Comprehensive Health Education | Rare Bleeding Disorders

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Hemophilia is TUBE-U-LAR: Hemophilia References on TV

Hemophilia is TUBE-U-LAR: Hemophilia References on TV

by: Eric Lowe

Published: LifeLines for Health, vol. 4 (Fall/Winter 2014)

It’s like an old, outplayed, re-run in your life.  Or if you’re like me, and you’re blessed with little ones in the house, you might describe it as “just another day of watching Disney’s Frozen”.  The familiar scene goes something like this…

You and your significant other have plans with his or her friends (who you’ve never met before) to enjoy a night on the town.  Things go smoothly, just as your expectations perceive, but then comes your tell - your inability to keep your condition secret.  Perhaps you’re carpooling and you have to request a front seat because your legs need the extra room, or maybe you have a limp that won’t go away no matter how hard you over-compensate.  Whatever it is, it’s there, and it just “outted” you.  By the way, I don’t try to hide the fact that I have hemophilia, but I probably do avoid it a bit unless the opportunity (or perhaps “obligation”) presents itself.  Besides, the very opposite approach of just blurting it out would just be weird.  It would be like saying, “Hi, I’m Olaf, and I like warm hugs!”

So there lays the kicker that instigates the proverbial little question from one of your new acquaintances, “what is hemophilia?”  Sometimes I take pleasure in explaining it all, and in a way, talking about myself.  But if I’m not in the mood, it just gets old.  But there does seem to be a decline it this familiar question.  Is hemophilia becoming more mainstream?  Could there be a day when hemophilia is as well-known as cancer?  And if so, is the boob tube responsible?  I’ll let you decide for yourself, but here’s some of the evidence that I’ve gathered for your consideration.


Royal Pains – Pilot

Season 1, Episode 1

Aired June 4, 2009

Tucker Bryant (played by Ezra Miller, who has starred in popular shows such as Californication and Law & Order: SVU, and in films like The Perks of Being a Wallflower (w/ Emma Watson), and recently announced by Warner Bros. to play The Flash in 2018) is a teenage heir to the blender industry, who is left home alone. After an accident in his father's Ferrari, he suffers delayed injuries.

Dr. Hank Lawson is about to leave the Bryant mansion when Tucker collapses to the floor from chest pains.  Hank begins to investigate Tucker…

 

Hank:  Why didn’t you tell me you were a hemophiliac?

Tucker:  Dude, my chest is killing me!

Hank:  Where’s your factor 8 supply?

Tucker:  Bottom drawer, next to my aquarium.

Hank:  Okay, Libby, go.  Just try to stay calm.  Stay with me, Pal.  Stay with me! Tucker, stay with me!

 

My Take

Some viewers criticized this portion of the script by asking, “what person with a medical condition like this hides it?”  Well… hemophiliacs, to name one.  As we mature into adulthood, most of us (hemophiliacs) develop the realization that it’s no longer an embarrassment to reveal this personal statistic about ourselves.  But in the awkward years of adolescence and teens, no one wants to be reminded that they are different, reliant on others, or fragile and weak.  So while some might say the dialogue was a bit artificial, I would say, “on the contrary!” 

Once Hank patches up Tucker, MacGyver-style, he sees him off in a lifeline chopper to a lifesaving end.  Out of concern, Libby (Tucker’s girlfriend) asks Hank if Tucker is in pain.  Hank’s reply, “Hemophiliacs live in pain.  He’ll be okay.”  Hmm, once again, sounds like the writer knows what he’s talking about.  But perhaps that’s because he consulted his father, an oral surgeon who has experience with bleeding disorders, for the creation of Tucker.  Additionally, Royal Pains has an onsite physician who is responsible for all of the medical research of the show. 

Kudos for accuracy and for helping to make hemophilia a mainstream condition, as Tucker has returned in a handful of episodes!


Simpsons – Brother from the Same Planet

Season 4, Episode 14

Aired Feb. 4, 1993

Bart is neglected by Homer and pursues a better father figure by joining the Big Brother program.  Upon this discovery, Homer directs his revenge by donating his time as a big brother to an orphan.  Out of jealousy, Homer finds himself in a fistfight with Tom, Bart’s new Big Brother.  At the conclusion of the episode, Homer gets his boy back, and they reminisce about the recent fight with Tom.

 

Bart: Remember when Tom had you in that headlock and you screamed, "I'm a hemophiliac!" and when he let you go, you kicked him in the back?

Homer: Yeah.

Bart: Will you teach me how to do that?

Homer: Sure, boy. First, you gotta shriek like a woman and keep sobbing until he turns away in disgust. That's when it's time to kick some back. And then when he's lying down on the ground...

Bart: Yeah.

Homer: Kick him in the ribs.

Bart: Yeah.

Homer: Step on his neck.

Bart: Yeah.

Homer: And run like hell.

  

Fun fact:  The role of Tom was originally created for Tm Cruise, but he repeatedly refused it.  Phil Hartman eventually played the character.

 

My Take

An old friend of mine once told me of a reference of hemophilia in a Simpson’s episode where Bart mentioned he beat up a hemophiliac at school.  Whether this distasteful airing actually took place or not, I can’t confirm.  But at much relief, I was unable to locate such a reference in my findings.

Some may find this reference in Brother from the Same Planet mildly offensive, but I find it to be more in the neutral area of the spectrum.  In 1993, The Simpson’s was a monstrously popular series.  This episode received a rating of 14.9 on the Nielsen rating system, which translates to approximately 13.9 million viewing households.  For that, I say, “thank you for getting our name out there.”



True Blood – Hopeless

Season 5, Episode 6

Aired July 15, 2012

If you’re unfamiliar with the True Blood series, it’s important to know that the community of vamps has their own government to abide by, called the Authority.

Within the community of vamps, Russell Edgington (the corrupt, former King of Mississippi) is captured by Bill and Eric and is put in a cell at the Authority (the vampires’ own government.)  Roman (Christopher Meloni, best known for his role as Detective Elliot Stabler in Law & Order: SVU) welcomes them with open arms for a job well done.  Roman decides that he's going to execute Russell immediately, calling for a toast.

Roman:  My boys, my boys!  Where are my boys?!  From here on out, (Eric & Bill) officially known as the guys who took down Russell Edgington.  How's that sound? Well done, well done.
Rosalyn:  Roman, that looks like a very special bottle of blood.
Roman:  Why yes, it is, Rosalyn.  Eighteenth-century, Austrian hemophiliac, not that I know too much about these fancy, antique bloods.  All I know is that it cost a (censored) load of money.  Sit.  Sit. 

 

Roman: My boys! My boys! Where are my boys!? From here on out, (Eric & Bill) officially known as the guys who took down Russell Edgington. How’s that sound? Well done, well done.

Rosalyn: Roman, that looks like a vey special bottle of blood.

Roman: Why yes ti is, Rosalyn. Eighteenth-century, Austrian hemophiliac, not that I know too much about theses fancy, antique bloods. All I know is that it cost a (censored) load of money. Sit. Sit.

Homer: Sure, boy. First, you gotta shriek like a woman and keep sobbing until he turns away in disgust. That's when it's time to kick some back. And then when he's lying down on the ground...


My Take

You have to wonder what the writers’ thought processes were on this one.  “A time for celebration calls for a great drink!  But vampires don’t drink rare wines.  Let’s Google ‘Rare Blood’ instead.”  However it happened, thanks for the shout out, HBO!  It just reminds us that we’re a rare blood, I mean breed.

So the next time you decide to take a stroll through the desolate roads of Bon Temps, Louisiana at night, wrap your neck in a silver chain and put a stake in your pocket, because you never know who might be salivating over your yummy blood.

*Parents, please beware that this series is anything but easy on the ears… and eyes.  Please use extreme caution if you plan to view this episode with your children.




Marcus Welby, MD – The Daredevil Gesture

Aired Mar 17, 1970 (Season 1 of 2)

Directed by Steven Spielberg

 

Larry Bellows was home-schooled until age 12 out of concern by his protective mother.  His peers were aware of his condition up until age 17 when he moved to a new school.  Now Larry is dead-set on keeping his condition a secret so that he can experience the adventures that life has to offer, as well as the treatment that all hemophiliacs desire, indifference.  This scene takes place early into the episode in the new school’s office.

Dr. Welby:  Nobody, except Mr. Craddock here, the school nurse, and your homeroom teacher will know anything about the hemophilia.  The boys and girls in your class will know absolutely nothing.

Mr. Craddock (principle):  But it’s up to you to explain to them, or not to explain to them why you’ll be excused from certain activities.

Larry:  I can, I can handle that.

Mr. Craddock:  Okay Larry, now in return, let us hear your solemn promise that nothing will happen to bring on a hemorrhage.  No violent games, no horsing around…  either in school or out of it.

Larry:  You have my word, sir. 

Mr. Craddock:  Doctor, I’ll give your number to the school nurse.

Dr. Welby:  Tell her she can always reach me, or Dr. Kiley.  I’ll send the frozen plasma over to be kept on-hand.

 

My Take 

I’m inclined to call this one the “diamond in the rough”, as I came across it entirely by chance.  As somewhat of a film connoisseur, I rented one of Steven Spielberg’s earliest films, The Duel, which I recommend.  The DVD extras outlined Spielberg’s earliest work, Marcus Welby, M.D. being one of them.  Ironically, the short clip that was chosen for the extras came from this episode, mentioning “hemophilia”.  The script sample above is the very same clip.  You can imagine the unexpected perk of my ears with this discovery. 

Not all, but the majority of concerns that are addressed in this episode are freakishly accurate.  Dr. Welby (Robert Young) and his partner, Dr. Kiley (James Brolin), have a serious discussion about the background and outlook of hemophilia.  They’re sure to highlight newly developing drugs (remember, this is 1970), like cryoprecipitate and other coagulants, as well as their ability to help hemophiliacs become independent with home injections in the near future.  The financial benefits of home injections, other self-care methods, and all-around avoidance of hospital admissions were also pointed out.  Dr. Welby describes Larry’s mother as “the classic picture of a carrier” with references of being over-protective, and having feelings of guilt for passing hemophilia onto her son with little to no symptoms of her own.

The episode doesn’t stop there.  As Larry experiences and elbow bleed, he and his mother have discussions of spontaneous bleeding, and seasonal bleeding patterns with Dr. Welby.  Welby suggests feelings of excitement and stress can onset these types of bleeds.  Other issues addressed include untimely bleeds that spoil trips and other big plans, divorced parents, and the fear that Larry’s sister has of passing this condition down to children of her own.

As someone who didn’t live through the 70’s, I can only imagine the uplifting inspiration of hope that was passed onto the viewers that were living with hemophilia and who witnessed this episode when it first aired.  In today’s viewing world, this series would be portrayed as hokey and unrealistic, by most.  But keeping in mind the times and culture of the series, I think almost everyone in this community would enjoy and appreciate The Daredevil Gesture.  This episode alone can be streamed on Amazon for just two dollars.



So there you have it. Five examples that may be making our lives a little easier by helping others understand hemophilia (or at least familiarizing the general public with the name.) Perhaps one day, when we tell someone we have hemophilia, the response might be, “oh, I know a little something about that”, or “I see - what deficiency are you?” instead of “what’s that?” I hope you’ve enjoyed my reviews, and are interest to know that we’re gaining popularity in TV.

This is by no means, a complete list of televised hemophilia, If you’ve found other references to hemophilia in the television world, please share by writing to me at: elowe@ches.education.