01x07 - Far From Home

[bunniefuu]

There's a full-time position in
Emergency Pediatrics opening up.

I'd have to discuss that with my wife.

Could be an exciting new chapter.

So we can only be together
when no one's around?

It's nobody's business.

Are those our things?

What happened?

Pavel, I don't understand.

I caught up with rent last month.

Just to bounce this month's cheque.

Only because... I took a payday loan.

And they took more interest from
your account than you expected?

Those people are the real criminals.

And the owners?

They will take any excuse to
rent to someone who'll pay more.

I'm sorry, Bashir. It's out of my hands.

No, no, what if I offered
them some cash to compensate?

I can ask, but no promises.

Thank you.

You have a place to sleep tonight?

This is all a big misunderstanding.

We're fine, sweetie. I
don't want you to worry.

Mr. and Mrs. Rahal says
we can stay with them.

Why don't you go upstairs with Daneesha,
and I'll put our things away.

Pavel is letting us use the
store room for tonight.

You bought this for me.
It's where I read.

We're not losing it.

I'll fix this. Mm?

Okay, now go.

You're supposed to be asleep!

You're the one working today.

I should be making breakfast for you.

No, no. When my wife visits
me with a trip to Toronto,

I get to spoil her.

Those are the rules, baby.

Two nights, no kids,

no bedtimes, no tantrums.

Just me time for Mel.

Mel time.

Put the tray away.

Hey, Bash.

- Dr. Hamed.
- Hey.

- This is my son, Henry.
- Hello, Henry.

You here to guard the
place with your dad?

Yeah, just until his grandma comes.

His mom and I had our schedules
mixed up this morning.

Dr. Hamed? Curtain one.

Nice to meet you Henry.

Freeze!

Our job is to protect them,

not tell them where to go, little man.

Apologize to the doctor.

It's cool. I feel safer already.

Come on, I'll show you around.

Hi. I'm Dr. Hamed.

I understand you're having some
trouble breathing, Mr. Watson?

- You're my doctor?
- Mm-hmm.

How long has this been going on?

Couple of days.

Started with a cough.

My GP told me I should come in here.

Alright, deep breath.

Where you from, Dr. Hamed?

Syria.

Any history of asthma or
recurrent chest infection?

Just a cough, like I said.

I think I should see someone else.

We have many specialists, but we
only call them when required.

No, you don't understand.

I want another doctor.

Theo.

What do I do if a patient refuses
to see me because of my race?

Did that happen?

Memorial has a strict policy
against racial discrimination.

So you can report it to
your supervising doctor,

and they'll decide how to handle it.

I'm not filing a formal complaint.

Trauma in two minutes.

Dr. Hamed, we need you.

Can you just see the guy?
He needs a chest X-ray.

Yeah, of course.

Bohai Shao.

Witnesses at Pearson
said he started seizing,

- and fell down a flight of stairs.
- You picked him up at the airport?

Yes, and there was nobody with him.

- Where else does it hurt, sir?
- He doesn't speak English.

ID says Chinese national.

He was on a flight from Beijing.

Board out on three. One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Airway's patent.

Potential distal fracture
to the right tibia.

Equal breath sounds bilaterally.

BP's normal.

- 50 micro grams fentanyl.
- Got it.

Hold on, hold on, hold on.

We're here to take care of you.

Everything's going to be fine, sir.

We're just giving you
something for the pain.

It's going to be okay.

It's not Cantonese.

I don't speak Mandarin, but it doesn't
sound like that to me either.

Could be a regional dialect,
they can be very different.

Okay. Call for a translator.

Okay, go ahead.

What is that?

It's a name.

- A family member, maybe?
- Daughter.

Daughter.

- Daughter.
- This is your daughter?

Daughter.

We have to call this number.

Daughter. Daughter.

We'll do our best to find her.
Okay, get him to an X-ray.

No, wait, wait, look! Petechiae.

Look.

He was on an overseas flight?

That's what the paramedics said.

Okay. Put him in
isolation pending bloods

and make sure he doesn't
have anything infectious.

Got it.

It's going to be okay, sir.

Everything's going to be okay.

- Yes?
- Nothing. Well...

Usually that rash is the kind of
thing you'd be the first to notice.

I. Are you okay?

I'm fine.

So, the triage nurse says you've
been vomiting all morning, Selena?

I wouldn't say all morning. Um...

Two or three times.

I was out dancing with friends.
It's probably just a hangover.

Well, most people go to a
Greasy Spoon for that,

not the emergency department.

Except I'm not most people.

Yeah, you have CIPA.

It's a rare genetic disorder. I
don't feel heat or cold or...

Pain.

You know about CIPA?

Most doctors are clueless about it.

Guess I'm not most doctors.

From my understanding, you do
still feel touch, pressure...

Yeah. And I can taste my food.

Most people are curious about that.

But since you don't sweat, you can't
regulate your body temperature,

which means it's hard to tell
when a fever means an infection.

- I'm guessing is why you're here?
- Mm-hmm.

Yeah. I would much rather
be at a Greasy Spoon.

Well, I'll get you started on an IV.
Rehydrate you.

Run some blood work,

basic precautionary stuff.

Oh, no thanks. Ever since
I moved out last month,

my mom calls me every night and
every morning for proof of life,

and if I don't answer, she calls
every 15 minutes until I do. So...

Sorry. Can you just
open your mouth for me?

Bit my cheek?

Yeah.

Yeah. I always taste it eventually.

As soon as we get your labs back,
we'll know if we can let you go.

Daughter.

We don't know if they've found her yet.

Arnold was right.

Our Chinese translator says Mr. Shao

speaks a rare dialect called Wenzhou.

They're trying to find
someone who knows it.

Why aren't you masked?

Blood work came back, and
it explains the rash.

Platelets are low and
blasts are on the smear.

- He has cancer.
- Acute myeloid leukemia.

With AML, he's prone to infection.

And that may be why he seized.

He's gonna need a CT to
check for abscesses.

He's got a terminal disease,
and we can't tell him.

Daughter?

You're nauseated again?

How often do you still need this?

It comes and goes, so very
normal post-concussion.

Uh-huh. Says you, or your neurologist?

We both know doctors
make the worst patients.

Jonah's in town.

I'm having lunch with him tomorrow.

Well...

I wouldn't want you to be
nauseous for lunch with your son.

- I have something to tell you.
- Mm-hmm.

I left Eric.

You left your husband?

- A few months ago.
- A few months ago?

And you didn't say anything?

Well, it wasn't about you.

And...

I need some time to figure
out my life on my own.

So you want us to stop.

I'm glad you're having lunch with Jonah.

This time I was only $50 short
when the cheque didn't clear.

I was told there wouldn't
be an overdraft fee.

No, no, no, please don't
transfer, don't transfer!

I just spoke to my
father a few days ago.

I had no idea he was even out of town.

Daughter.

This man isn't my father.

Don't be stingy with the
painkillers, sweetie.

You're my doctor?

You have something called a
tension pneumothorax, Mr. Watson.

Air escapes the lung, filling
the space outside of it,

which means it can't expand
when you try to take a breath.

First, we're gonna use a needle,
try to release the trapped air.

Then, put in a drain called a pigtail.

Yeah, the pretty lady was
explaining it to me.

- I can take this...
- No, no way!

If you're gonna stick
a needle in my chest,

I'm gonna need her to distract me.

Aren't you a little bit too
old to be afraid of needles?

Hey, Doc.

How could this happen?

I'm in construction. I work on my feet.

I haven't smoked a day in my life.
What is this?

There's a few possibilities.

But the procedure is
fast and non-invasive.

When I release the air
from around the lung,

hopefully it will re-expand,

and you should feel much...

much better.

You said hopefully. What if it doesn't?

Well, if the needle aspiration
and pigtail doesn't work,

then you'll need a chest tube.

- You do that?
- No, that's a consult for thoracics.

You look like you know
what you're doing.

You never know what I'll get
if you send me somewhere else.

You mean who you'll get.

Can you tell him that the CT

we ordered showed an
abscess on his brain?

It's a complication of his
leukemia, brought on by infection.

- It's why he seized.
- And we need to treat the abscess,

otherwise it could be fatal.

I think that he knows about the cancer,

but he doesn't have enough Mandarin
for me to explain the abscess.

Where are we with the
dialect specialist?

I've made some calls, I'm still looking.
I may need the day.

Daughter?

Maybe he's...

hoping she'll be a stem cell donor.

His type of cancer can
sometimes be treated that way,

as a last resort.

Talk about a complicated way
to meet your real father.

But understandable, if
you're facing death.

She doesn't even know him.

Well, maybe...

Maybe he just wants to get to know her.

How is he?

Frustrated that we can't
understand him. Afraid.

How are you?

I'm not sure.

I knew I was adopted,

my mom and dad never knew
who my birth parents were.

They're the only family I've ever known

Did you ever want to know?

When I was 16, they offered
to help me find answers.

But I, um...

I didn't want to have
to go through all that

just to meet the people who gave me up.

How would I find out if
he's really my father?

If you decide that's
what you want to know,

there is a simple blood test we can do.

That's a lot to think about.

Thank you.

If you were in her place...

would you want to know?

You know me, I need answers.

Your sister had to
tell me you were here.

You couldn't have called?

Nya. I told you not to say anything.

She did the right thing. I need to know.

Come on, Mom. I don't want to do this.

What if you'd fallen, or
got alcohol poisoning?

Is this your doctor?

Dr. Curtis.

Selena's gonna need full-body imaging,

so we know why she's been vomiting.

Ultrasound, CT, ECG,
MRI, and urinalysis.

- I don't want any of it.
- You need it.

I ordered a formal ultrasound,

along with blood work,
that'll let us know

if there's anything to
be concerned about.

Okay, are you happy?

I can take care of myself.
You need to back off, Mom.

We were just dancing. That's all.

I'll get you some water.

I will block your number from my phone

if you don't stop ratting me out.

I'm sorry, Sel.

I was worried too.

I know I can be overbearing.

We have protocols to follow,
even for rare disorders.

See, that's the thing.

Most CIPA kids are lucky
to make it to 25.

Where you see a rare disorder,

I see Selena at five, burning the
flesh off her hand on the stove,

or walking on a broken ankle

for a week without even knowing
until it wouldn't hold her anymore.

I just want her safe and sound.

I want the same thing, Mrs. Ruiz.

I do. But Selena's 20. Okay?

So her medical decisions
are in her hands.

The patient has acute myeloid
lymphocytic leukemia

which has led to a brain abscess
that needs to be managed.

- Treatment?
- Aggressive antibiotics,

until the infection has run its course.

After which he should be stable.

Dr. Leblanc?

I think he needs a
surgical intervention.

An endonasal is a more
comprehensive way to manage

the abscess and avoid a rupture.

Going in through the nose
to drain an abscess?

That's a pretty delicate
surgical procedure.

Yeah, but I think it offers him
a better long-term outcome.

He's come here to get to
know his daughter better,

a difficult surgery and a long recovery

won't give him the chance to do that.

Yeah, but without an
effective treatment,

he'll die before she gets
any chance to know him.

Well, this patient doesn't
have any insurance.

We'll cover the emergent
costs if we need to,

but... do you know if he
even can pay for surgery?

Or indeed, if he wants it?

Dr. Bishop, I really
think in this case I...

I think you're trying to solve a problem

that he might not want solved, Dr.
Leblanc.

Run the antibiotics. If
that clears the abscess...

Well, go.

Was there something else?

Actually, I, uh...

I wanted to talk to you about a...

About a possible advance on my salary.

Well, that would go through
HR if we did them.

But we don't.

I understand sir, but my situation...

I'm sorry, Dr. Hamed.

I would tell any other
resident the same thing.

Sorry.

Close the door on your
way out, would you?

Hey, Pavel. It's Bashir.

Um. I wasn't able to come
up with the money yet.

But...

If the owners could
give me one more day...

Hmm? Please?

Uh, call me back.

I need to know the truth.

- You'll do this blood test?
- Of course.

Is there anything you can do for him?

Well, he has an acute condition,

- which we're trying to manage.
- But his cancer...

Is it treatable?

We don't know what treatment
he's pursued so far.

Is he dying?

Unfortunately, his...
his cancer is advanced.

To learn all of this now...

There's no hope for him?

There's still hope. He could
find a stem cell donor.

A donor?

You mean me?

Is that why he's come here?

- We don't know that.
- We don't, but...

I need a minute.

It's a viable option, and
they should both know it.

You don't think I
should've said anything.

First we need to know what
our patient actually wants.

Your scan is clear.

So I can go?

Well, your white blood cell
count is high, which means...

- Infection.
- Yeah.

- Okay. What kind?
- I don't know yet.

So I'd like to keep you overnight.

What if I promise to come back
if I start throwing up again?

You know, for another patient, I
might say yes. But for you...

If you keep me here, she will freak.

It's just gonna give her more
a*mo to get me back home.

OK, I get it. Your mother is...

She's super intense, but my
concern is you and your fever.

You don't get it.

I've never dated.

I didn't have a friend
that wasn't my sister

until I was 17 years old.

When I moved out, everything changed.

I went on a hike last weekend.

Can you imagine what she would say

if she found out that I did that?

Yeah, but...

Please?

Selena, I need you at baseline.

Okay? That means
observation and cultures.

If everything is fine in the
morning, you can go home.

Just promise me you won't tell her
about my white blood cell count.

I can't. Okay? Not without your consent.

- Okay.
- Okay.

- Hi.
- Hi, Amira.

Mrs. Rahal says to tell you
that they'll save supper.

Amira, I don't think I'm
going to come home tonight.

You're not?

No. I picked up an extra shift.

And tomorrow? Are we going home?

I don't think so.

We're going to have to
figure something else out.

Mrs. Rahal says we can stay
here as long as we need to.

There isn't enough room
for both of us there.

I'll rent a room somewhere else,

and you can stay with Daneesha,

at least until we figure something else.

No.

Habibti, I know this
isn't what we wanted,

but this way you're close to school

and you have help, and...

You're right. I'm...

I'm sorry. But you have to understand...

I don't care where we go, Bash.

But please, we have to go together.

Okay. Yella, bye.

Bye.

We said we would share!

Yeah, we did, I ate exactly my half.

Uh-uh. More like three-quarters.

Oh, I think you need to
check your math first.

- Mm-hmm?
- Mm-hmm.

Thank you.

- I miss us.
- Me too.

I miss our life.

A few more months, and
we'll have it all back.

Bishop offered to recommend me

for a full-time spot at the hospital

Of course he did!

I bet he was disappointed
when you said no.

Theo, you didn't say yes, did you?

No. No, But it's...

It's an amazing opportunity.

You already have an amazing opportunity.

Yeah but, it's the kind
of cases you get here.

It's just not like that in a
small-town family practice.

My dad's waiting to retire
until you take over.

We have a plan, a life we dreamed about.

We made that plan when we were 20.

Has something changed?

Just, I don't know...

I stayed close to home for med school,

my residency...

Just lately, felt like...

maybe there's room for
us to expand a little?

Are you unhappy?

With us?

No, Mel.

Not at all.

Because home is home.

That'll never change. Not for me.
Not for the girls.

I don't want it to.

I know. Yeah.

Me neither.

Just...

forget I mentioned it, okay?

Nya was in with Selena this morning,

and she told me another
doctor said something about

Selena's CRP's being elevated?

She won't let me see her.

I'll have to check her chart.

They were updating her
blood work overnight.

Look, I know you can't tell me
anything unless she says it's okay,

but that doesn't mean I can't
tell you things, right?

When Selena was ten,
her CRP was elevated.

Turns out she had appendicitis.

I'm surprised they didn't operate.

They felt surgery was too
risky given the fevers,

so they treated her with antibiotics.

There could be a number of reasons

why your daughter's blood
proteins are elevated.

I know, but she's in there talking about

how you said she could go home.

If she still has an infection,
she shouldn't be leaving.

Just keep her here until you're sure.

That's my baby girl.

Look.

I want to help, Mrs. Ruiz.

You stay here, I'll go
find out what's going on.

Thank you.

You worked straight through yesterday?

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...

No, no. Um...

What did you say?

You spent the night?

Uh. Yeah.

- I picked up the 10 to 6.
- Yeah.

113 B.

It's an overflow on-call room.
Everybody forgets it exists.

Um, sorry?

Uh, if you need somewhere quiet to sleep

for a few hours when
you spend the night.

- Thank you.
- Of course.

Oh, and Harmony's back.

Arnold says the paternity
test results are in.

Yeah, I saw, I'll go talk to her.

Excellent.

Harmony?

The results came back.

Mr. Shao is your biological father.

Is the reason he's here now

that he wants something from me?

What if he's just here
to make up for the time

he lost when you were apart?

We found the right translator.

If you want, you can
hear what he has to say.

Any vomiting last night?

No.

Why do I have a feeling you're
not gonna let me out of here?

Have a seat.

I told you that you could go home

if all of your vitals were at baseline.

But your white blood cell count is up,

and so is your blood pressure.

Oh.

Have a look.

Your appendix is extremely inflamed.

We'll confirm with a CT, but I
think we're gonna have to operate

What?

You didn't see that on
the scan yesterday.

Yesterday was non-diagnostic,

but these things can escalate quickly.
Explains the vomiting.

And when your mother told me about
your past bout with appendicitis...

You spoke to my mom about this?

Selena, what's important is
that we get you to the OR.

If we don't remove your appendix now,

sepsis from the infection
could k*ll you.

But surgery could k*ll me.

Selena, you don't have a choice.

Dr. Hamed? I'm the translator.

Mr. Shao says he started feeling worse.

How much does he know about his cancer?

He was diagnosed eight months ago.

He's had two rounds of chemo,

but didn't know about the
abscess when he left home.

Okay. I'm just going to
check a couple of things.

He said you took a blood test.

It says you're my father

There's so much you deserve to know

Your fever is spiking.

You need to breathe slowly, Mr.
Shao. Tell him!

What's happening?

His BP's elevated. Heart rate, 150.

Give him a 1 litre bolus of NS.

Can you ask him if he
has a sharp headache?

Yes, he says very suddenly.

He's seizing, I think
the abscess ruptured.

Lorazepam, 2 mgs!

What's happening?!

You need to go back to the waiting room.

He'll need a CT to confirm,
but if you're right...

No. You were right. Call OR, we
need to get him into surgery now.

How is your mother?

Still with Simon.

Is that the osteopath?

- He's a teacher.
- Mm.

And school? Have you
settled on a major yet?

If you brought me here to tell me

that indecision is the
enemy of progress again...

I brought you here...

I brought you here to
spend some time with you.

I thought maybe you'd
have a bigger scar.

Yeah. Well, I know I didn't exactly...

share too much about what happened.

You barely shared anything.

Well, I didn't want to worry you.

I don't want us to go this
long without talking again.

But that was my fault.

When your mother and I split up...

I know I missed a lot.

She was angry and I... I just
wanted to give her some space.

Don't make this about Mom.

You spent every waking hour
of our lives at the hospital.

You didn't even come to my
high school graduation.

There was a multi-car
pile-up on the 401.

You save lives. I get it.

I do.

It's just the way you are, Dad.

And if it's not the way I want to be?

Is it too late?

Can I at least talk to
the anesthesiologist?

He needs to know...

Hyperthermia is a risk,
even without infection.

- So is aspiration.
- Mom...

I'm just trying to make
sure they know what to do.

We do, Mrs. Ruiz.

We're taking all the precautions against
the risks associated with CIPA.

I'm already scared.

Hearing about all the extra ways that
you're scared too isn't helping.

You're right, I'm sorry, baby.

It's going to be okay.

Even if this procedure goes
well, recovery will be hard.

He can't leave to see his
daughter, he can't go home.

He may never go back again.

You've been working two
days straight, haven't you?

If you want to go home, I got this.

Actually I should be out finding one.

What, a home?

Are you okay? You and your sister?

Right.

Not a problem for me to solve, right?

It's okay.

He's still here.

George Watson.

He needs a chest tube,

But he won't let anyone else do it.

- Has he been giving you a hard time?
- He's been fine, mostly.

But to him, I'm just a nurse.

You know, a black woman
at his beck and call.

Well, if it bothered you,
you covered it well.

Oh it bothers me.

But he is what he is.
And I'm a professional.

Besides, he thinks he has all the power,

but I'm the one controlling his IV drip.

I grew up with guys like George.

The world got bigger, why can't they?

Somebody should say something.

Oh you think you're gonna go
in there and cure his racism?

You'd have better luck
with the chest tube.

It's time, George.

It's been over a day since I
aspirated and put in the pigtail.

Your lung isn't cooperating.
You need a chest tube.

Someone will be down to get you.

If you're not the one who's
doing it, I don't want it.

Well, it's not my field.

What? You saying you don't know how?

No. I'm saying there are other

more qualified doctors who should do it.

Fine. Forget it, then.

You're willing to risk your own health

instead of having
someone else treat you?

I have a right to decide
who my doctor is.

No, George.

You have a right to treatment.

And we're offering you that.

Now, if you decide not to accept it...

We'll discharge you, you can go
home and let your lungs fail.

Otherwise, someone will be down
shortly to take you to thoracics.

So go, don't go.

It's your call.

Selena did great.

We removed her appendix, there
was no sign of perforation.

She's in recovery.

All I can think about is what...

What would have happened
if she hadn't come in.

But she did.

I mean, she did everything
she should have.

Everything you taught her to.

I know.

Why is it so hard for her to let me in?

I know, I mean...

Maybe...

Maybe because you're so focused
on keeping Selena from dying

when all she really wants
to do is live, you know?

Hey, baby.

Aren't you gonna ask me if it hurts?

Dr. Curtis says you're doing great.

We can probably set you free tomorrow.

Let me guess, you want
me to come back home?

Of course.

But I know that's not what you want.

Well maybe you...

could come to my place for a bit?

Just until I'm back on my feet?

- How's he doing?
- He just woke up.

He asked if you would come see him again

and also wanted me to give you this.

- Lou! Hey!
- Hey.

Wait. Hi.

- Hey.
- So...

- I have a patient...
- Mm-hmm.

Who can't feel pain.

And she has to live her life

afraid of what she can't feel.

Mm. Well that can't be easy.

Yeah. I wanna meet your son.

Okay? So if that's something
you ever, ever want...

Just let me know.

Thank you.

Yeah...

- You want to go now, don't you?
- Yeah, I got some work to do.

- Alright. I'll see you later.
- Okay.

Tonight.

I have two bedrooms.

- Excuse me?
- I know, Mags told me,

and you hate that, but just get over it.

Amira can have one room,
you can be on the couch,

until you sort things out, and, uh...

At least that way you'll
both be under the same roof.

- Honestly, Theo, I couldn't possibly...
- Bash.

I don't wanna fight you on this,
but I will if I have to so just...

Let me help.

It was still the one-child policy
when your mother became pregnant.

She stayed inside as soon
as she started to show,

afraid to be seen.

Used a friend's urine to pass
mandatory non-pregnancy tests.

It was a risk.

But when you were born,
we felt complete.

You were seven months old...

when the neighbours reported on us.

They came and took you while I was away.

I looked for you for years.

Is she alive?

My mother?

She died nine years ago.

But you have an older brother.

I just wanted the chance...

to meet you and tell you...

if you ever decide you
want to know us...

we would like that very much.

Will he be able to go home?

His abscess is managed,

but it will take some time to see
how he will recover from surgery.

After he's stable,

arrangements will be made
to get him back home.

If I wanted to test for
a stem cell match...

could I?

Of course.

We can use the blood
we've already drawn.

Tell him.

He says, "I don't want that."

- I know.
- "It's not why I've come."

I know.

Whatever it is, make it quick.

Are you still experiencing
post-concussive symptoms, sir?

If there's anything I can
do to help, let me know.

I know...

I know that you're upset I told
Theo about your living situation,

and I should've dropped it,

but I also knew that you
weren't going to ask for help,

- so I made a judgment call...
- Thank you.

You're welcome.

When was the last time
you took a day off?

Um...

Last week, or the week before?

I don't know.

If you did have one, and you
were forced not to work on it,

what would you do?

Oh, my God.

I'd, um...

see the friends that I've been
ignoring since my residency started?

Um.

I'd read a book that
isn't a medical text.

I'd drive to the bluffs,

blare out loud music.

You should do that some time.

Theo was kind enough to help
me move some of our old stuff,

but the rest of it is
in storage for now.

You have your own bedroom.

Theo says Daneesha can come
over whenever she wants,

and that he's very excited

to make us what he calls his
"World famous Mac and Cheese."

I know we're a little further
from school, but, uh...

We're together.

My chair!