-We are all connected.
Genetically, all humans are 99.9% identical.
Composed of the same elements.
Oxygen. Carbon. Hydrogen. Nitrogen.
Calcium. Phosphorus.
But society creates barriers that separate us.
Disconnect us.
Sometimes we fear those who are different.
Ignore them. Block them out.
Or simply look away.
What if we took a moment to stop?
Look? Listen?
Step outside of ourselves and into their shoes?
Perhaps we could find a way to connect.
Hey, there. Hi. Um...
My name is Oliver Wolf. Uh, I'm a doctor.
Are you okay? -Everyone's just walking around,
acting like everything's normal.
-I mean, I don't think that there is any standard way
of being or perceiving.
-Do you see it, too? -Uh, sure.
Just, um --
Just remind me one more time, exactly what are we seeing?
-The dragon.
This is Pete.
He is in the throes of an extremely vivid,
sustained hallucination of a dragon.
-Oh, cool.
I mean, not for him. Like, uh, medically speaking.
-We talking Pokemon dragon or Game of Thrones?
-Dragonite is so baby. I love him.
-I have no idea what any of that means,
but I would say whichever's scariest.
-Found his social. -Let me guess.
Frat boy from Fordham?
-Bingo. -How did you do that?
-We get one like him at least twice a week.
College kids gone wild in the big city.
Probably hit his head on a keg.
-And now he needs our help.
-Okay. We'll run labs and a UTox.
-Hey, hey. Where did he come from?
-I saved him.
From a dragon.
-Of course you did.
Okay, well, make sure he gets formally admitted.
You know, standard patient procedure.
You may have heard of it.
Chief wants to see us right away.
And do not make a dragon lady joke.
-Your words, not mine.
Ericka, take point on Pete. And not just labs.
I want to know exactly what he's seeing and why.
[ Knock on door ] -Ah.
I'm having trouble with one of my patients this morning.
Scheduled for a lap chole for chronic cholelithiasis.
-Why is the Chief Medical Officer removing gallbladders?
-Too many surgeries, not enough surgeons.
Anyway, as I was saying,
my patient has called off her surgery this morning
because she had a disturbing dream.
Woke up feeling that she was temporarily unable to move.
-Sleep paralysis, pre-operative anxiety?
-That's what I said. But she has gotten hysterical.
She's expressed that she doesn't feel listened to
or like she's being taken seriously.
And we all know how that can blow up
if she takes it to social media.
-So you called us here because you're concerned about optics?
-No. I need neuro and psych evaluations.
Make sure she's safe for surgery.
We're doing our due diligence.
-Yeah. Listening to her and taking her seriously
seems like a great place to start.
-We are on it, Chief.
-Thank you.
-Wait.
Your patient is Jessica Williams?
-Mm-hmm. -As in Jessie from the block?
-Yes. -Jessie from which block?
-The boogie-down Bronx, baby.
WNBA All-Star, all time assist leader,
and just all around good people.
She retired last year,
and now she coaches a local girls Varsity team.
She's a hometown hero.
My husband and daughter and I, we never miss a game.
-Oliver, may I have a word?
Carol, if you don't mind --
-I do not.
-[ Mouthing words ]
-Have a seat.
-Am I in trouble?
-I just wanted to reiterate
how happy I am that you're on the team.
There's no one who is more devoted to their patients
than you. And everyone in New York knows that.
-I'm sensing a "but."
-Well, where you get into trouble
is with the establishment. Your disregard for rules.
-Only when they get in the way of what's best for my patients.
-Yeah. Right.
So, this should help.
-Please tell me you did not write a memoir.
-It's a manual outlining the protocols for our hospital.
-Sounds riveting.
-Mugwump,
there aren't many hospitals left in this town
that are willing to take a risk on you.
I may very well be your last chance.
-Lucky me.
-[ Sighs ]
-Outside hospital records for the patient in Bed 4.
Thank you.
Good morning to you, too, Dr. Wolf.
[ Scoffs ]
**
[ Door shuts ]
-Are you the brain doctor?
They told me to come and see you.
-Jessie. Um...
Yeah, uh, you can call me Wolf. Or Oliver.
-Did they tell you I was crazy?
-I believe the word that they used was hysterical,
which, by the way, our generation knows
not to say anymore.
-Ever have one of those dreams
that feels so real, you can't shake it?
Haunts you the rest of the day? -All the time.
-This is 100 times worse.
I can still feel it in my body, like something is wrong.
-Can you describe the dream for me?
-I was in my bed.
But I was floating above,
looking down at myself.
And when I tried to move, I --
I-I couldn't.
I felt...disembodied.
-That is agate.
The youngest of its kind is almost 13 million years old.
That piece you're holding took thousands of years to form,
molecule by molecule, layer by layer.
-I'm so sorry. -No, no, no.
There's -- There's no need to apologize.
That's -- You know, it's just a silly rock
that happens to be exceedingly rare.
-Basketball players should be better with their hands.
I don't know why this is happening.
-You know, um, the mind doesn't produce a nightmare
without a reason, much like an agate can't form
without a preexisting rock.
Am I making any sense?
-Shockingly, yes.
-Good. I'd use a basketball analogy,
but I'm worried I'd "strike out."
Any, um, physical symptoms, Jessie?
-I'm a little shaky, obviously.
I don't know if that's physical or just in my head.
-Well, when we have a bad dream,
our logic brain, the prefrontal cortex,
goes offline. It becomes physical.
Heart rate rises. Breathing quickens.
-So you don't think it's just psychosomatic?
-No. What you're feeling is very real.
Now, it is my job to make sure it's nothing serious.
So let's just run some tests, and then my colleague
Dr. Pierce, uh, is gonna spend some time with you.
A warning -- She is a fan.
-[ Chuckles ] Thanks for the heads up.
-You're in good hands, Jessie. We are gonna take care of you.
-He has green, glowing scales.
These big, sharp, red talons.
And his eyes are like tiny, dim light staring right at me.
-Pete. Something like that?
-Damn, Jacob. That's pretty good.
-Wouldn't have pegged you as the artist of the group.
-Well, Dana, I am a man of many talents.
-Can one of those talents be checking Pete's UTox results?
-Already done. Lab's backed up, but Portia's rushing it for me.
-Who's Portia? -Don't worry about it.
-Pete, any of these look right?
-Pete, what's wrong?
Are you seeing one right now? Dragon?
-I think he's gonna hurl.
-[ Vomits ]
-Good catch. How's Pete? -Extremely hungover.
-Uh, give him a liter of LR. Add thiamine and folate.
I need two volunteers to help me with a workup on...Jessie.
Uh, you two, let's go.
**
-Why am I always stuck babysitting bros
who O.D. on shrooms and binge "House of the Dragon"?
-You're describing me. Every Sunday.
-Find anything?
-Uh, these labs are all in the black,
but I want to give this thing time to declare itself.
We need to keep an eye on her. -Too late.
She's going in for surgery. Said she was feeling better,
said she wanted to get it over with and get out of here.
Signed her paperwork and my ball.
-Well, that must be nice, to have a collectible.
Jessie broke my agate.
-Your what? You know what? I don't even --
How did things go with your mom?
-Oh, um, she gave me homework.
-[ Chuckles ]
-Really? I'm so glad you find this funny, Carol.
I am having a really hard time working here
at this hospital with her. It's like...
being a kid again, and not in a fun way.
-Wolf, you knew this would be hard.
Look. I've had a front row seat to your mommy issues for years.
You two need to figure this thing out.
-You are right. She can go first.
Jessie said she feels disembodied.
Don't you think that's such an odd word choice? So specific.
-Well, her psych eval came back benign.
Jessie did say that talking to you made her feel better.
It's not surprising.
You've always had a way with your patients.
Whatever it is you're doing with them,
you should try it with your mom.
-Is this her signature? -Think so.
She filled out her consent with the surgical resident.
-No, it's completely different.
Look. It -- It looks like it was signed
by somebody with a different hand.
Perhaps by somebody who feels disembodied.
When did she sign this basketball?
-About 2 1/2 hours ago. -And the consent form?
-Less than 30 minutes later. You think she's declining?
-Yes. And fast.
-You are not listening to me. -Ma'am, I need you to relax.
-I-I said I don't want to do this.
-You will feel so much calmer when the anesthesia kicks in.
-I'm not -- How are you gonna -- -Stop! Hey.
-Jessie, what's going on?
-I was laying here getting ready for surgery,
and something changed.
My body, it's like I'm not in it.
-You mean like your nightmare?
-It's coming true.
**
-Jessie consented to the surgery.
What made you intervene?
-She changed her mind. -Again?
-Jessie expressed that her body doesn't feel like it's hers.
To proceed with the operation
could cause irreparable psychological damage,
let alone the physical harm
that could come from operating on someone
with a progressive and still undiagnosed condition.
-What have you found? -Look. Here.
Same signature, less than two hours apart.
That shows a significant decline in fine motor functioning.
-Underlying causes? -We don't know yet.
We'll get her straight to the MRI,
rule out stroke, tumor, other abnormalities,
and bring you back something more conclusive.
-Let's figure this out. Quickly, before it escalates.
Oliver, try not to get too attached.
We both know it hasn't served you well in the past.
-I do not get too attached.
[ School bell rings ]
-Nice of you to grace us with your presence, Oliver.
Take the seat next to Benedict.
Today, Oliver.
-That's not Benedict. [ Classmates chuckling ]
-Perhaps if you spent a little less time
with your head in the clouds,
you'd know your classmates' names by now.
[ Classmates chuckling ]
-What's wrong with him?
-Let's continue. Open your jars.
Place the cotton ball inside
to euthanize the specimen.
[ Frogs croaking ]
-Hey, little buddy.
-Oliver?
Oliver, where do you think you're going?
-So, is this an official medical examination?
-I guess you could say so.
Your brain MRI was normal, but something's going on.
I wanted to observe you in your element.
What position did you play?
-Point guard. I ran the offense, called out the plays,
made sure we all worked together as a single unit.
A great team moves as a single body.
Now that's what I'm trying to teach my girls.
I'm guessing you don't play? -Basketball? No.
[ Laughs ] Team sports in general,
not really my thing. PTSD from being the gay kid
who always got picked last in gym class.
-Mm.
-What is it? -I just --
It doesn't feel right. -In what way?
-It's like I'm outside my body,
like I'm watching a video of myself,
but I can't control it.
-Have you ever felt this before? -In my dream,
and then when they were prepping me for surgery.
It felt like my body is...
dead, or not mine.
**
-It's okay, Jessie.
We're gonna keep running tests until we figure this out.
[ Siren wails in distance ] -Dr. Pierce.
You know the patient that Dr. Wolf brought in? Pete?
-Uh, the one he saved from the monster?
-Dragon. I-If we're splitting hairs.
Uh, well, we ran additional tests,
and he's positive for LSD, but he's still seeing dragons
24 hours after his last dose. And Dana said
that acid typically doesn't last that long,
so my gut tells me it might be a psychotic break.
Thanks, Dr. Pierce.
-Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, not so fast.
-It's a drug-induced hallucination,
possibly tipping off his first episode of psychosis.
Doesn't that fall under psych? -We don't know yet.
And Pete's your patient, so you can't just skip off
and join Wolf on his mystery disembodied case just yet.
Come on. You're coming with me.
So, Pete, have you ever been diagnosed
with a mental health disorder? -No.
-Any family history? -Not that I know of,
unless you count Grandpa George telling his entire golf club
he had syphilis. The man's a nut, but he can still get it.
-[ Chuckles ] Okay. Got it.
So, tell me about this dragon I've been hearing about.
Do you see it right now? -Yeah.
But when I was tripping, it felt so intense.
-And now? -I still see it, but...
I know it's not really there.
It's not real. -Got it.
I'm just gonna speak with Dr. Kinney for a moment.
He's aware that the dragon is a hallucination.
A psychotic break is fundamentally characterized
by a loss of contact with reality.
If he can distinguish between what's real and what isn't...
-Then he's still in touch with reality.
-Which means...
-This is a neuro case.
-Have fun, Doctor.
-My sister's team has playoffs next week.
The girls are asking if she's gonna be okay.
-You tell them we are doing everything we can
to get her back to them ASAP.
How you feeling, Jessie?
-Well, I don't love the sound of a spinal tap,
but if it gives us a medical explanation for my air ball,
I'm all for it. [ Both chuckle ]
-Dr. Markus is gonna collect a sample
of cerebral spinal fluid.
The results will let us know
if you have an infection or inflammation
that's causing your symptoms.
-Uh, would you mind
leaning forward just a little? Thank you.
Take deep breaths.
-Everything okay there, Dr. Markus?
-Yeah. Just, uh -- Just didn't think I'd have an audience.
[ Exhales slowly ]
[ Inhales sharply ] Damn it.
-Van -- -Take this. I can't do this.
-All good.
You might feel a little pinch, okay?
3, 2, 1.
Good job.
-Dr. Markus?
What happened in there?
-I-I don't know. I got overwhelmed.
-Yeah, well, that's obvious, but why?
-It's, like, this thing that happens.
I-It was like I could feel the pain from the needle.
And not to mention your disappointment
and Jacob's judgment, and her whole family is watching,
and just -- I was a mess.
-Well, I'd call that an accurate assessment.
A lumbar puncture is a basic procedure, Dr. Markus.
-I-I know -- -Jessie is already terrified.
And you may have just scared her even more.
Figure this out.
"Chapter 4, billing procedures. When logging patient notes,
a physician must follow" a long list of bureaucratic nonsense
that improves the health of no one
and bends to the insurance lobby,
because lest you forget,
medicine is a for-profit industry.
[ Basketball game plays on TV, telephone rings ]
Yeah, this is Wolf.
I'll be right there.
-Okay, so her tap was clear, Dr. Wolf.
But I-I don't understand what's going on.
-Okay, well, what happened, Jacob?
-Well, we found her like this. I --
I --
-Jessie?
Jessie, can you -- can you put your arms down for me?
-[ Shakily ] I can't.
I-I can't control them.
-It's okay. It's okay. I'm gonna help you.
Okay. It's okay. Just breathe.
Okay. Here we go.
We're gonna just walk it off, okay? So...
Alright, can you -- can you just take a couple of steps
toward Dr. Nash?
**
-[ Gasping ]
I-I can't. -What is it now?
Tell me -- Tell me, what are you feeling?
-Like there's no ground to stand on.
I can't walk. I can't even stand.
What is happening to me?
-Okay, things just got really weird.
-I'll say it. Van gives good head.
-Is this punishment for my failed lumbar puncture?
-No. You're helping me illustrate a point.
[ Indistinct conversations ] Everyone, shush.
Okay, right now, when Van looks down,
he's unaware of his body's presence or position.
He's essentially blind to his body.
That's what Jessie is experiencing --
a very specific nerve damage
resulting in total proprioceptive deficit
from her toes to her head.
It is often said proprioception is our sixth sense.
You mean she sees dead people?
-No. What?
Uh, but her body feels dead to her,
like in her dream. Her brain knew something was wrong
before her body showed any symptoms.
-Literally a horror movie. -Okay, Van,
hold up your hand in front of your face. Right?
Okay, so Jessie can see her hand in this position,
but the moment it moves outside the field of vision,
it's like she no longer has a hand at all.
-Well, she's an athlete. Can her loss of proprioception
be from an old spine injury or contusion?
-Good idea. Look into it.
-Can we turn the lights back on? -Yes.
-Or a cavernous malformation
in the dorsal column of her posterior cord.
We should scan her again, the entire spine this time.
-Get those to me ASAP. -I'm pretty sure this happened
to a friend of mine who got way too into Whippets.
-That reminds me, how's the frat boy who sees dragons?
-Pete? -Yeah.
-Well, his CT brain, CSF, and EEG are all unrevealing.
We're still waiting on a few labs,
but if it isn't drugs or psychosis --
-We know that sustained hallucination
doesn't just come out of nowhere.
-That's right. It's got to be connected.
Let's keep digging. [ Knock on door ]
-Mugwump? A word?
**
-Excuse me.
**
-Mugwump? -What even is that?
-I don't know, but it's embarrassing,
and my mom calls me her little butter bean.
-Wait, wait, Dr. Wolf is the Chief's son?
-Dude, duh.
Did you seriously not google your new boss?
-So help me understand how a patient walks into my hospital
for a routine surgery and now may never walk again.
-I was trying to solve that before I was interrupted.
-It could be viral. -Well, we're looking into it --
-Autoimmune, bacterial, environmental exposure.
And if we don't know what caused it,
we don't know how to stop it or how far it could progress.
-I said I am on it
Now, against my better judgment, perhaps, we are colleagues now.
So no more pet names. And stop micromanaging me.
-Do your job, and I won't have to.
-[ Scoffs ]
**
-I didn't want to kill the frogs.
I want to be a doctor. Do no harm.
-I know.
You're not in trouble, honey.
I brought you here so you can learn to dissect
the proper way.
-Who is that? -It's a body that a person chose
to donate to the medical school,
so aspiring doctors can learn
and one day help people.
**
Okay.
So, you start at the collarbone.
Once you're through the sternum, you'll see the heart.
It won't be easy, Mugwump.
You'll have to cut deeper than you expect.
**
[ Knock on door ] -Dr. Wolf. Hey. You paged me?
-I did, 20 minutes ago. It's about time.
-I was in surgery. What do you need?
-Ah, I need a consult on my patient Jessie.
Acute, severe proprioceptive deficit.
She came in for an elective surgery, and now she can't walk.
It's moving fast. I have never seen anything like this.
-Is that how this works? You, uh --
You only acknowledge me when you need something?
Come on. You keep blowing past me out there.
-What? When? -Today,
on three separate occasions.
-Why are you counting? -It's rude, okay?
It's rude. You are rude. -No.
I have prosopagnosia.
It is a neurological condition.
It means I can't recognize faces.
-Okay, so how does it work for you?
How do you recognize people? -Um, defining characteristics.
Style, gait triggers my temporal cortex, or...
deep crow's feet, ghostly white complexion.
Do you want me to check if you have a pulse?
-Let's go back to you ignoring me.
Okay. You can read an MRI as well as I can, Dr. Wolf.
You and I both know there's nothing here.
So why did you call me? -Well, sometimes
even the most brilliant doctors need a second opinion.
Nichols...I'm worried about her.
-Well, hopefully the fact there's nothing to resect
is good news.
-Hey, Coach, can I ask you a personal question?
-Okay, ESPN. Shoot.
-When you retired, you were in your prime.
Were you hiding an injury or something?
-No, I was just ready.
-Well, it couldn't have been that easy.
I mean, you were a star. You averaged like --
-Sure, I was scared to leave the game.
But once I did, I knew it was right.
When I started coaching, something just clicked.
I knew it was what I was supposed to be doing
with my whole life.
-You know, um,
I was a quarterback back in the day.
Played D1. -Damn!
How'd you end up in scrubs?
-Um, one too many concussions.
-Mm. Well, it seems you got a good head on your shoulders,
even if it is a little banged up.
If I can't walk again...
can't move...
I don't want to let my girls down.
This is a tough place to grow up.
And a tough time to be a kid.
Am I gonna be okay?
-Hey, Coach J,
you have plenty of court-side huddles left in you, trust me,
okay? And while you're here, we're your team.
And we're not giving up until we fix this.
I promise.
You should try to get some rest.
**
I think I know the cause.
Smoothies. Jessie drinks them all the time,
and they're loaded with supplements.
Then I rechecked her blood work,
and her B6 levels are high.
-So the pyridoxine toxicity from the B6
could have caused the proprioceptive damage,
which means...
-There's hope.
-He's been sleeping a lot.
Hasn't been to class in a month.
Classic Pete.
Doesn't have to care about grades. He's a legacy.
-Of course he is.
[ Indistinct conversations in distance ]
-I'll check the fridge for mold.
Mycotoxins could be the culprit.
What is that smell?
-I'm getting notes of weed and, uh, booze-soaked carpet.
Reminds me of the good, old days.
Man, it's been so long since I've shotgunned a beer.
-[ Chuckles awkwardly ] -You know, like --
[ Imitates gulping ] -[ Chuckles ] Yeah.
-Oh, my God. You've never shotgunned a beer before.
-Uh --
-Keg stands, Edward 40 hands, beer pong?
Did you have any fun in college? -Listen, I would have loved
to have gone to parties.
I would have loved to have been a legacy.
I would have loved to have slacked off and skipped class
and been hungover all day, but I was busy
busting my butt to get into med school
while working two jobs to pay for it.
It is so rank in here!
The dragon. -Uh-oh.
You seeing him, too?
**
-Jessie?
We are almost done flushing your system
to see if it helps your symptoms.
Jessie? -Coach J?
We were just giving her fluids. What's going on?
She was alert a minute ago.
-Her lungs are clear, so fluids aren't the problem.
[ Monitor flatlining ] Her O-2 sat is dropping,
and she's unresponsive. Get the crash cart.
[ Alarm blaring ]
Let's go, let's go!
[ Indistinct announcement over intercom ]
She's not breathing!
Come on, Van. Come on, Van. Come on.
-No pulse. -I'll start compressions.
-We can't bag forever. We need to intubate her now.
Where's anesthesia? -They're coming.
-Go, go. [ People speaking indistinctly ]
-Come on, Coach J. Come on. Come on, Coach.
We got you.
**
-We flushed her system, hoping that it would
slow or reverse the progression of her symptoms.
Unfortunately, she's still not breathing on her own,
which means that perhaps the B6 wasn't the cause after all.
But even though we don't know the cause,
we're still looking for a solution.
My big sister has always been...
invincible.
How is this happening to her? -You have to understand
how exceedingly rare your sister's case is.
I mean, I've read of similar deteriorations,
but nothing this fast.
And it's possible we may never know the cause.
-Are you saying this is permanent?
-I don't know yet.
But what I can tell you is that all of you --
her family, her team -- give her purpose.
That's what Jessie needs right now.
A reason to get better.
-First Van, now you.
You interns are a real time suck.
What happened? -Nothing. I just...
stepped out to finish some notes.
-Okay, well, we don't walk out on patients to finish notes.
-You don't think I already feel crappy enough?
I told Jessie she would get better.
I looked her right in the eye, and I lied to her.
-Yeah, that's not great.
But contrary to popular belief, doctors are humans, too.
Sometimes we need hope to be better at our jobs.
And sometimes we need to know when hope is not enough.
-And what about you?
Have you lost hope? -No. For Jessie's sake,
I can't afford to. And neither can you.
-Dr. Wolf?
We need you to see Pete's MRI.
-Hallucinatory palinopsia. -Yeah.
As soon as we saw the dragon outside Pete's frat house,
we realized that it isn't just some random hallucination.
It's like a memory,
an image he's been seeing outside his window every day
that his brain's visual memory area keeps causing him to see,
even when it's not directly in front of him.
-Which only happens when there's a lesion.
-Right here. The noncon CT never could have picked that up.
An occipital lobe dural arteriovenous fistula,
causing a buildup of blood and venous hypertension
in the occipital lobe. -Causing visual disturbances
like palinopsia. -The lesion could bleed out
into his brain at any moment, can't it?
-I'm off to prep the O.R.
**
-How's our frat boy?
-Uh, he's in surgery. It's delicate.
-Well, Nichols is one of the best.
-Oh, "one of." That doesn't inspire confidence.
-I heard Jessie had visitors today.
-Yes. It's really important for her to maintain a connection
to her community, her purpose. -I agree.
And I've been meaning to talk to you about this.
If she doesn't improve in the next few weeks,
we're gonna have to talk about a trach
and long-term care facilities.
-Ship her off to be forgotten
so you can free up a bed? Not an option.
-Unfortunately, it's not your call.
-Well, whose call is it, Carol?
My mother's?
This is why I didn't want to work here. Jessie is my patient.
I determine her course of care based on who she is,
what's important to her, and what she would choose.
And I don't like you doing my mother's bidding --
-I'm not doing your mother's -- -Look, Carol, I've known you
for 20 years. Never play poker.
-Hey. I know you don't want to hear this,
but your mother isn't always wrong.
Without knowing the etiology, we have to assume
that Jessie's nerve damage is permanent.
Proprioception is necessary for breathing, too,
which means that if this is permanent,
she won't be able to breathe -- -Exactly.
And she's getting weaker the longer she lays there
not using or even trying to use her muscles.
You put her in long-term care,
next it'll be pneumonia, then bedsores.
She'll never walk, talk, or breathe again on her own.
And her team needs her. They cannot see her quit.
-See her quit or you?
Wolf, I know this is hard,
but this is what you do.
You get too attached.
-Who is that?
-Yes, this is John Doe.
No ID, no medical history, no family.
Transferred from hospital to hospital
every time he gets a new infection. Now he's ours.
No one knows who he is or where he came from.
-Diagnosis?
-Uh, stroke?
Whatever it is, it's not salvageable now.
Whoever John Doe was is gone.
-And this is what happens when no one gets attached.
[ Bach's "Cello Suite No. 1" playing ]
[ Wolf panting ]
**
-I couldn't do it.
I picked up the scalpel, and I froze. I couldn't move.
-Hey, kiddo. It's okay.
-No, it's not. I couldn't even make the first incision.
-Forget all that. -I don't want to.
I want to be a doctor, like you and Mom.
-Alright.
**
Next time, try this.
Step outside yourself.
Don't worry about the entire cadaver in front of you.
Start small.
Just focus on your hand.
I believe in you.
Enough for the both of us.
[ Wolf panting ]
[ Basketball game playing on TV ]
**
-We're taking out Jessie's tube.
We're gonna stop her precedex,
reduce the vent settings to minimal support,
loosen the breathing tube,
and get ready to deflate the cuff.
-Dr. Wolf, she could die.
-Yeah, she can't breathe on her own.
-Jessie can't move her body
because she's suddenly blind to it. It's overwhelming.
But what if she steps outside of herself?
What if she uses her other senses to control her body?
Starting small, focusing on one body part at a time.
It's not that her muscles are weak.
It's not that she can't breathe. She can.
She just doesn't know it yet, because she has to learn
to connect with her body in a brand-new way.
And the longer we wait, the weaker she gets,
and the more she loses hope.
I mean, if we don't believe in her,
how is she supposed to believe in herself?
Let's get in there.
Let's do this.
-He gives locker room speeches now?
-Clear eyes, full hearts, can't breathe.
-Jessie?
Will you run a drill with me? Just the two of us.
When we take out the breathing tube,
I want to see your breath on this tray, okay?
Now, in order to do that,
I want you to embrace your feelings of disembodiment.
Look at yourself from the outside,
focus on your chest in space,
and then use your eyes to imagine it moving.
Can you do that for me?
[ Ventilator hissing ]
**
[ Air hissing, alarms beeping ]
**
[ Alarms stop ]
Step outside of yourself.
Start small.
One breath.
[ Monitors beeping rapidly ]
**
I know you can do this, Jessie.
I know you can.
-Come on.
-I believe in you.
**
Enough for the both of us.
**
[ Jessie exhales softly ]
[ Jessie wheezing weakly ]
**
-Oh, my God.
-Good job.
[ Jessie continues wheezing ]
-Jessie has been working Incredibly hard.
She's made great progress.
I want to manage your expectations --
-Wolf.
It's okay. Let's just show them.
**
-Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. -Jessie.
-Don't. I got it.
**
How about a huddle?
[ All chuckle ] -Yes.
**
-Thank you.
For not giving up on me.
-Right back at you, Coach.
-Jessie.
-Once Jessie was able to breathe on her own again,
she needed to relearn how to move the rest of her body
using vision and touch instead of proprioception.
We started small --
one hand and a piece of paper.
It takes practice.
But just like in basketball, you start with the fundamentals,
teaching different parts of the body to move as one,
just like players on one team.
We'll likely never know what caused Jessie's nerve damage.
But with a lot of patience and strong will,
Jessie is reconnecting with her body in a brand-new way.
It takes hard work for a group of players to come together.
It might even seem impossible, until you try.
**
I know working together is not gonna be easy.
That said, I want to try.
-Okay. Now I'm sensing a "but."
-Never attempt to transfer one of my patients
without discussing it with me ever again.
-I only said that to Carol to light a fire under you.
-I don't care. That's annoying, too.
Oh, and that John Doe in ICU?
-What about him? -He's mine.
That's my patient now.
**
-I connected with your dad.
He's on his way. -Thanks.
-And Dr. Nichols says you should be out in a few days.
-You saved me.
-In a way, the dragon saved you. -[ Chuckles ]
-It was signaling something was wrong.
I just needed to look closer.
-Well, I'm lucky you spend all your Friday nights
in the library. I mean, I'm assuming.
-[ Laughs ] -Good thing it's not too late
for both of us to have a life.
-My bias could have cost Pete his life.
Am I a judgey bitch?
You don't get to answer that.
-Ericka, you made a mistake. It happens.
We're interns. We're supposed to screw up.
Van fumbled a simple LP. Sports reference!
-And I gave a patient, you know, false hope.
-And I'm perfect, of course.
But I have to give you all something to aspire to.
-Ah. -Flanagan!
Three beers. In a can.
-Why do we need beers? What -- What are you doing?
-I'm not doing anything.
-You're clearly up to something. -Sweet baby angel.
-You're shotgunning your first beer.
-Yo. -Tonight.
-Yes!
-* It's been so long since I went dancing *
* Dancing *
* It's been so long, it's been so long, been so long *
**
-So, the post-op should be waking up soon,
and we'll need Q2 hour neuro checks.
Thank you.
**
-Oh, hey, Nichols.
I'm just kidding. Good job with Pete.
-Thank you. Oh, hey, uh,
since you finally recognized me,
what defining feature did you land on?
-Oh, you know, in the end,
it was the, um, freakishly large hands.
-[ Laughs ] -Honestly, how do you perform
brain surgery with those things? They're liabilities.
Oh, uh, one more question. Is the anatomy lab still here?
**
-What are we doing?
-Well, it's harder to empathize with a cadaver.
They have fewer feelings.
Go ahead. Let's see your best spinal tap.
**
-I'm so grateful to you.
Having Oliver home, it just --
It means everything.
And he would never have agreed to work here
if you hadn't convinced him.
-[ Chuckles ]
-He really trusts you.
That's why I'm going to need you to keep an eye on him.
-Muriel, I am not gonna be his babysitter.
-I had a feeling you were gonna say that.
But there are things about my son's past
that even you don't know.
**