ER s01e14 Episode Script

-Good morning.
-l wouldn't go that far.
You can't be crabby.
You were off yesterday.
-Morgenstern called about Vennerbeck.
-That Ml that crumped? Kayson claims l presented the case incompetently.
Morgenstern wants me in his office in an hour.
l wanna throw up.
Kayson's just trying to cover his ass.
Morgenstern knows that.
Maybe l'll get lucky and Kayson'll fall in front-- lx-nay on the Ayson-kay.
-Good morning, Dr.
Greene.
-Morning.
-You seen Carter? -Took a DB to 4.
-Pathology's backed up.
-Yeah, what else is new? Oh, sorry! Excuse me.
Dr.
Benton? Carter.
Carter! What are you doing? -Sleeping.
-Sleep when l tell you.
Get up.
l got a new student for you to break in.
Come here.
-What's your name? -Deb.
This is Carter, he'll show you around.
She's all yours.
-Dr.
Benton, you're not going-- -Yes, l am.
And no, you can't.
l've got wall-to-wall surgeries.
The last thing l need is to babysit you.
ls he really dead? Five bucks gets you Super Lotto and lnsta-pick.
-Timmy? -Pass.
-Carol? -Oh, why not? Morning, gang.
Timmy, what do we got? Our specials for today are: Suicidal junkie in 4.
-Going once.
-l'll take it.
l could use a little cheering up.
Hamster vs.
finger in the Suture Room.
Ross took it.
HlV-positive kid with a busted tooth in one.
Lots of blood.
What's an LL owie? Scissors in the left leg.
A medical term.
-Ubaldo's back, stinky as ever.
-Oh, man! He's drunk, possible seizure.
Double-glove time.
So is this the perp? His name is Royden B.
l thought you'd want to check him for rabies.
The only way that Royden B.
could have rabies is if he's been bitten by a wild animal.
Given his lifestyle, that's unlikely.
That finger's infected, probably because Lucy's been sucking on it.
We'll clean it, give her antibiotics, and your daughter'll be fine.
Niece.
Niece, sorry.
There was a family resemblance.
You go to the Fifth Street Gym? No.
l've never been.
My mistake but you work out.
l can tell.
Excuse me.
Well, you know, l play a little basketball now and then.
-Bulls fan? -Yeah.
l'm a Bulls fan.
l have a friend who can get tickets.
Courtside.
That is, if you're interested.
l have tickets, so maybe l'll see you there.
Care for a drink? After you.
-You get away for the weekend? -Yeah.
Tag and l rented a cottage in Door County on the lake.
-Went ice fishing.
-That was the highlight? The one l can tell you about.
Have you set a date yet? Why does everyone keep asking that? What's the big rush? Sorry l asked.
lt's just, l feel like l'd finally gotten my life in order and now it's all shaken up again.
You having doubts? Well, it's a big step.
lt's natural to have some doubts, right? Maybe it's the forever part.
lt's like infinity, it's hard to get a handle-- What? Bye-bye.
That was more than an invitation to basketball.
l know.
l've been invited to basketball games.
-So what? -So l want an explanation.
Mark, grow up.
Does this mean you and Linda are serious? Serious? Our longest phone conversation is ''Get over here.
'' Yeah.
So what happened in there? -l've been summoned.
-Don't worry.
lt'll be fine.
l'm just curious how you can turn down guaranteed sex with an undeniably attractive woman.
lf that's all there is, l'd rather play tennis.
This is very disappointing coming from you.
Nine times l've been stuck.
Never even caught the flu.
-l've been lucky so far.
-This makes 5 for me.
lsn't the chance of getting HlV from a needle-stick 1 in 1 00? One out of 250 if the patient's infected.
When Ubaldo wakes up, l'll try and consent him so we can test him.
-l'll get his T cell count regardless.
-Thanks, Lydia.
lt says here to be safe you shouldn't have unprotected sex until after the follow-up in six months.
Thanks, Wendy.
l'm Dr.
Greene.
-Serena, U.
S.
Customs.
-We're going this way.
-What's the problem? -Picked him up at O'Hare.
He's a body packer.
He's got cocaine in his belly wrapped in condoms.
Here, sit right here.
-What's your name? -Jorge.
He doesn't speak English.
He's been retaining the evidence for 8 days.
Eight days? Sounds like one for the Guinness Book of Records.
Can't blame him for trying.
He's facing 20 years.
No obvious signs of toxicity.
The condoms must still be intact.
lf you can give him a laxative, it'd make my job easier.
l can't give him any medication without his consent.
Borrow a pen? We'll work him up, x-ray him hope that nature takes its course before a condom breaks.
Where'd you learn Spanish? Here.
We work Benton's hours, sleep when he sleeps.
Never.
We've been on call since yesterday.
This is an lV cart.
Most patients get an lV when they come in.
Angiocath 1 6 needle if they're bleeding.
You can start an lV? -Yeah.
Actually, no.
-l thought you were third year.
A body packer in four.
Work him up.
KUB, drug screen, urinalysis.
Ever do a urinalysis? Carter, do a rectal.
This is your lucky day.
-What do we got? -Respiratory distress.
-He crashed.
-From bradycardic at 35 to flatline.
Temp's 1 04.
Blood cultures sent.
Septic shock.
Give him an amp of epi, a mig of atropine 1 .
5 of each Erythro and cefotaxime.
-What's going on? -You his father? -Yes.
-We're stimulating his heart.
Epi and atropine on board.
-Any heart sounds? -Negative.
Piggyback an lsuprel drip.
This ever happen before? Once, when he had pneumonia.
-Cerebral palsy? -Brain damage.
-Got a pulse.
-All right, heart's back.
-He's in V-tach.
-What the hell? Hold the lsuprel now, and give him lidocaine.
Fifty milligrams, lV push.
-What's happening? -His heart is racing.
-Why? -l don't know.
Let's get the 1 2-lead in there and see what's going on.
Move that.
Move it.
Draw petrillian.
l told Kayson this kind of finger-pointing runs contrary to the spirit of a teaching hospital.
-Juice? -No, thank you.
He failed to see my point.
He's bringing disciplinary charges.
What does that mean, exactly? You'll come before the committee, defend yourself.
We'll make a determination and take steps accordingly.
Dr.
Morgenstern, l tried to present Mr.
Vennerbeck's history.
Dr.
Kayson cut me off and released him.
The specifics don't concern me nearly as much as your inability to assert yourself.
Excuse me? You allowed Kayson to intimidate you.
Not the first time.
l recall a similar incident with Benton about an appendix.
l was right about that.
But you deferred to Benton's judgment.
You lack the authority to put forward your own opinions.
To act as an aggressive advocate for your patients.
l guess l have to work on that.
Yes, you do.
Confidence.
Composure under pressure.
Assertiveness.
These are the requisite qualities of a good ER specialist.
l'll give you the chance to develop them.
lf you don't, we'll have a discussion about which specialty might best match your temperament.
Peaked T waves, unstable rhythm.
Gotta be potassium, right? -His lytes back? -Not yet.
Can't wait.
Give him calcium gluconate 1 5 mils.
-lt could kill him.
-Just do it.
-Asystole.
-All right, repeat epi and atropine.
-Doctor? -Your son's potassium is too high.
Probably from renal failure.
We'll try to bring it down.
l got a pulse.
Weak, but it's there.
-BP 35 palp.
-l'll take it.
Lytes are back.
Potassium's high, 7.
5.
We're on the right track.
Stand by with glucose and insulin.
ls he gonna live? Looks like he'll make it.
l heard you got stuck again.
What is it, number four? -Count them.
-Five.
Wow! l've only got three.
Put me down for emptying the sharps containers.
l need to catch up.
Don't tempt the Fates.
-You and Tag set a date yet? -Not yet.
How'd it go? How'd it go? Well, it's hard to describe.
Timmy, where's Petrofsky's chart? Why? What happened? lf l told you right now, l think l'd lose it.
Go down to Exam Two.
-You live at the Marymount Home? -For the emotionally disabled.
That's what society has labeled me.
-What's open? -Trauma.
Everything else is full.
When did the shortness of breath start? A month ago.
But this week it got worse.
Are you on medication? Yes.
This is my medical binder.
l've kept it since l was 1 4.
Medications are in orange.
Actually, it'd be more pumpkin.
And you take lithium, Depakote and Synthroid.
Yes.
l've taken these.
My allergy section.
These pages are mauve.
Vaccinations are gray.
Doctors' names and numbers are plum and past medical records are in various shades of red from vermillion to puce.
Very colorful.
Thank you.
-And you're dressed all in blue.
-Yes.
lt's Monday.
Come on in, Alan.
l can't.
-Why not? -lt's green.
ls that bad? Very.
He asleep? Yeah.
l went and got a few of his things.
Ben's pretty sick.
He's got pneumonia which caused his heart problems earlier.
l hope the antibiotics will help.
Last time they put him on a ventilator.
We may do that if his blood gases don't improve.
-When will you know? -We'll check in an hour or so.
He likes rhythm.
Before the accident, he was taking trumpet lessons.
He used the metronome to practice.
l don't think he remembers.
Kid had a hell of a bat.
Now if that picture isn't there when he wakes up, he gets this look.
What happened? He's on his bike, an 85-year-old man waves Ben across the street then gets confused between the brake and the accelerator.
Look l got a job interview.
You got kids? l have a son.
-How old? -He's eight.
That's a nice age.
Okay, Deb.
As we say around here quite often, ''Glove up and dig in.
'' Carter, isn't that your job? Deb's gotta learn.
Exactly what do l look for? Obstructions, masses, anything out of the ordinary.
But l don't have anything to compare it to.
You will soon.
Mr.
Jorge, could you turn on your side, please? Thank you.
l'm sorry.
Everything okay? Well, he seems a little tense.
Show him who's boss.
Sorry.
Santa Maria! How's it going in there? l'm stuck.
-Deb? -Yes? Did you use any lubricant? Was l supposed to? Breathe.
Fever's 1 01 .
Have your doctors told you you have a heart murmur? l don't think so.
l could check my book, though.
Have you had a cough lately? Yes.
Loose cough, bringing up sputum? Yes.
What color? Sort of a sulphur yellow with saffron mixed in.
Kind of like these tiles here.
But more of a yellow-- These are more yellow-beige, l suppose.
Alan's into colors.
l see.
l want to run some tests, do a chest x-ray.
All right.
Did you have red hair as a child? l thought l saw a touch of russet in your hair.
lt was probably ketchup from lunch.
Zeidenberg's going to a lecture series in Detroit next week.
You want to cover for him? Sure.
You have to take over the scheduling, risk management, shift reports.
No problem.
lt'll be good training for when l'm chief surgical resident.
That's what l like about you, naked ambition tempered by arrogance.
You have an emergency call.
Your brother-in-law.
-l'm scrubbing in for surgery.
-He said your mother's missing.
Go.
l'll get Schneider to scrub in.
Peter, go.
lt's your mother.
Okay, l'll be back this afternoon in time for the pheo.
Hold on.
Dr.
Lewis, you took care of Miss Callahan, who went up to OB, right? Dr.
Bernardi, upstairs, for you.
Her chart still around? This is Dr.
Lewis.
Yeah.
We gave her magnesium sulfate, a six-gram bolus.
Right before we sent her to you.
Yeah, no problem.
Hey, Timmy.
Any idea why Mark signed this chart? -Where's Greene? -Exam Room 4.
There must be at least -Are they moving along? -Not really.
-How long is this gonna take? -You'll have to ask Jorge that.
Why are you cosigning my charts? Excuse me.
-My charts have your signature.
Why? -Morgenstern told me to.
You think you need to oversee my decisions? -No.
-You tell Morgenstern that? -He didn't ask my opinion.
-Why didn't you stand up for me? You seem to forget a patient died.
Your patient.
lt could've happened to any of us, but it happened to you.
And now there's a lawsuit and an inquiry.
And because l'm chief resident, it's my problem too.
So if Morgenstern wants me to cosign your charts, l'm gonna do it.
You knew what he was gonna say to me today, didn't you? -Yes.
-You talked about me.
l talk with Morgenstern about every resident.
-What'd you say? -That Kayson gives you a hard time.
And the way he rides you, it's no wonder this happened.
And when you go head-to-head with guys like Benton and Kayson you tend to back down.
Son of a bitch.
Hey, Ben.
How are you? l got it.
Dr.
Ross.
Hey, Wendy, look who's up.
O-2 sat's falling.
Get him on a ventilator.
You better look at this.
''Do not resuscitate''? His father did this? Wendy, give Mr.
Menkens l think you mean micrograms.
-That's what l said, isn't it? -No.
-Have Ubaldo's T cells come back? -No.
Lab's backed up.
Get this little smidge out of my face.
-What's wrong with him? -Who cares? -Carol, can you get a chart going? -Sure.
-What did you do? -Questioned her sexual orientation.
Well, that's rude.
-No malice intended.
-Did she do this? -Newsstand guy.
-What'd you say to him? Derogatory comments about his heritage.
Didn't take much.
-lnjuries anywhere else? -Think l've got a cracked rib.
Newsstand guy? Florist in Wicker Park, sensitive about his hairweave.
Malik, give me a hand.
Take him to the Suture Room.
What do you do? Go around insulting people until they hit you? l'm a sociologist at Chicago, specializing in violence.
l select a subject, ask two questions to probe for insecurities then l antagonize them until they assault me.
-Sounds dangerous.
-Tell me about it.
My insurance company charges me the same premiums as NASCAR drivers.
We'll move him to lntensive Care soon.
l see you made a decision.
Mr.
Gaither, Ben's blood gases are not good.
He's not getting enough oxygen.
lf he's not ventilated, he could die.
When? lt could be a matter of hours.
With the proper care he could live a long time.
Are you sure that you want to give up? l can't believe Mrs.
Lukey.
She's too senile to do the job.
Myatt's kid may have seen your mom down at the corner.
-She waited two hours to call us.
-Not us.
Me.
-She made me look like an idiot-- -Look, Peter.
l left a station full of cars that need service.
All because you had to hire some old woman to take care of your mom -instead of putting her in a home.
-She's not doing that.
-Like hell she isn't.
-Walt, don't tell me what to do.
l won't let you put us through this anymore.
l'm sorry if it makes you sad, but there's no choice.
She's my mother.
Who are you to tell me-- l paid for her food, her clothes and her care for the last six years.
She lets you live in her house.
Who pays the damn mortgage? Who pays the bills? You don't get anything out of it? How many high-school dropouts do you know have a $ 1 00,000 business just dropped in their laps? High-school dropout? l cared for your family for six years.
l carried your family for six years.
l'm responsible for your mother, your sister, the house and the station.
The only one that Peter is responsible for is Peter.
l'm gonna look by the firehouse.
Okay, Mr.
Desmond, l'm going to clean your abrasions.
We'll start with your wrist.
lt may sting a little.
-That's a big engagement ring.
-lsn't it? Kind of ostentatious, don't you think? No, l don't.
Can l ask you two questions? All right.
Excuse me.
-What does your fiancé do? -He's a doctor.
So, gonna be a doctor's wife.
When's the date? We haven't set one yet.
Why not? Your two questions are up.
What's the matter? Somebody can't commit? Based on the ring, l don't think it's him.
So what is it? Think you're too good for him? Scared of spending your life with someone who doesn't meet your standards? Got a high opinion of yourself, don't you? ''Sure, l'll marry you.
Just don't tie me down to a date.
'' That stings! -Really? -Yes, it does.
God! Twenty-one second PAl puts you in the top percentile on the hostility index.
-PAl is? -Provocation-to-assault interval.
You're good.
God, you're good.
John, what's this? lt's a laryngoscope.
No, no.
Second shelf from the top.
-Can you teach me how these work? -Some other time.
We need this crash cart in Four.
Body packer popped a condom.
Got it? Let's go.
-Give me some room, huh? -There you go.
-Try not to get in the way.
-Can't you pull out the coke? We gotta stabilize him first.
-He's having multifocal PVCs.
-Lidocaine 1 50, lV push.
He's in fib.
Paddles.
Oh, my God! -What was that set on? -200.
He should be okay.
Thank you.
Why don't you check on him, okay? Clear.
That's not good.
Let's go again.
Three hundred.
Clear.
Normal sinus.
Take him upstairs.
Notify the O.
R.
they got a laparotomy.
We gotta get these condoms out.
Don't worry, honey.
He just bumped his head.
Alan, the guy with the colors? His films came back.
Radiology had a bunch from a few years ago too.
Susan? l can stay in this room all day.
lt's warm, like flannel.
l wish l could wear it.
When you gave me your history, you didn't say you had cancer.
What's nice about this room is that it's not too bright.
When yellow's too bright, it's not welcoming.
Alan, you have a tumor in your chest encasing your heart and infiltrating your lungs.
On the other hand if yellow's too pale, it feels cold and clammy.
There are treatments: Chemotherapy, radiation.
Dr.
Lewis and l think you should see an oncologist.
l'll tell you one thing: Whoever made this room sure knew his yellow.
Could l be alone, please? Sure.
Ma? Ma, what are you doing up here? Who is that? -Peter? -Yeah, Ma, it's me.
Aren't you supposed to be in school? Ma, l work at a hospital, remember? l'm a doctor.
l know that.
Why do l feel l don't get a chance to see you? Well, because they keep us pretty busy.
But we see each other sometimes.
So serious.
l remember you sitting in that green chair by the window reading your books.
So serious.
You know, Ma with Jackie at work all day and the kids at school we worry about you being alone.
Oh, l don't like it that way either.
l like a full house.
Well, that's why we were thinking maybe you'd be happier in a place where, you know, there's.
Where there's other people your age, people that can take care of you.
l used to bring Jackie to take skating lessons right here.
And your father and l watched you in the Little League right on this field.
Remember? Yeah, l remember.
Your father's dead.
Yeah.
Yeah.
He's dead, Ma.
Peter l don't want to go into a nursing home.
All right.
lt's all right, Ma.
lt's all right.
Spin a crit, type and cross-match -Man, you gotta do something.
-Out of the way.
Out of the way! Stay here.
We're gonna take care of her.
-BP's 40 palp.
-Someone call a surgeon.
l see the entrance.
Who sees the exit? -Here, on her back.
-lt was a drive-by.
-She was a bystander.
-Her brother's a banger.
-Look at his clothes.
-What do we got? Gunshot to the chest.
Through and through.
She's hyperresonant.
Tracheal shift left.
-She needs a chest tube.
-l'll do it.
Heart sounds funky.
Get a cardiologist down here.
-Damn it.
Where's this coming from? -Pressure's crashing.
-She's taching.
-Bullet tumbled into the heart.
-Let's crack her, clamp the bleeder.
-Thoracotomy tray.
l'll do it.
-What's the problem? -We have a bleeder.
lt sounded like a murmur.
-Open her quick.
-Give her O-neg, wide open.
Damn it! l need suction.
l can't visualize the lungs.
-How about now? -l can't see the pleura.
Her cut's not deep enough.
Susan? Yes, it's deep enough.
l just can't see anything.
Calm down, you'll get it.
She's bleeding out.
-How long will you let her do this? -More suction.
-We're losing her! -She can't do it.
Damn it! l can't see! You try.
Scalpel.
Okay, l'm in.
l see the bleeder.
Pulmonary artery.
Clamp.
No, Stadinsky.
Got it.
Let's get her to O.
R.
Good job, Dr.
Greene.
Okay.
Let's go.
We've got a possible appendectomy in 6.
See who else is on.
l'm late for a pheo.
-You got his picture? -lt's there.
-The metronome? -lt's there.
-We can take it from here.
-lt's okay.
l'll take him up.
l didn't know you had a son.
Well, we're not exactly close.
What's his name? l don't know.
Never seen him.
Here we go.
Watch yourself.
-The DNR sticker's on there.
-Thanks.
Are we doing an anterior approach or excising laterally? Peter, there's no need to scrub in.
l asked Schneider to assist.
Hey, Peter.
How's it going? Did you take the Eisenhower in? Ever notice that piano showroom near Halsted? -l got my wife's harpsichord there.
-Wait.
You've been inside? They have a Steinway collection that'll knock your socks off.
When did you notice this place? -About two years.
-Two years ago? Where is he? We took Ben up to lntensive Care.
lntensive Care.
They're aware of your decision.
You okay? Yeah.
l just got offered a job managing a recycling plant in Detroit.
l gotta pick up and move.
Coming back, l just couldn't help thinking how much easier it would be if Ben were dead.
What kind of a man thinks like that? What kind of a father prays for his own boy to die? For two years, it's been just me and Ben.
Been no work.
No friends.
Nobody.
He needs me 24 hours a day to turn him and feed him and sing to him when he cries.
l love my boy.
l've given Ben two years.
Two years.
l just can't give anymore.
l need for this to end.
l need for this to end.
Dear God! Well, well.
Look who's back.
My head.
You took quite a fall.
But don't worry, Deb's been caring for you.
She worked you up real good.
''Blood pressure, 90 over 60.
Respiration.
'' ''Guaiac negative stool'' ! You gave me a rectal? Haleh thought it would be good practice.
Good practice? Good practice! Settle down.
She has to learn, doesn't she? Oh, Deb, another thing.
The proper term isn't ''average male genitalia.
'' -lt's ''normal male genitalia.
'' -What? Where does it say that? Oh, you guys are just kidding.
So you didn't.
You didn't.
Told you we'd get him.
Do you know where you are, Mr.
Parnell? ln the chump cellar.
Three knockout losses in a row.
Damn! And l had him against the ropes too.
l stepped into that cross.
Thought you might like some company, Mr.
Desmond.
This is Mr.
Parnell.
Hello.
What happened to you? Don't want to talk about it.
Can l ask you two questions? l should've warned you about Morgenstern.
And l should've been more up-front about the cosigning business.
l didn't know how to tell you.
No one could've done that thoracotomy under the circumstances.
With Kayson breathing down your neck, and the hearing next week-- Are you trying to make me feel better? l'm trying to apologize.
So you can feel better yourself? Some of us are going to Doc Magoo's after work.
lf you want to come.
Alan? My buddy Max moved out of the home last summer, got an apartment.
Been trying to get me to split the rent.
The problem is the bathroom.
Celadon green.
l asked him to re-tile.
Now l'm thinking ''What the hell?'' Sometimes you gotta take the plunge, you know? Well, you don't want to forget your book.
There's a section missing.
Guess which color.
Green.
-Lydia, you going to Magoo's? -ln a few minutes.
-Anyone seen Carol? -She's upstairs.
l'll let her know.
Try and see if you can get Susan to come.
What a day.
That answers your two questions! Lydia, somebody should probably check on Mr.
Desmond.
lt's soaked in 1 00-proof alcohol.
lt's totally sterile.
l'm not drinking anything with a worm in it.
-Who's got the tequila? -Give me your glass, Dr.
Ross.
Wait.
The curly fries are mine.
You have to sit at the counter with her.
Hey, l'm not kidding.
Sit at the counter.
They just announced the $40-million jackpot went to a dry cleaner in Winnetka.
Oh, man! And l was counting on that money too.
You didn't even kick in.
-You hear about Carter's electroshock? -Sorry l missed it.
Guess how many condoms this guy had in his belly.
-1 50? -1 85.
And he lived? Hey, B! l got your double burger, double cheese here.
Keep your lard-burgers to yourself.
Everybody, listen.
Carol has an announcement.
lt's no big deal.
Just keep May 1 8th open.
That's when Tag and l are getting married.
-Susan coming? -Couldn't find her.
-What's this? -Lotto ticket.
-How's your mother? -Fine.
How was your rectal? Hey, l won ten bucks! Great.
Pick up the check.
-What are the odds? -How can you tell? Just flip it over.
Let me get a fruit plate.
Let's see, ten-dollar win, one in 250.
Sounds familiar.
Don't think about it.
What are the odds you'll win $ 1 0 set a wedding date and get HlV on the same day? You got yogurt? A bran muffin? Hey, everyone, l want to propose a toast.
To Carol.
May your upcoming marriage bring you laughter and happiness and kids and most of all, love.
God knows you deserve all of those things.
Hear! Hear! Congratulations, girl.
To Carol! About time, Hathaway.
Where's the stripper? l had a May wedding.
What month did you divorce? Hey, B, looks like you put on some weight.
When you say that, smile, brother.
l think you're right, Timmy.
-Rudy and l also have an announcement.
-We got married last week.