ER
Previously on ER...
- How does a week in St. Barth sound?
- St. Barth's? In the Caribbean?
I defend you in the civil rights
suit against you.
In exchange, I play doctor for a day.
You know and I know this was not
about your HIV status.
- Do I?
- Anna?
- This is my cousin Chase.
- Hi.
This is Anna Del Amico.
We intern together.
She is a young woman.
She deserves a chance to keep her leg.
Got a hot one, Lizzie?
Couldn't ask for a better candidate
for a free fib transfer.
She's crumping!
- Get on it, Corday!
- Sternal saw! Sternal saw!
"Do You See What I See?"
Doug.
It's time to get up.
A few more minutes.
You have to get up now.
Your shift's over. You got all day.
- What time is it?
- It's : .
- How was your night?
- I hate night shifts.
- Did you get tomorrow off?
- Not yet.
- Did you get tonight off?
- No, I owe too many shifts.
- Christmas Eve will cost me double.
- This is so unfair.
Well, flex your muscle.
You make the nursing schedule.
Yeah, which is why I get stuck with it.
"Carol can work Christmas, she has no
life. " They don't even feel guilty.
Make them feel guilty about it.
Now, that's the Christmas spirit.
Tell them about us.
This is stupid.
I'm not going anywhere.
You know that.
I know.
I know.
Two hundred! Clear!
One more. Clear!
- Herb, you finished?
- Yeah, I'm done. Finito.
Break it down. That's a wrap.
Very good.
George, you're very good.
Very believable.
Any papers I need to sign?
Some formalities.
I'll send them over. You're done.
- That's it?
- The Law family wanted an apology.
An apology? From me?
"No possibility," I said.
You're all done. You're clear.
I want a picture with you.
- Chris, one more.
- That's okay.
I made the lawsuit disappear. Smile.
This is going up on my wall.
Good morning.
Good morning.
- Need some help?
- No, I'm fine.
Damn it! On second thought, yeah.
- Waited till the last minute, huh?
- Yeah.
You clean them out?
I'm bringing the baby to my sister's.
I can't be outdone.
Don't get discouraged if he ends up
playing with all the boxes.
Are those for the Christmas party?
They're pizzelles. Italian Christmas
cookies. My mom bakes them.
I thought I'd give it
a try since I won't get home.
- It's not quite the same, you know?
- Yeah.
Can you give us a hand?
- What's with the dog?
- Put this inside.
Blind pedestrian versus auto.
Hit-and-run. Head trauma. Brief LOC.
GCS , loose extremities times four.
Name's Bart. Lives under the bridge.
- Homeless with a guide dog?
- It's not his fault. I made him go.
Okay, hold up. Hold up.
How's your neck? Any pain?
- What's going on?
- Can you feel this?
- It's snowing.
- Let's get him inside.
No, you don't understand.
My eyes. I can see!
Sir, try not to move.
You're a black man in a brown coat!
She's blond in a red jacket!
I can see! I can see!
Santos! Santos, is that you?
It's a miracle.
You're a miracle worker, doc.
That's what we all say.
The room is green.
There is a big light above me.
Pupils are equal,
round and reactive to light.
Your shirt's brown
under a yellow apron thing.
- How many fingers?
- Three.
- He can see.
- I told you.
You have the magic touch.
If x-rays are normal,
send for a non-contrast CT.
Wait! What's your name?
- What's his scam?
- I don't know.
But that guy was never blind.
- What's his name?
- Dr. Benton.
Lydia, can you cover for me
tomorrow night?
I'm cooking Christmas dinner
for Al's family, all .
You're lucky you're working.
You gotta plug in a string,
then separate it one at a time.
Oh, really?
Then why don't you show me.
Carter, would your grandparents
like any food or anything?
For what?
They're coming to see
the clinic today.
Their annual pilgrimage
to their worthy causes.
- It's that bad?
- No.
But the clinic won't be
the only thing being checked out.
Henry! Something wrong?
No. I feel much better. Why?
You're on time.
I suppose I deserve that.
I still have to pass this clerkship.
No one's pulling for you
more than me.
- A gram of Ancef for our friend in ?
- Sure thing.
That's good. Because I figure
the only thing...
...that I really haven't done is
a major emergency procedure.
That's a matter of opinion.
So why don't you give me an LP
or an intubation or something...
...and then you can ship me off
with a clear conscience.
I brought my own gloves.
Look, please. I-
Merry Christmas to you too!
Who was that?
I hit my limit on my credit...
...so they froze my card.
Can you believe it? Christmas Eve
and I had your present picked out!
- How much do you owe?
- $ .
And I was making a dent in it,
but with the holidays and everything-
Listen, I haven't gotten
your present yet either.
So why don't I pay your balance
as a Christmas present?
- No, I can't let you do that.
- Sure, you can.
But you have to promise
not to go and spend it on me.
Really?
- Anybody home?
- Carol!
- What happened?
- I went chimney sweeping...
...for Jonathan, .
His brother found him stuck.
- Playing Santa?
- Proving Santa could make it.
Complains of shortness of breath
and right shoulder pain.
Still having difficulty breathing.
BP / . Resps at , tachy at .
- On O- , liters.
- What is this?
Respiratory distress.
On my count. One, two, three.
- Is there someplace I can clean up?
- A shower is down the hall.
- Pulse ox is .
- Stridors breathing and hypoxia.
Two of Versed followed by of sux
and five of Pavulon IV.
- What do we do, Henry?
- Increase the O- .
No.
Six ET tube.
The soot he inhaled
can cause tracheal edema.
Swelling makes it harder
to intubate.
- So we intubate now?
- Right.
Jonathan, we're gonna put you
to sleep.
Then we're gonna put a tube in
your windpipe to help you breathe.
Can I try it?
Kids are tough.
This isn't really a teaching case.
Next time, Henry.
- Jeanie, you're working today.
- Yeah.
- I didn't see you scheduled.
- I'm volunteering at the clinic.
What are the needles for?
A man with hepatitis B
is sharing with friends.
- You're giving them to him?
- I'll replace them.
That's not my concern.
It's against the law.
Do you want him to pass it on
or get something worse?
Just be careful.
Know who you're dealing with.
The patient won't report me, Kerry.
Will you?
Hey, Saint Peter.
I heard about your miracle.
Some of us have the touch.
- Where's the blind guy?
- He's not blind.
- He's not here either.
- He and his dog left minutes ago.
Said he won't hang around a hospital
when there's a whole world to see.
He just wanted some attention.
Don't sell yourself short.
- You're gonna work a shift?
- I've practiced medicine on occasion.
I thought you had
a backup cover scheduled.
I gave him the day off.
Figured I should keep an eye on you.
Make sure
you made that plane tonight.
Could we get a taxi voucher for Pablo?
He doesn't have shoes.
- Where are your shoes?
- They're gone. I have no shoes.
We've been over this. I'll try
to get you something to wear home.
All right.
- I'll call you a cab?
- I'll wait outside.
No, wait in Chairs.
It's cold outside.
Okay, I'll wait in Chairs.
- Feliz Navidad.
- Feliz Navidad, Pablo.
Thank you, Kerry.
I'm curious. Who pays for those?
The vouchers? Us. Why?
- Get a cab company to comp them.
- How?
Good PR, promise to call
for paying customers.
- No one thought of that before?
- We do it at other ERs.
We'll try it.
Excuse me. Do you have a scrub top
I could borrow?
Greg Powell. Paramedic who
brought the boy in the chimney.
I didn't recognize you.
You clean up well.
- Thank you.
- A scrub top won't keep you warm.
- I'll get a coat from Goodwill.
- It's clean?
And very fashionable. Follow me.
Careful. Watch your step. It's icy.
Vinnie Caviazelli, -year-old man.
Experienced acute onset
of crushing substernal chest pain.
Shortness of breath, BP's palp,
resps .
O- is at liters.
Saline's wide open.
- He's sweating.
- Diaphoretic.
You feeling any pain now,
Mr. Caviazelli?
- How bad?
- He's in cardiogenic shock.
- Trauma . I'll be right in.
- I'll get it.
Sure. Great.
Ellis West, visiting Attending.
Carter, is it?
- What do we have?
- Ml. Hypotensive and cyanotic.
Start a dopamine drip,
titrate to a systolic of .
Give him aspirin,
units of heparin.
- He's bradying down.
- . of atropine.
Pansystolic murmur.
Hold the heparin.
Is that bad?
Maybe a rupture of the left papillary
muscle or interventricular septum.
- Will we need to intubate him?
- Maybe.
Can I try it?
- Med student?
- Yes. George Henry.
- I can't get a pressure.
- He's crashing!
- Need a hand?
- That's all right, Kerry. Thanks.
Amp of epi and a mg of atropine.
You, bag him.
- Heparin?
- I held it because of a murmur.
Maria. I love you, Maria.
- What?
- I love you, Maria.
Henry, bag him now!
- Let's intubate.
- I got it. Out of the way.
- . please.
- I was gonna do this.
Not now, Henry.
What's in here? Bricks?
Gifts mostly.
No time to ship them all.
- When is your flight?
- Half past .
I need to catch up on some
post-op notes before I go.
They'll wait. You can assist me with
the fibular transfer on the Beaumont girl.
- Today?
- Yep.
I'm gonna be out of town next week.
What's her neuro status?
Anesthesiologist signed off. She's
stable for the next phase of surgery.
The first phase put her in a coma.
We started this reconstruction.
Let's finish it.
If she comes out, she'll have her leg.
That's minutes. I'm calling it.
Time of death: .
You can stop now.
Good effort, gentlemen.
Part of the job.
Sometimes you lose them.
I didn't get to intubate.
Sorry. It had to be done fast.
He was coding.
Do you...
...want to try it now?
He's dead.
So?
You're not gonna hurt him, right?
I'll get a death kit.
- Are you sure we can do this?
- You want to pass, don't you?
Try a . .
Okay.
Insert it laterally...
...sweeping the tongue
out of the way...
...and placing the tip of the blade
on the vallecula.
- You see it?
- Yeah, yeah.
Gently, man! Come on. Easy.
You don't want to break his teeth.
Advance until you see the cords.
Then lift the scope degrees.
- Oh, my God! Vinnie!
- Who are you?
Joey, his brother. What happened?
He had a heart att*ck.
- Is he gonna be okay?
- Yeah. Yeah.
Keep going.
- Wait outside.
- I want to be with him.
I really think it's better
to wait outside.
Come on. Push the epi!
Another round of atropine!
- Sexual as*ault victim?
- Trauma .
- How bad?
- Bad.
-year-old woman found bound,
gagged and unconscious.
GCS , multiple lacs,
contusions and abrasions.
Possible nasal fracture.
Let's get a cross-table C-spine,
cath her and dip the urine for blood.
Nasal fracture. Are these burns
on her mouth and eyes?
No, we had to pull off the duct tape.
BP / . Pulse .
Possible ankle fracture here.
You'll be all right, ma'am.
We'll take care of you.
- Where are the cops?
- On their way.
- Oh, God!
- What?
Hey, Jeanie, I have a follow-up otitis.
Could you see him in the clinic?
- Sure. Send him in. I'll be right there.
- Great. Thanks.
. Prolene.
Avoid any axial twisting.
This lumen is quite narrow.
Bovie that bleeder.
- Got it.
- Retract distally.
It's nice to take care of unfinished
business before the holidays.
- Pardon?
- To have a vacation with no worries.
Allison has a few left, I'd say.
You know, worries.
- Kerry, can we talk privately?
- Not now.
- It's important.
- It'll wait.
It can't wait.
I'll be right back.
I left my meds at home,
and I'm on a strict regimen.
- What do you need?
- You handle the ER needle sticks.
I thought you could dispense a dose
of my triple cocktail.
Of course.
- I meant, what's your Crixivan dose?
- Eight hundred milligrams.
- That's of TC, AZT?
- That's right.
Thank you.
What do we tell them?
What we would've had to
tell them anyway.
Just follow my lead.
Well, how is he?
Your brother had a massive
heart att*ck...
...that produced a rhythm
that was incompatible with life.
We applied every lifesaving measure
at our disposal...
...but were unsuccessful.
No.
I'm afraid he didn't make it.
No!
I'm sorry.
You should know that his last thoughts
were of you.
What did he say?
"I love you, Maria. "
Maria? I'm Angela.
Maria is Joey's wife.
- Maria?
- That bastard!
Mrs. Larkin, I'm gonna use a solvent
to get the rest of the tape off.
It may sting a little.
Nurse Hathaway's gonna ask
some questions.
They may be difficult to answer,
but they're important...
...in catching and prosecuting
whoever did this.
And in helping us treat you medically,
Mrs. Larkin.
Okay?
My name's Carol.
To your knowledge, did penetration
occur vaginally?
Yes.
By a penis?
Yes.
By anything else?
Any foreign object, Mrs. Larkin?
I don't know. Maybe.
Did ejaculation occur?
I don't think so.
It happened so fast.
He grabbed me from behind...
...and threw me on the floor.
Then he hit me.
He hit me and kicked me
again and again.
He broke my glasses.
- Did you see his face?
- I don't remember it.
Just the tape. And the...
Can you finish this, Carol?
Nurse Hathaway's going to collect
some samples.
If she needs a sedative,
Valium, five milligrams, PO.
Hey, Peter?
Guess what? I was curious about
your miracle, so I looked him up.
Bart Pariotte. He was in last year.
The chart says he's blind.
- Are you sure?
- Take a look for yourself.
Nothing indicates he was faking it?
No. He came in with a minor leg lac
that he got falling out of a dumpster.
Doesn't look like they did
a visual acuity test.
I wonder what's his angle.
Who knows? The Lord works
in mysterious ways.
- Are you Dr. Benton?
- Yeah.
Tommy Gruger.
I'm a friend of Bart's.
I saw him playing with his dog.
He can see. He says you did it.
I'm sorry. He's mistaken.
Please, help me.
I want to walk again.
Why won't you cure me?
I'll believe whatever you say.
I'm sorry.
There's nothing to believe.
I'm gonna take your picture now, okay?
Broken nose, fractured ankle,
multiple lacerations and contusions.
Duct tape used on her mouth.
Vaginal penetration,
possible foreign object.
- Anything else?
- Yeah.
Yeah, they wrote on her.
The word "whore"
in black Magic Marker.
- Does that suggest something?
- Maybe.
Do the injuries seem consistent
with her story?
You think she might have made this up?
A victim isn't always accurate.
It's hard to take notes
while being bludgeoned.
Give her a break.
She's been through a lot.
Okay. We'll take care if it. Thanks.
No problem.
- Your taxi's waiting.
- Great.
Was Allison Beaumont moved
from Recovery?
- She's just coming out of anesthesia.
- No, not this one. She's in a coma.
I don't think so.
Tell the cab to wait.
Allison, can you hear me?
Don't try to speak. Just squeeze
my hand if you hear me.
I'm Dr. Elizabeth Corday.
Do you know where you are?
You're in hospital.
You were involved in a very serious
automobile accident days ago.
Do you understand?
Are you in any pain?
What is it?
MOM?
I'm afraid she didn't survive.
Your mom d*ed.
I'm sorry.
Hey, what's that?
Hey. Oh, nothing.
This guy dropped this off for you.
I think it's more lawyer stuff.
Don't worry. It's good news.
What is it? Is that for me?
No. Mark, don't.
- No.
- Come on.
What'd you get-?
- Who's the heavy a*tillery for?
- A friend of mine. Her son.
I wish they had this stuff
when I was a kid.
Mark, I finished
Mrs. Larkin's r*pe form.
Did you want to review it
before I gave it to the cops?
- I'll give her a minute, then see her.
- All right.
That was a lie. This is for my son.
He's .
You have a son?
Yeah. I haven't seen him
since he was .
But I talked to him on the phone
a few times.
- You've never said anything.
- I know. I'm sorry.
It's really complicated.
His father and I broke up
when he was born.
I wasn't really together back then.
So I decided to let Joe's parents
take care of him.
He lives in a trailer park
right outside Kankakee.
I'll seal the r*pe kit now.
All right?
Yeah, sure.
I know that this is the best thing
for Jason.
Although I miss him, you know?
Sure. I can only imagine.
But at least this year for Christmas
I can send him some nice things.
- Sure.
- Yeah.
What kind of sicko
would r*pe an old lady?
I can't count the times I've
done this. It never gets any easier.
I'd worry if it did.
Would you work for me tomorrow?
You'd get time and a half.
Sorry, I'm going skiing with Alex.
Just the slopes, snow
and a hot tub for two.
Sounds great.
Carol, some old lady
with Santa Claus is looking for you.
She's early.
I'm sorry. As policy,
I don't give to panhandlers.
I recommend the Lakeshore Shelter
at Oth and Wacker.
Two bucks.
- Give it a rest.
- Up yours, Santa.
Wait over there.
Someone'll be with you.
I don't want someone.
I want the miracle man.
I'm so sorry about this.
Thank you so much for coming.
My pleasure.
This is another of my grandsons,
Chase, John's cousin.
Hi. Carol Hathaway.
Do you smell smoke?
Oh, my God! Cynthia,
get the fire extinguisher!
- Hey, look out!
- Quick!
- Do you know how to use it?
- Yes.
Nice job!
It's been a little crazy
around here today.
Oh, man!
All the lights need to come down.
They're too old.
Even Rudolph? I just bought him.
Rudolph can stay.
- Carol, we need to talk.
- In a minute.
So this is where the clinic patients
wait before they're seen.
Yeah, I've been here over an hour.
We're still working out a few kinks.
Sharing space with the ER is...
...it's confusing.
- Merry Christmas, Gamma!
- Merry Christmas.
- I was giving her the tour.
- Great. Where's Gramps?
He overdid it playing squash at the
club. Thought it best to stay home.
Bad enough to keep him
out of the Santa suit.
We have an excellent substitute.
- Yes.
- Hi, Scooter.
Very sharp. Is this the new and
improved? Changing of the guard?
- I sure hope not.
- Chase is executive heir apparent.
We can't all be doctors.
Would you like to see an exam room?
- Hey, Nat. How's it going?
- Just fine, Dr. Benton. How are you?
Can't complain.
Having a little trouble?
Yeah. She's years old.
Bound to die on me sometimes.
How's your baby?
Loud. Actually, I'm looking forward
to his first Christmas.
Soon you'll be begging him to
come home.
Enjoy him while he still wants to hang
with his old man.
I'll do that. Merry Christmas, Nat.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, look at that! She's working!
- Hey, Mark.
- Hi.
- You know if we have any decaf?
- Decaf? What's the point?
Carter's grandmother's asking for it.
Listen, did you catch that?
What Cynthia said?
- What?
- She has a kid.
Five-year-old boy. Yeah.
Living with her ex-boyfriend's
parents.
- Is this the first you've heard of it?
- Bad sign?
You're asking me?
Doug warned me not to get involved.
If she's expecting something of you
you're not willing to give...
...you're not helping
by dragging it out.
I'm not dragging anything out.
Cynthia's great.
I thought you were flying home.
I postponed to the red-eye.
Allison Beaumont came out of her coma.
What's the prognosis?
Neurologically she looks good.
We did the fibular transfer
on her leg this morning.
Congratulations. Good work.
Part of me wants to run in there
and confess.
Tell her my enthusiasm
for the procedure...
...put her in a coma in a first place.
Look, you saved her leg.
She's out of danger and better off.
That's it, isn't it?
Purging my guilt will help me
to feel better.
It certainly won't help her.
Bad things happen to people.
But you did your job.
Merry Christmas.
Do you know what happened?
A guy jumped her at her door.
It wasn't a secure building.
You have any leads?
She wasn't much help.
It's still a blur.
Does the writing make it personal?
- Look, Dr...?
- Greene.
We can't discuss an investigation.
But we appreciate your concern.
We'll handle it from here, okay?
Sure, you will.
What, did she liquidate a toy store?
You know Gamma Mill never comes
empty-handed.
- Who are you handing these to?
- Who cares?
- As long as it makes her feel good.
- We could try Pediatrics.
So did Gramps really overdo it or does
he just have an aversion to hospitals?
All men over have an aversion to
hospitals. Don't take it personally.
No, it's a relief.
I don't have to defend
my wasted life in medicine.
Don't think Gamma will report back?
It's a stay of execution, then.
Probably just wants to wait
and get me on his home turf.
He still thinks you're a surgeon.
- Yeah, I'm a coward.
- You're braver than I am.
John, this Mel Sauderback,
headache, fever, malaise.
He needs a spinal tap to
rule out meningitis.
Thought I might do it.
- He has diarrhea?
- Oh, yeah.
It's the stomach flu, Henry.
Honestly, continuity of care
is hard to measure.
Sometimes you're part caregiver,
part social worker...
...even part parent sometimes.
Jeanie?
I'd like you to meet Millicent Carter.
I'm Jeanie Boulet.
Jeanie's a physician assistant
helping out in the clinic.
Can we scrub the writing
off Mrs. Larkin?
- I'll be right there.
- Don't let me keep you.
Jeanie, could Mrs. Carter follow you
while you see patients?
- Sure.
- Only if they're comfortable.
- No problem.
- Great. Thank you.
PCO- , pH . .
All good news.
How would you like to take that tube
out of your throat?
I thought you might.
All right.
When I tell you, I want you to take
a deep breath in...
...and blow out hard
as I pull out the tube.
Can you do that for me?
Okay.
Breathe in...
...and blow.
Great. Great. That's better.
No, don't try to speak.
Tube's been in for over a week.
Your throat needs to adjust.
Let me get you some ice chips.
Can you ring the head neck surgeon
on call, please?
Is it an emergency?
It's Christmas Eve.
Just do it, okay?
- Gina, have you been tested for HIV?
- No.
You should.
The boys are all in high school.
They don't have AIDS.
That's not true. With your history
of chlamydia, you're at greater risk.
- I gotta get home.
- I can draw some blood.
No. I'm cool.
Gina, look, if you are HIV-positive
and you decide to have this child...
...you'll want to protect it
against infection.
dr*gs will help reduce the chances
of passing the virus to your baby.
Look, I don't have AIDS. I don't
sleep with gay guys or druggies.
Neither did I.
- You have AIDS?
- I'm HIV-positive.
How long will the test take?
- Chuny, someone page me for a consult?
- Not that I know of.
Oh, no.
He wouldn't calm down
until I called you.
- What?
- You won't believe this.
He's blind again.
No nystagmus with opticokinetic drum.
Is that him? Is that Dr. Benton?
- What's his name again?
- Bart.
I can't see no more, doc.
You have to touch me again.
Look straight ahead, Bart.
You have to touch me, doc. Please?
Do like you done before. Touch me.
Okay.
Try again.
Okay, let's get him up for a CT.
One more time, doc!
Try it again, please! One more time.
I'll dress this. An orthopedist
will look at your ankle...
...and we'll admit you
for observation.
They'll be so disappointed.
I'm sorry?
I play the organ at church.
They always have an organ
for Christmas Mass.
I'm sure they'll understand.
Probably too late
to find a substitute.
You have to stop worrying about Mass.
You've been through something
horrible.
- I don't want to talk about that.
- You don't have to.
It's so hard.
I'm so angry.
I hate him, whoever he is.
There's nothing wrong with that.
I can't be like that.
I have to forgive.
You don't have to forgive anybody.
He did this. Not you.
Hating him...
...won't make this go away.
I'm afraid nothing'll make it go away.
Can you cover my last half-hour?
I gotta do something.
- What is it?
- I covered for you this morning.
And you have that attending
from Synergix to help.
- Sure. I'd be happy to.
- Okay.
- Merry Christmas.
- Yeah. Merry Christmas.
Hey, you leaving?
I gotta do this thing.
Can you take the El home?
To your home, right?
I don't know. I'm gonna have to
call you later, okay?
Okay.
I'm sorry I've been so busy.
Did you see anything interesting?
It's been a very enlightening
experience.
- Anything else you'd like to see?
- I've seen everything I needed to.
- May I use your phone?
- Yes, of course.
There's a potluck dinner
if you'd like to stay.
No, thank you.
- Is she upset?
- I'm not sure.
Oh, John. I'm ready to leave.
Where's your cousin?
Maybe he's still handing out gifts.
- Talking about Santa?
- Yeah.
He went out for some fresh air.
Santa, you in there?
- What is this?
- It's nothing.
- Nothing?
- Shut the door.
Are you crazy?
What do you think you're doing?
It's a little stocking stuffer.
This isn't funny.
- How long you been doing this?
- John, just chill out.
I'm not an addict.
I just do it when I'm bored, okay?
I cannot believe how stupid I was!
A spider bite.
That was from skin popping.
You lied to me?
- Can you blame me?
- Come on, you're smarter than this.
I got it under control.
So does every street junkie
coming through here.
I am not a street junkie.
And I buy pure stuff.
You know, I don't care how pure it is.
Thank you for the medical advice,
doctor.
But I'd prefer it
if you were just my cousin.
Taken to hiding out in cars,
have we?
Filling in for Grandfather doesn't
entitle you to his bad habits.
I had some work I had to do.
Or his excuses.
Something the matter?
No. I had better get back.
Come early tonight.
Your grandfather wants to talk to you.
I'll try.
That is one nasty-looking
craniopharyngioma.
Right here, compressing against
the optic chiasm.
That explains the blindness.
From its size,
it's been growing for years.
How do you account
for temporary sight?
- Sometimes the mind plays tricks.
- Head trauma could've caused it?
Or maybe it triggered
some visual memory.
No, he could see. Trust me.
I was there. I saw it.
I don't know what to tell you.
From the evidence in front of me...
...there's no way he's seen anything
for five or six years.
Lizzie? I thought you'd be
over the Atlantic.
Slight change of plans.
Did I make you miss your flight?
No, I just decided on spending
Christmas in Chicago after all.
Awesome.
I'm on my way to a party.
A friend is renting out the entire
top floor of the Prudential Building.
You want to come along?
Thank you, but no. I'm waiting
on a head-and-neck consult.
The Beaumont girl.
Yes. I'm afraid her vocal cords
might be paralyzed.
Well, don't hold your breath,
on the consult, that is.
He's probably on his way to a party
somewhere himself.
Just the same.
Maybe New Year's Eve.
Lovely.
Three things to say: Gladys Knight,
Atlantic City, fourth row.
What do you want?
My friend has tickets for New Year's.
You gotta get someone to cover for me.
What're you doing tomorrow?
- Is there a Carol Hathaway?
- I'm her.
Holiday Design. Delivery for you.
- Where is it?
- Outside.
- Bring it in.
- It won't fit.
- That's a tree!
- Gorgeous.
I can't believe they got it
in here.
- Sign here.
- Thank you so much.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas to you too.
Who is this from?
"Happy Holidays from
the Carter Family Foundation. "
- Oh, my God!
- What?
- It's a check.
- A hundred and fifty grand!
- Oh, my God!
- I guess she liked it here!
Hi, I'm Mark Greene.
I'm the doctor-
I know who you are.
Yes.
I'm very sorry for your loss.
It's Christmas Eve, Dr. Greene.
I know.
What the hell you doing here?
- I came to apologize.
- I thought you was above all that.
- Your uptown lawyer, he blew us off.
- He was wrong.
I was wrong.
I can't tell you if my assumption about
your brother was racism or experience.
Probably both.
I can tell you that I used you.
It wasn't you.
No. Feel better now?
Maybe.
Can't front though.
I was glad when I heard
you got b*at down.
I wanted you to hurt.
But whether you get messed up
or we get a million dollars...
...my brother's still dead.
Some punk dealer sh*t him.
And there's no meaning in that.
I'm sorry.
Dr. Benton?
Yeah. How'd you know?
Your shoes squeak.
You've come to give me the bad news?
You have a very large brain tumor.
It's what caused the blindness.
It's operable, but because
of the place and size...
...it's difficult to completely
remove.
However, with a little radiation,
there is...
...a good chance of survival.
So I'll be able to see again?
Well, once the tumor is extracted,
it's possible...
...but highly unlikely.
It was highly unlikely I'd see today.
Medically, that was impossible.
I spent all afternoon in the park,
you know?
Just watching.
Santos playing in the snow...
...and steam coming up
off the water...
...and the way snow falls
lightly on the trees.
It's beautiful, isn't it?
Yeah. I guess so.
Trust me...
...it's beautiful.
- Hello.
- Hey! Good day?
It ended good.
Guess who got tomorrow off?
- Flexed a little muscle?
- I had to give up New Year's.
But it's worth it.
Oh, no.
What?
I volunteered to work
for Anna tomorrow.
She's an intern.
I just thought maybe we'd
spend more time together.
- You didn't!
- No, I didn't. That's a lie.
- Romantic though, wasn't it?
- Well, yeah.
You're looking at what?
Come here.
Can I have your attention, everybody?
Can I have your attention, please?
I have an announcement to make.
Turn down that music.
Okay. I've kept this a secret
far too long.
Doug Ross and I are
seeing each other again.
Yeah?
- And we're very happy.
- Okay, pay up, pay up.
I was a week too late.
I thought New Year's.
I'm surprised they kept it
a secret this long.
- You knew?
- Please, it was obvious.
- I didn't know.
- Me either.
Maybe something that you guys
didn't know is that...
...we've been seeing each other
for a little while now, again...
...and I think it would be great
if she were to marry me.
Help me talk her into it.
To Carol and Doug.
Get it right this time.
Congratulations!
Yeah, hear, hear!
- You always have to outdo me.
- I had the opportunity and I took it.
- Congratulations, I'm happy for you.
- Thank you.
Let's move this party outside.
- You gonna stay till I get off work?
- Hell, no.
Meet me at the airport
or I'll take you myself.
I didn't pack my bathing suit.
Don't worry. I know a private beach.
- Merry Christmas, Kerry.
- Yeah. You too.
- So you got plans tonight?
- Yeah, I plan to be alone.
You want some company?
Don't you have a family obligation?
I've had enough family for one day.
John?
Listen, I got the blood gas
on the asthmatic in .
Only took me two sticks.
Put it on ice
and run it up to the lab.
- Okay.
- Hey, Henry!
- Merry Christmas.
- John, I didn't get you anything.
It's your evaluation.
Congratulations!
You just passed Emergency Medicine.
I don't know what to say.
Do me a favor?
Stick to brain research.
I promise.
I will. Thank you, John.
Thank you.
- Okay.
- Okay. Thank you.
- Thank you.
- Henry.
- Okay.
- Okay.
- Good night.
- Good night.