are the symptoms?

Can't speak. Can't swallow,

fed by tube.

Can't see.

May not be able to even blink.

I'm already prone to uncontrollable

fits of laughter, tears, rage,

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