Though he described feeling stiffness and pain, and dearly missing playful and spontaneous interactions with his children, Bauby continued,
"My mind takes flight like a butterfly. There is so much to do. You can wander off in space or in time, set out for Tierra del Fuego or for King Midas's court. You can visit the woman you love, slide down beside her and stroke her still-sleeping face. You can build castles in Spain, steal the Golden Fleece, discover Atlantis, realize your childhood dreams and adult ambitions." (Bauby,
1997, p. 5)