Brilliant Minds (2024) s01e10 Episode Script
The First Responder
1
When you find yourself in crisis,
what is your first response?
Who is the first one you call?
[STATIC] Unit 240, we got a code three.
A 10-year-old male in psychiatric
distress, self-harming.
Apartment's on the
third floor of a walk-up
on Broadway and Main.
[SIREN WAILING]
♪♪
Please, please, please, Finn, stop.
Finn, stop!
[DOOR CLOSES]
Please, please, stop, stop, stop, stop.
Mr. Kemp? I'm Katie. This is Max.
Are you hurt? Fill us in.
No, no, no, no. I was
trying to bandage my son Finn.
He was playing, and he broke
this vase and cut himself.
And when I tried to take a look,
he locked himself in the bathroom.
The head banging, it's
common with autism.
But I don't know what to
do. I've tried everything.
I'll grab a stair chair
and irons from the brig.
Yeah.
[THUD]
Hey, Finn? I'm a paramedic.
It sounds like you're hurt.
Can I come in and take a look?
He's gonna knock himself
out or cause permanent damage.
[THUD]
Finn, please, please, please stop.
Finn, you have to stop. Please.
That's a nice set of Camaros you got.
[THUD]
I drive a pretty good rig.
It's a Chevy, too.
[THUDDING STOPS]
♪♪
Is he unconscious?
[LOCK CLICKS]
♪♪
Ah!
[CHUCKLES]
[GRUNTING]
Sorry, buddy.
Restraints of protocol.
It's required by the law.
Hey, Max?
Can you tell the dad to
meet us at Barnes General?
- I can take it from here.
- Sure.
Yeah. Thanks.
Hey. Hey, hey, hey.
So I know these straps are
uncomfy and a little scary,
but think of this ambulance
as a roller coaster.
And these straps are like
seat belts but for your hands.
They keep us both safe while we ride.
Ready? Yeah?
♪♪
Want to know what kind of rig were in?
You were wrong earlier.
It's not a Chevy, but that's
okay. It's a Ford F-350.
Okay, hotshot. Name as many
Chevy models as you can. Go.
Blazer. Camaro. Corvette. Coupe.
- Bolt. Malibu.
- Bro, Van,
- where'd you get those shoes?
- They were a gift, okay?
No. They fire, man. Can I try them on?
- Heads up.
- What you got for us, Katie?
Dang, Finn, you must be a big deal.
You got Dr. Wolf and his whole
team out here waiting for you.
Promise not to have
too much fun without me?
Can't promise anything. But I can try.
That's all I ask for.
Uh, 10-year-old autistic male Finn Kemp.
A and O times four, vitals stable,
bilateral lacerations on him, uh,
because of, uh, broken glass,
head injury from head banging.
- Everything okay, Katie?
- Oh, yeah. Just a headache.
[CHUCKLES] Blame it on the coffee
or the the six
back-to-back morning shifts.
- Unit 240.
- Copy.
Always a pleasure, Dr. Wolf.
Take care of Finn for me. I gotta run.
6-year-old female
♪♪
So a few bad burns, uh,
staph infection, and a sprained
ankle all in the last year.
We've got quite the injury history.
Are you Johnny Knoxville or something?
No, I'm Finn Kemp.
Kids his age, they're
always bumping into things
and tripping over each other.
I'm a single dad, so staying on
top of things can be hard, huh?
Earlier this year, he had
this really bad splinter
for the whole day before
I noticed and took it out.
So those sorts of things can happen.
But today was the worst.
Can you point to the face which shows
how much pain you're in?
Which one do you feel like?
Yeah, naming feelings
isn't really easy for him.
We understand, Mr. Kemp.
Autism is a spectrum. It
affects everyone differently.
Uh, Dr. Kinney and Dr.
Markus will run some tests
to rule out any
neurological complications,
but upon first assessment,
Finn seems relatively unscathed.
Thank you, doctors. Right, Finn?
Thank you. Thank you.
10-year-old patient repeatedly
bangs his head against the wall?
Do we know if self-harm is a pattern?
Well, the jury's
still out, but as of now,
he's just an accident-prone
kid. How are you holding up?
What did the police say about your car?
I haven't reported it yet.
Suspicion isn't the same as fact.
What am I going to say?
That I think can't
prove that my patient,
who's also my husband's mistress,
destroyed my car because I
said I wouldn't see her anymore?
My car is one thing.
If the whole truth comes out,
it could destroy my career.
Maybe I ended things
with her too abruptly.
What does Morris say about all this?
I haven't told him yet. Without proof,
sharing her information would
breach HIPAA since he knows her.
Okay, the same can be said of me, then.
Is that the real reason, or is
that just a convenient excuse?
The moment I say anything to him,
it'll open a whole can of worms.
He'll think I've lost my mind
for continuing to see her.
No. For now, the doorman's been briefed.
I'm picking Maya up right after school.
This isn't my first
rodeo. It's under control.
Remember that patient
who followed me home?
Carol, protect yourself.
I hear you.
Don't worry.
I'm taking this seriously, I promise.
♪♪
- Stop!
- Hold still for me there, Finn.
- Can you just
- S should we call for backup?
- See if Jacob's around?
- We need Jacob for this?
- Or Dana anyway.
- You said Jacob.
- You said Jacob.
- See? Even our buddy Finn heard you.
You're reading into
it more than you should.
But let's table this for
now and focus on our patient.
Oh. Sorry, bud. I was distracting
the talent. That was my bad.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- It's okay, it's okay.
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
- It's okay. Hey, how about this?
Look. While I fix your I.V.,
you can push as many
buttons as you want.
You want to try it?
♪♪
All right, Finn, let's
try the other arm, yeah?
♪♪
Wait, you didn't feel that?
- Feel what?
- The I.V.? Finn's pain?
No.
♪♪
Tired of me yet? We're
a bit short staffed today.
40s, male, Jim Lang, A and O times four,
uh, found unconscious.
Uh, how long was he unconscious?
Reportedly under two minutes.
He didn't want to come
in, but his wife insisted.
We got another call, but he
can fill you in on the rest.
Katie! Katie!
Is she breathing?
Hey, can you get
someone help now, please?
- Katie! Katie!
- Nurse! Prep a crash cart!
We need a set of vitals.
Well, you know the drill, Katie.
- Rate your pain 1 through 10.
- 2.
Okay, while admirable
and useful in the field,
stoicism is no good here.
I'm fine. I didn't eat before work.
Mix hypoglycemia with sleep deprivation
and a splash of dehydration,
you get a syncope cocktail.
It's a rookie mistake.
Well, that's a fair self-diagnosis,
except for the fact that
I noticed your winces
were more pronounced this morning.
Why are you tracking my winces?
Uh, I'm not tracking them.
But you may have heard
that I have difficulty
recognizing faces, so I hone
in on features or expressions,
or in your case, winces.
So that's enough to admit me?
I have a sense there's
something else going on here.
In our field, it's very easy
to neglect your own needs
because you are so busy
taking care of other people.
But let us take care of you,
just this once, to make sure
there's nothing else going on.
Can I at least get
some of those ice chips
and those PB cups you give your
favorite patients while I wait?
I will even throw in
[WHISPERING] a chocolate chip cookie.
In the meantime, Dana will get a CBC,
CMP, and CT the basics
and I'll check back.
Mm.
Uh, what are you doing?
[SCOFFS] God, he was
so sweet and earnest,
didn't have the heart to
tell him I was leaving.
I cleared the concussion checklist.
I'm not staying for your CT scan.
And then die of an epidural hematoma?
That's not happening on my watch.
I know you're just
doing your due diligence.
I'm good. I know what a
really bad fall looks like.
Then you also know that
the cost of being wrong isn't worth it.
The only cost I'm worried about
is the pricey hospital bill
you're trying to stick me with.
- Don't paramedics have good insurance?
- [SCOFFS]
Even if you leave
against medical advice,
I care what happens to you.
You're not just a number here, I swear.
Patient number 026794.
Come on, Dana, I'm,
like, literally a number.
Look, just save the
hospital bed for someone
who actually needs it.
My partner will monitor me 24/7.
Pinky promise.
Fine. On one condition.
You accept a liter of LR on the house.
Just rest up for a few hours, okay?
This is an Axonal Flare Test, Mr. Kemp.
It assesses the function
of small nerve fibers.
Only take a few seconds to see
if there's a reaction to the histamine.
You're saying there's something
wrong with Finn's nerves?
We've been doing some research,
and Finn might have a
rare genetic disorder.
It's just a theory.
But this test could give us answers.
♪♪
Well, it's the same.
Same is good, right?
In this case, a negative
reaction is to be expected
with patients with CIPA.
Congenital insensitivity to pain.
It means that Finn can't feel pain.
♪♪
So all those times he was
hurt, he couldn't even feel it.
He didn't know.
How did I miss this? I'm his father.
There are less than 100
cases of CIPA in the U.S.
Finn's symptoms might have been
falsely attributed to autism.
Can you give us a moment, please?
Of course.
Tough diagnosis to give,
even harder one to uncover.
- What made you think of CIPA?
- Because of you.
When Finn ripped his
I.V. out, even I flinched.
You were able to bandage him up
and start a new I.V.
without missing a beat.
With your Mirror-Touch,
you didn't feel it,
- which might have meant
- Finn didn't feel it, either.
Wow. You're so impressive, E.
My next mystery is to uncover
how you've hidden a stim-toy
obsession from me all this time.
What other secrets are you hiding, Van?
Okay. Help me out here.
I need a distraction.
Remember my friend I was telling
you about, the chiropractor?
Well, turns out he's newly single.
- [CHUCKLES]
- [PAGER BEEPING]
- Don't do that.
- I'm on deck for surgery.
No, don't do that.
Stop trying to set me
up with your weird friends.
Nichols, I don't quit easily!
Oh.
Uh, Carol just offered
to set me up with someone.
- My Carol?
- Mm.
She's literally never tried to
set me up with her friends.
Wait, did you want to be
set up with Carol's friend?
I did not, but I am curious.
Have you not told Carol
about us? It's no issue.
Just dating, if that's what
we're doing, is a secret,
- I want to be privy to that.
- It's not that.
But if I tell Carol,
then it becomes a thing.
- So we're not a thing?
- No, we're not not a thing.
But Carol likes to psychologize
my dating decisions.
There will be follow-up questions.
- So many.
- Without reason, I'm sure.
- Do you want me to tell Carol?
- Honestly, I assumed you did.
I mean, I didn't think you two
were capable of keeping
secrets like that,
especially considering that
your mom knows more than her.
I'm fine either way.
I gotta go scrub in.
♪♪
Did the fumigators come early?
It's Drakkar Noir. It's too much?
No. You know it's not too
late to come out with me tonight.
Carol, he's just a little late.
A little late was two hours ago.
You think Billy stood me up?
Even if he did, I
never liked him anyway.
New York City is full of Billys.
You're coming out with me
tonight. I'll be your wingwoman.
[LIQUID POURS]
Uh, don't worry about
me. Just go have fun.
Maybe I'll catch up with you later?
Okay. Suit yourself.
Where my girls at? ♪
From the front to back,
well, is you feelin' that? ♪
Put one hand up,
can you repeat that? ♪
Tryna take my man,
see, I don't need that ♪
So don't play yourself,
where my girls at? ♪
Dr. Bowen, call 331. Dr. Bowen, 331.
[GRUNTS]
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]
[SIREN WAILING, RADIO CHATTER]
Katie? Look at me. Look at me.
There's no time!
Katie, it's okay. Here,
we're gonna set you down.
- Sit you down. Here.
- No! Gunshot wound.
- Need to stabilize.
- It's okay, I got you.
It's okay. No, no, it's
okay. She's delirious.
- What did the CT show?
- She refused the scan.
I tried to fight her on it, but she
cleared protocol. It was her call.
You're the only one
responsible for that call, Doctor.
[SIGHS] I guess I should
have listened to Dr. Dang
about that CT scan.
You're not gonna hold
it against her, are you?
My stubbornness shouldn't get
anyone else in trouble but me.
It was a good lesson for Dr. Dang.
And while you may be a stubborn patient,
luckily I am a very stubborn
doctor with some good news.
Uh, your CT scan is normal,
so no sign of head trauma from the fall.
So I was right. I'm fine.
Well, if it isn't a bleed,
then what's going on?
We're still waiting for
results from your spinal tap,
but your white blood
cell count is up to 25k.
So I've started you on
vancomycin and ceftriaxone.
I have an infection.
It's very possible that you
were exposed to some pathogen
through your job.
We have to rule out all possibilities.
The ambulance is a thunderdome
of infectious diseases.
Tell me everything. Spare no detail.
[RADIO CHATTER]
I'm on the road by 0500.
First stop West Bronx
for three-car pileup.
There was a motorcyclist.
I know you're one of them,
but this one, he
wasn't wearing a helmet.
- He was D.O.A.
- Whoa, that's an awful shock of adrenaline in the morning.
Next up, intoxicated
female who refuses to comply.
Has a history of drug use, so
I tried to save her sedation,
- but maybe that was a mistake.
- Aah!
- She's a frequent flier.
- When you say frequent flier
Ugh!
- Let's save the questions for the end.
- Okay.
- Someone's grandpa
- [VOMITS]
Ugh! who we thought had the flu.
I end my day with Lucia,
a 14-year-old female who
just came out to her parents.
She attempted suicide
when they rejected her.
I get a lot of these.
I tell her that she's not alone,
even when it feels like it,
and that I, too, was
scared to tell my parents.
But one day it's going to be okay.
It takes a lot of
resilience to do what you do.
Right back at you.
Most of my patients end up at
hospitals like Bronx General.
But it's different when you're a
first responder on the front line.
At the end of the day, the
comedown must be brutal.
There's no comedown if you never stop.
You're febrile 102.5
even with the antibiotics.
The spinal fluid results are back.
- It's meningitis.
- The headaches,
the fever, it all makes sense.
I don't think grandpa had the flu.
Dr. Wolf, he died within 24 hours.
Katie, that story is not yours.
Now that we know why you're
sick, we can fight it head-on.
♪♪
[HORNS HONK]
Is my son gonna be okay?
CIPA isn't terminal,
but I will be honest
few survive past the age of 25.
The older they get, the
less vigilant they become.
I want to set weekly appointments
for Finn to monitor his health
and help him understand his condition.
Let's do everything we
can to keep him safe.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
♪♪
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]
Hey, Mr. Kemp?
Uh, I just wanted to tell
you, I have a son, too.
When I'm with him, every other
word out of my mouth is "careful."
You came to the right
place. Finn's in good hands.
Thank you.
Hey, Dad!
Doctor Kinney said they
have Popsicles downstairs.
Can we go?
- Yeah.
- It's just to the left.
I don't know how parents do it.
A lifetime of stress over a human
completely outside of your control.
Can you imagine? No, thanks.
Y-you don't want kids?
No. I never have.
Just not for me.
We still on for tomorrow night?
Uh, yeah. Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
♪♪
Come on!
- [SCOFFS]
- Allow me.
[CANDY THUDS, VENDING
MACHINE DOOR OPENS]
Thank you.
I'm sort of
dating Josh.
Oh.
Well, thank you for
sharing that with me.
That's it? No more questions
or thoughts or concerns?
Where's the usual interrogation?
Not in the mood.
Just be careful, Wolf.
You two work together,
and if things implode,
there's no escape hatch.
So
Thanks for the candy bar.
[SCOFFS]
Plot twist I met a guy.
His name is Morris.
He kind of looks like sexy Sinbad.
Ollie? You home?
[LIGHT SWITCH CLICKS]
Wolf?
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
No. No.
[BREATHES SHARPLY]
Ollie?
- Get it out, Ollie.
- [VOMITS]
That's it. That's it.
♪♪
Carol, I don't feel so good.
That's nothing compared to what
I'm going to do to you tomorrow.
Mm. [SLURRING] I'm so tomorrow.
Please don't be Carol at me.
Don't you ever do
something like that again.
Okay?
- [GRUNTS]
- Her MAP is less than 50.
We've bolused two liters of LR,
and she's still not responding.
- [SCREAMING]
- Katie?
- That's why the lights are off.
- Photophobia. Nuclear rigidity.
Her meningitis is worsening. She's
not responding to antibiotics.
Katie, we're here. Just take a breath.
[GASPS, COUGHS]
[STRAINING] It hurts to breathe.
She's developing pulmonary
edema from the fluids.
- We need to switch to pressors.
- I'll go get the norepinephrine.
- Katie's in septic shock.
- We did everything right.
- If the antibiotics don't work
- You know the answer to that.
The lifesaving question is, why?
Gram-positive rods.
Her meningitis was caused by listeria?
But we never cover listeria
for patients like Katie,
other than an on-duty
injury here and there.
She's young, healthy.
Yeah, I've never seen
anyone with her history
get so sick from listeria.
It's incredibly rare.
While I get her on
ampicillin, I need you two
to solve the real mystery.
Why is Katie dying from an infection
that only kills the elderly
or immunocompromised?
- [HORNS HONK]
- Whoo!
♪♪
- What are you doing here?
- I really needed to talk.
You're the only one who can help me.
Alison, no. You know this is messy.
I cannot help you.
And I've already referred you to
a number of other psychiatrists.
You're just wrong.
You're the only one
who gets how hurt I am.
I know it. You're hurting, too.
Morris did this to both of us.
Alison, get yourself some help, please.
Do you get off on me needing you?
I thought the car thing would
have gotten your attention,
but apparently, you need to
play hard to get, unlike Morris.
Whatever happened
between you and my husband
has nothing to do with me.
He told me you sleep
in separate bedrooms,
that you haven't touched him in months.
♪♪
If you ever come within
100 yards of Maya again,
I will call the police.
Why haven't you?
Is it because you knew that Morris and I
were sleeping together before
you stopped treating me?
Don't push me, Dr. Pierce.
One call, I could ruin you.
♪♪
Mom?
- Hey, baby.
- Hey!
Why are you here?
And why was Alison with you?
How do you know her?
I had lunch with her and dad
when I met him at work once.
Is it, uh, always this humid in here?
Take it up with the ferns.
Oh. Okay.
- You will be happy to know
- Hmm?
I told Carol.
You look surprised.
Frankly, yes.
How'd it go?
She told me to be careful.
Of me?
Of myself.
I mean, Carol's seen me
on some of my worst days
every broken heart, every bad date.
It's been a while since I've been in
a proper
[CHUCKLES] relationship.
I get it.
Every relationship
I've been in was a rush.
I don't need this one to be, too.
Well, let's not ruminate on the past.
♪♪
So
last night was really scary.
Do we have to do this, Carol?
Look, I get it. Getting set up sucks.
But you just met Billy.
Was he really worth
drinking all our good vodka?
He struck a nerve.
I know it wasn't my dad's fault,
but when someone promises
to come back and they don't,
that pain still follows me.
Sometimes it hurts so
bad I can't breathe.
Whenever I'm alone for too long, I
The bad thoughts start to creep back in.
And it scares me.
And when that happens,
I don't want to feel anything at all.
Numbing the pain can
feel good in the moment.
But if I didn't come
home, you could have
When you hurt yourself, you hurt
the people who love you, too.
Your dad raised an amazing person, wolf.
My favorite person.
I wish he was here to see it.
♪♪
[LIGHT FLICKERS ON]
Katie basically lives on the rig.
Figured it'd be worth checking it out.
I must admit, I'm impressed, Dr. Nash.
This is pretty outside
the box, even for me.
The ampicillin is working,
but why is she immunocompromised?
Let's say the tank was leaking.
Could hyperoxia impact immunity?
Tanks are full. There's
nothing out of the ordinary.
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]
Check this out.
What is a prescription pad doing
inside a paramedic's ambulance?
Hand it over.
Perks of being a nosy snoop as a kid.
If you shoot over the grooves
You can see what was prescribed.
Prednisone?
Why would Katie steal an RX pad
to prescribe herself steroids?
My teammates used to
stash stuff like this
all the time to self-medicate injuries,
especially if they
didn't want Coach to know
to stay in the game.
Her wince.
She said she was tired,
but she's in pain.
And hiding it to keep her job.
She could go to jail for this.
[GROANS]
- [DOOR CLOSES]
- Any updates?
Actually, I was hoping that you
might be able to fill me in.
Why have you been taking
steroids for months, Katie?
Uh
♪♪
Uh [SIGHS]
About six months ago,
I was the first to arrive
on-site for a 10-37-2,
a life-threatening medical emergency.
It was a fentanyl overdose.
No I.D., 20s, male, unresponsive.
I kept looking at him and thinking,
"That could be my little brother."
We got there before the cops,
and I could have waited for
them to secure the perimeter.
But with an overdose, you
know, every second is critical.
You're safe. I-it's okay.
It's okay, it's okay.
Are you in any pain?
- [GUN CLICKS]
- [GASPS]
You, you're a narc, huh?
[WIND HOWLING]
I'm a paramedic.
I'm here to help your friend.
[SIRENS WAILING]
H-He needs an I.V.
[TIRES SCREECH]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Move in!
[GUNSHOT]
On the plus side, there
was an ambulance on-site.
I spent the next month bed rest.
Gunshot wound healed,
but the pain never left.
♪♪
Probably went back
a little early, but
Me laying there, going over
my mistakes wasn't good for me.
I feel better when I'm working.
Adrenaline is my best medicine.
Adrenaline is not a long-term
solution, just like steroids.
They both tear the body down long-term.
Why didn't you tell anyone?
The moment you can't carry
your weight in the field,
you're done.
Steroids help me manage the pain.
Well, the steroids may
have made you feel better,
but they also made
you immunocompromised,
which allowed the listeria
to almost kill you.
I can't imagine a world where I'm
doing anything other than what I do.
Saving lives keeps me alive.
Are you going to report me, Dr. Wolf?
For what?
It's pure conjecture.
I didn't see you do anything.
Listen
chronic pain is known
as the invisible disease
because there is no scan or
test to quantify one's suffering.
But that doesn't make it less real.
Even after the pain leaves,
your brain is changed,
hardwired to look for it around
every corner, behind every door.
Sounds like you know from experience?
Let's just say that you're
not the only person in this room
who's self-medicated.
We're gonna wean you
off the steroids slowly.
You may not have this pain forever.
Long-term, we need a new plan.
♪♪
So, as we discussed, this
is an experimental solution
to Finn's condition.
We have a patient who uses
naloxone in their line of work.
It reminded me of a
case study that showed
the drug can activate
specific sodium channels in
the neural pathway responsible
for pain receptivity.
Ideally, the naloxone will
turn on Finn's pain receptors.
- Like a switch?
- Like a switch. Exactly.
♪♪
Ouch!
[CHUCKLES]
So, what does this mean going forward?
Finn will have to take naloxone
daily in order to feel pain?
Unfortunately, this isn't
a long-term solution.
The effects of the naloxone
only last a few hours.
That said, we're exploring
fairly uncharted territory.
With naloxone, we might be able
to train Finn to be more aware
of his surroundings,
conceptually know his limits.
♪♪
Ouch.
That's what too cold feels like.
Over time, Finn could differentiate
between safe and dangerous,
knowing which behaviors
to avoid in the future.
With constant supervision,
we can expose him
to new sensations and
continue to learn together.
You've given my son
the gift of feeling pain.
Good pain.
Hey, there's hope.
Good job.
[GROANS]
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]
[GROANS] Mm!
Can I please help you into bed?
You look so uncomfortable,
it's making my back hurt.
I appreciate the offer,
but this is my preferred sleep position.
Oh, like my 97-year-old
haraboji watching the news?
97? You got good genes.
He told me he's holding out because
he wants his last check to bounce.
[CHUCKLES]
Mm.
[SIGHS]
I can't even sleep like a normal person.
Living in pain, there's
no rest, no relief,
only adrenaline,
drugs, and distractions.
But at the end of the
day, it's always there.
I've seen it break others.
I know what comes next.
My career, my health, my life.
It feels like a death sentence.
♪♪
I can't imagine what you
must feel physically each day,
like your body doesn't
answer to you anymore.
But I do know what chronic
emotional pain feels like,
that ache or sting or
throb you can't shake away.
I get not wanting to stop
or slow down long enough
to let it catch up with you.
[SNIFFLES]
♪♪
I'm here.
Okay?
♪♪
[HORNS HONKING]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS,
TELEPHONE RINGING]
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]
Close the door.
What emergency can't
be explained on the phone?
I left the conference
early to get back here.
When I picked up Maya
for dinner the other day,
Alison was there waiting for me.
Are you okay?
I'm I'm so sorry,
but I have not seen
her in months, I swear.
You said you told me everything,
but you never mentioned
that Maya met her.
What kind of man takes his daughter
out to lunch with his mistress?
What, were you testing the
waters to see if they get along?
No! That was way before
anything happened with me and her.
She seemed lonely. I was being nice.
You were being nice?
How could you do this to us?
I have done everything for this family.
I turned down jobs when
your career was taking off.
I was there before all the
accolades and all the funding.
I was the ideal partner. And for what?
To live out of a duffel bag
and only see my daughter
every other weekend?
♪♪
I hate myself for putting us here.
I wish I had an excuse.
I don't.
♪♪
All I know is I'd do anything
to put our family back together.
So what can I do?
I want you to tell me the truth.
Did you sleep with her more than once?
♪♪
Yes.
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
Were you in love with her?
Mm. Mm.
Get out of my office.
No. No.
- Get out!
- Carol, I
Hey, oh, hey, hey.
I think she made herself
clear, Morris. You need to go.
Now.
[SOBBING]
♪♪
Oh! Oh, God!
[LAUGHS]
It's freezing in here.
[SHIVERS] This better be worth it.
Oh, believe me, ice
baths reduce inflammation,
stimulate blood flow,
boost the immune system,
and override pain by short
circuiting the nervous system.
Also in the pro column, you remind
me of Haley Graham from "Stick It."
Crucial moment in my gay awakening.
That I'll take.
[LAUGHTER]
Ooh, God. What ever happened
to the "we're gonna
be in this together"?
You should be in here with me.
Ooh. [INHALES SHARPLY]
It's a fat chance.
Oh, my God, this
- Oh, well, here he goes.
- Ohh!
- Jesus.
- Okay.
- Ooh!
- Call me when you need someone ♪
Oh!
You're not such a
tough guy now, are you?
Not what this feel like.
What you doing talking over there?
The ancient Greeks
spoke of pain as an emotion,
a feeling intertwined with who we are.
[LAUGHTER]
And to an extent, they were right.
Pain originates in the brain.
One brain can feel too much pain
while another feels no pain at all.
Rather than seeing it as
something to squash or conquer,
true healing requires us
to acknowledge our pain.
You know, PT is gonna go
a long way for Katie, Dang.
- Nice work.
- Nah, that's all her.
She's a living shero.
Low-key
you two would make a cute couple.
Not all lesbians are
into each other, okay?
And, uh, she has a
partner, anyways, so
You do know that's what paramedics
call their coworkers, right?
Katie told me she's single as a Pringle.
Call me when you need someone ♪
Uh, well, maybe you should
practice what you preach
and go for it, too.
What do you mean?
Like, I haven't noticed the
chemistry between you and Erika?
♪♪
I'm just saying, be a shame
if you didn't shoot your shot.
♪♪
You don't know anything.
Or maybe it'll make
it worse, I don't know ♪
Hi.
Oh!
- How are you doing?
- Mm.
I've seen better days.
I just wanted to say thank
you for being there for me
always.
For being my first responder.
[CELLPHONE CHIMES]
Is Josh the reason you
upgraded to the 21st century?
Yeah, we don't have to talk
about it. It's not important.
No, no, don't do that.
I'm sorry I was so curt the other day.
My own love life's in shambles.
But I am happy for you.
And I could use a hint
of romance in my life.
So, dish. Who made the first move?
- Uh, that would be me.
- Ooh!
I completely forgot to tell you
my mother caught us
kissing in the elevator.
Wait, wait! So, I'm a
step behind Muriel now?
- Yeah, well
- Dang!
What I would have given to
see the look on her face.
Ultimately, pain tells
us to pay attention
- [KNOCK ON DOOR]
- look closer.
Only then can we grow and move forward.
Butter pecan. It's your favorite, right?
Jacob, hey.
Everything okay?
Nah, nah, it's not like that, okay?
I just I wanted to
make up for the other times
I showed up unannounced.
It meant a lot to me, you being there.
I just wanted you to know that.
I appreciate you,
but now isn't really a great time.
Yeah.
Rain check maybe?
Of course. Yeah. I'll
I'll leave you to it.
Oh, um, just a heads-up
The light's still flickering
like it's "The Shining" in your lobby.
- You should tell your super.
- Yeah, I've been telling him about that.
And thanks for the ice
cream. It is my favorite.
Yeah.
Night, Jacob.
♪♪
Call me when you need someone ♪
I could be your 911 ♪
[IMITATING AMBULANCE SIREN]
Who was that?
Uh nobody.
- Wrong apartment.
- [CHUCKLES]
So
what's it like being with someone
when you have Mirror-Touch?
It's, uh, pretty intense.
Mm.
Really intense, actually.
How about for you?
'Cause I could be your 911 ♪
I would say it's a definite perk.
♪♪
♪♪
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
♪♪
[POUNDING ON DOOR]
Alison, this is a welfare check.
We're coming in.
♪♪
Alison? Alison?
Is she breathing?
♪♪
Greg, move your head.
When you find yourself in crisis,
what is your first response?
Who is the first one you call?
[STATIC] Unit 240, we got a code three.
A 10-year-old male in psychiatric
distress, self-harming.
Apartment's on the
third floor of a walk-up
on Broadway and Main.
[SIREN WAILING]
♪♪
Please, please, please, Finn, stop.
Finn, stop!
[DOOR CLOSES]
Please, please, stop, stop, stop, stop.
Mr. Kemp? I'm Katie. This is Max.
Are you hurt? Fill us in.
No, no, no, no. I was
trying to bandage my son Finn.
He was playing, and he broke
this vase and cut himself.
And when I tried to take a look,
he locked himself in the bathroom.
The head banging, it's
common with autism.
But I don't know what to
do. I've tried everything.
I'll grab a stair chair
and irons from the brig.
Yeah.
[THUD]
Hey, Finn? I'm a paramedic.
It sounds like you're hurt.
Can I come in and take a look?
He's gonna knock himself
out or cause permanent damage.
[THUD]
Finn, please, please, please stop.
Finn, you have to stop. Please.
That's a nice set of Camaros you got.
[THUD]
I drive a pretty good rig.
It's a Chevy, too.
[THUDDING STOPS]
♪♪
Is he unconscious?
[LOCK CLICKS]
♪♪
Ah!
[CHUCKLES]
[GRUNTING]
Sorry, buddy.
Restraints of protocol.
It's required by the law.
Hey, Max?
Can you tell the dad to
meet us at Barnes General?
- I can take it from here.
- Sure.
Yeah. Thanks.
Hey. Hey, hey, hey.
So I know these straps are
uncomfy and a little scary,
but think of this ambulance
as a roller coaster.
And these straps are like
seat belts but for your hands.
They keep us both safe while we ride.
Ready? Yeah?
♪♪
Want to know what kind of rig were in?
You were wrong earlier.
It's not a Chevy, but that's
okay. It's a Ford F-350.
Okay, hotshot. Name as many
Chevy models as you can. Go.
Blazer. Camaro. Corvette. Coupe.
- Bolt. Malibu.
- Bro, Van,
- where'd you get those shoes?
- They were a gift, okay?
No. They fire, man. Can I try them on?
- Heads up.
- What you got for us, Katie?
Dang, Finn, you must be a big deal.
You got Dr. Wolf and his whole
team out here waiting for you.
Promise not to have
too much fun without me?
Can't promise anything. But I can try.
That's all I ask for.
Uh, 10-year-old autistic male Finn Kemp.
A and O times four, vitals stable,
bilateral lacerations on him, uh,
because of, uh, broken glass,
head injury from head banging.
- Everything okay, Katie?
- Oh, yeah. Just a headache.
[CHUCKLES] Blame it on the coffee
or the the six
back-to-back morning shifts.
- Unit 240.
- Copy.
Always a pleasure, Dr. Wolf.
Take care of Finn for me. I gotta run.
6-year-old female
♪♪
So a few bad burns, uh,
staph infection, and a sprained
ankle all in the last year.
We've got quite the injury history.
Are you Johnny Knoxville or something?
No, I'm Finn Kemp.
Kids his age, they're
always bumping into things
and tripping over each other.
I'm a single dad, so staying on
top of things can be hard, huh?
Earlier this year, he had
this really bad splinter
for the whole day before
I noticed and took it out.
So those sorts of things can happen.
But today was the worst.
Can you point to the face which shows
how much pain you're in?
Which one do you feel like?
Yeah, naming feelings
isn't really easy for him.
We understand, Mr. Kemp.
Autism is a spectrum. It
affects everyone differently.
Uh, Dr. Kinney and Dr.
Markus will run some tests
to rule out any
neurological complications,
but upon first assessment,
Finn seems relatively unscathed.
Thank you, doctors. Right, Finn?
Thank you. Thank you.
10-year-old patient repeatedly
bangs his head against the wall?
Do we know if self-harm is a pattern?
Well, the jury's
still out, but as of now,
he's just an accident-prone
kid. How are you holding up?
What did the police say about your car?
I haven't reported it yet.
Suspicion isn't the same as fact.
What am I going to say?
That I think can't
prove that my patient,
who's also my husband's mistress,
destroyed my car because I
said I wouldn't see her anymore?
My car is one thing.
If the whole truth comes out,
it could destroy my career.
Maybe I ended things
with her too abruptly.
What does Morris say about all this?
I haven't told him yet. Without proof,
sharing her information would
breach HIPAA since he knows her.
Okay, the same can be said of me, then.
Is that the real reason, or is
that just a convenient excuse?
The moment I say anything to him,
it'll open a whole can of worms.
He'll think I've lost my mind
for continuing to see her.
No. For now, the doorman's been briefed.
I'm picking Maya up right after school.
This isn't my first
rodeo. It's under control.
Remember that patient
who followed me home?
Carol, protect yourself.
I hear you.
Don't worry.
I'm taking this seriously, I promise.
♪♪
- Stop!
- Hold still for me there, Finn.
- Can you just
- S should we call for backup?
- See if Jacob's around?
- We need Jacob for this?
- Or Dana anyway.
- You said Jacob.
- You said Jacob.
- See? Even our buddy Finn heard you.
You're reading into
it more than you should.
But let's table this for
now and focus on our patient.
Oh. Sorry, bud. I was distracting
the talent. That was my bad.
- No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
- It's okay, it's okay.
- No, no, no, no, no, no.
- It's okay. Hey, how about this?
Look. While I fix your I.V.,
you can push as many
buttons as you want.
You want to try it?
♪♪
All right, Finn, let's
try the other arm, yeah?
♪♪
Wait, you didn't feel that?
- Feel what?
- The I.V.? Finn's pain?
No.
♪♪
Tired of me yet? We're
a bit short staffed today.
40s, male, Jim Lang, A and O times four,
uh, found unconscious.
Uh, how long was he unconscious?
Reportedly under two minutes.
He didn't want to come
in, but his wife insisted.
We got another call, but he
can fill you in on the rest.
Katie! Katie!
Is she breathing?
Hey, can you get
someone help now, please?
- Katie! Katie!
- Nurse! Prep a crash cart!
We need a set of vitals.
Well, you know the drill, Katie.
- Rate your pain 1 through 10.
- 2.
Okay, while admirable
and useful in the field,
stoicism is no good here.
I'm fine. I didn't eat before work.
Mix hypoglycemia with sleep deprivation
and a splash of dehydration,
you get a syncope cocktail.
It's a rookie mistake.
Well, that's a fair self-diagnosis,
except for the fact that
I noticed your winces
were more pronounced this morning.
Why are you tracking my winces?
Uh, I'm not tracking them.
But you may have heard
that I have difficulty
recognizing faces, so I hone
in on features or expressions,
or in your case, winces.
So that's enough to admit me?
I have a sense there's
something else going on here.
In our field, it's very easy
to neglect your own needs
because you are so busy
taking care of other people.
But let us take care of you,
just this once, to make sure
there's nothing else going on.
Can I at least get
some of those ice chips
and those PB cups you give your
favorite patients while I wait?
I will even throw in
[WHISPERING] a chocolate chip cookie.
In the meantime, Dana will get a CBC,
CMP, and CT the basics
and I'll check back.
Mm.
Uh, what are you doing?
[SCOFFS] God, he was
so sweet and earnest,
didn't have the heart to
tell him I was leaving.
I cleared the concussion checklist.
I'm not staying for your CT scan.
And then die of an epidural hematoma?
That's not happening on my watch.
I know you're just
doing your due diligence.
I'm good. I know what a
really bad fall looks like.
Then you also know that
the cost of being wrong isn't worth it.
The only cost I'm worried about
is the pricey hospital bill
you're trying to stick me with.
- Don't paramedics have good insurance?
- [SCOFFS]
Even if you leave
against medical advice,
I care what happens to you.
You're not just a number here, I swear.
Patient number 026794.
Come on, Dana, I'm,
like, literally a number.
Look, just save the
hospital bed for someone
who actually needs it.
My partner will monitor me 24/7.
Pinky promise.
Fine. On one condition.
You accept a liter of LR on the house.
Just rest up for a few hours, okay?
This is an Axonal Flare Test, Mr. Kemp.
It assesses the function
of small nerve fibers.
Only take a few seconds to see
if there's a reaction to the histamine.
You're saying there's something
wrong with Finn's nerves?
We've been doing some research,
and Finn might have a
rare genetic disorder.
It's just a theory.
But this test could give us answers.
♪♪
Well, it's the same.
Same is good, right?
In this case, a negative
reaction is to be expected
with patients with CIPA.
Congenital insensitivity to pain.
It means that Finn can't feel pain.
♪♪
So all those times he was
hurt, he couldn't even feel it.
He didn't know.
How did I miss this? I'm his father.
There are less than 100
cases of CIPA in the U.S.
Finn's symptoms might have been
falsely attributed to autism.
Can you give us a moment, please?
Of course.
Tough diagnosis to give,
even harder one to uncover.
- What made you think of CIPA?
- Because of you.
When Finn ripped his
I.V. out, even I flinched.
You were able to bandage him up
and start a new I.V.
without missing a beat.
With your Mirror-Touch,
you didn't feel it,
- which might have meant
- Finn didn't feel it, either.
Wow. You're so impressive, E.
My next mystery is to uncover
how you've hidden a stim-toy
obsession from me all this time.
What other secrets are you hiding, Van?
Okay. Help me out here.
I need a distraction.
Remember my friend I was telling
you about, the chiropractor?
Well, turns out he's newly single.
- [CHUCKLES]
- [PAGER BEEPING]
- Don't do that.
- I'm on deck for surgery.
No, don't do that.
Stop trying to set me
up with your weird friends.
Nichols, I don't quit easily!
Oh.
Uh, Carol just offered
to set me up with someone.
- My Carol?
- Mm.
She's literally never tried to
set me up with her friends.
Wait, did you want to be
set up with Carol's friend?
I did not, but I am curious.
Have you not told Carol
about us? It's no issue.
Just dating, if that's what
we're doing, is a secret,
- I want to be privy to that.
- It's not that.
But if I tell Carol,
then it becomes a thing.
- So we're not a thing?
- No, we're not not a thing.
But Carol likes to psychologize
my dating decisions.
There will be follow-up questions.
- So many.
- Without reason, I'm sure.
- Do you want me to tell Carol?
- Honestly, I assumed you did.
I mean, I didn't think you two
were capable of keeping
secrets like that,
especially considering that
your mom knows more than her.
I'm fine either way.
I gotta go scrub in.
♪♪
Did the fumigators come early?
It's Drakkar Noir. It's too much?
No. You know it's not too
late to come out with me tonight.
Carol, he's just a little late.
A little late was two hours ago.
You think Billy stood me up?
Even if he did, I
never liked him anyway.
New York City is full of Billys.
You're coming out with me
tonight. I'll be your wingwoman.
[LIQUID POURS]
Uh, don't worry about
me. Just go have fun.
Maybe I'll catch up with you later?
Okay. Suit yourself.
Where my girls at? ♪
From the front to back,
well, is you feelin' that? ♪
Put one hand up,
can you repeat that? ♪
Tryna take my man,
see, I don't need that ♪
So don't play yourself,
where my girls at? ♪
Dr. Bowen, call 331. Dr. Bowen, 331.
[GRUNTS]
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]
[SIREN WAILING, RADIO CHATTER]
Katie? Look at me. Look at me.
There's no time!
Katie, it's okay. Here,
we're gonna set you down.
- Sit you down. Here.
- No! Gunshot wound.
- Need to stabilize.
- It's okay, I got you.
It's okay. No, no, it's
okay. She's delirious.
- What did the CT show?
- She refused the scan.
I tried to fight her on it, but she
cleared protocol. It was her call.
You're the only one
responsible for that call, Doctor.
[SIGHS] I guess I should
have listened to Dr. Dang
about that CT scan.
You're not gonna hold
it against her, are you?
My stubbornness shouldn't get
anyone else in trouble but me.
It was a good lesson for Dr. Dang.
And while you may be a stubborn patient,
luckily I am a very stubborn
doctor with some good news.
Uh, your CT scan is normal,
so no sign of head trauma from the fall.
So I was right. I'm fine.
Well, if it isn't a bleed,
then what's going on?
We're still waiting for
results from your spinal tap,
but your white blood
cell count is up to 25k.
So I've started you on
vancomycin and ceftriaxone.
I have an infection.
It's very possible that you
were exposed to some pathogen
through your job.
We have to rule out all possibilities.
The ambulance is a thunderdome
of infectious diseases.
Tell me everything. Spare no detail.
[RADIO CHATTER]
I'm on the road by 0500.
First stop West Bronx
for three-car pileup.
There was a motorcyclist.
I know you're one of them,
but this one, he
wasn't wearing a helmet.
- He was D.O.A.
- Whoa, that's an awful shock of adrenaline in the morning.
Next up, intoxicated
female who refuses to comply.
Has a history of drug use, so
I tried to save her sedation,
- but maybe that was a mistake.
- Aah!
- She's a frequent flier.
- When you say frequent flier
Ugh!
- Let's save the questions for the end.
- Okay.
- Someone's grandpa
- [VOMITS]
Ugh! who we thought had the flu.
I end my day with Lucia,
a 14-year-old female who
just came out to her parents.
She attempted suicide
when they rejected her.
I get a lot of these.
I tell her that she's not alone,
even when it feels like it,
and that I, too, was
scared to tell my parents.
But one day it's going to be okay.
It takes a lot of
resilience to do what you do.
Right back at you.
Most of my patients end up at
hospitals like Bronx General.
But it's different when you're a
first responder on the front line.
At the end of the day, the
comedown must be brutal.
There's no comedown if you never stop.
You're febrile 102.5
even with the antibiotics.
The spinal fluid results are back.
- It's meningitis.
- The headaches,
the fever, it all makes sense.
I don't think grandpa had the flu.
Dr. Wolf, he died within 24 hours.
Katie, that story is not yours.
Now that we know why you're
sick, we can fight it head-on.
♪♪
[HORNS HONK]
Is my son gonna be okay?
CIPA isn't terminal,
but I will be honest
few survive past the age of 25.
The older they get, the
less vigilant they become.
I want to set weekly appointments
for Finn to monitor his health
and help him understand his condition.
Let's do everything we
can to keep him safe.
[TELEPHONE RINGING]
♪♪
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]
Hey, Mr. Kemp?
Uh, I just wanted to tell
you, I have a son, too.
When I'm with him, every other
word out of my mouth is "careful."
You came to the right
place. Finn's in good hands.
Thank you.
Hey, Dad!
Doctor Kinney said they
have Popsicles downstairs.
Can we go?
- Yeah.
- It's just to the left.
I don't know how parents do it.
A lifetime of stress over a human
completely outside of your control.
Can you imagine? No, thanks.
Y-you don't want kids?
No. I never have.
Just not for me.
We still on for tomorrow night?
Uh, yeah. Yeah.
Mm-hmm.
♪♪
Come on!
- [SCOFFS]
- Allow me.
[CANDY THUDS, VENDING
MACHINE DOOR OPENS]
Thank you.
I'm sort of
dating Josh.
Oh.
Well, thank you for
sharing that with me.
That's it? No more questions
or thoughts or concerns?
Where's the usual interrogation?
Not in the mood.
Just be careful, Wolf.
You two work together,
and if things implode,
there's no escape hatch.
So
Thanks for the candy bar.
[SCOFFS]
Plot twist I met a guy.
His name is Morris.
He kind of looks like sexy Sinbad.
Ollie? You home?
[LIGHT SWITCH CLICKS]
Wolf?
[BREATHING HEAVILY]
No. No.
[BREATHES SHARPLY]
Ollie?
- Get it out, Ollie.
- [VOMITS]
That's it. That's it.
♪♪
Carol, I don't feel so good.
That's nothing compared to what
I'm going to do to you tomorrow.
Mm. [SLURRING] I'm so tomorrow.
Please don't be Carol at me.
Don't you ever do
something like that again.
Okay?
- [GRUNTS]
- Her MAP is less than 50.
We've bolused two liters of LR,
and she's still not responding.
- [SCREAMING]
- Katie?
- That's why the lights are off.
- Photophobia. Nuclear rigidity.
Her meningitis is worsening. She's
not responding to antibiotics.
Katie, we're here. Just take a breath.
[GASPS, COUGHS]
[STRAINING] It hurts to breathe.
She's developing pulmonary
edema from the fluids.
- We need to switch to pressors.
- I'll go get the norepinephrine.
- Katie's in septic shock.
- We did everything right.
- If the antibiotics don't work
- You know the answer to that.
The lifesaving question is, why?
Gram-positive rods.
Her meningitis was caused by listeria?
But we never cover listeria
for patients like Katie,
other than an on-duty
injury here and there.
She's young, healthy.
Yeah, I've never seen
anyone with her history
get so sick from listeria.
It's incredibly rare.
While I get her on
ampicillin, I need you two
to solve the real mystery.
Why is Katie dying from an infection
that only kills the elderly
or immunocompromised?
- [HORNS HONK]
- Whoo!
♪♪
- What are you doing here?
- I really needed to talk.
You're the only one who can help me.
Alison, no. You know this is messy.
I cannot help you.
And I've already referred you to
a number of other psychiatrists.
You're just wrong.
You're the only one
who gets how hurt I am.
I know it. You're hurting, too.
Morris did this to both of us.
Alison, get yourself some help, please.
Do you get off on me needing you?
I thought the car thing would
have gotten your attention,
but apparently, you need to
play hard to get, unlike Morris.
Whatever happened
between you and my husband
has nothing to do with me.
He told me you sleep
in separate bedrooms,
that you haven't touched him in months.
♪♪
If you ever come within
100 yards of Maya again,
I will call the police.
Why haven't you?
Is it because you knew that Morris and I
were sleeping together before
you stopped treating me?
Don't push me, Dr. Pierce.
One call, I could ruin you.
♪♪
Mom?
- Hey, baby.
- Hey!
Why are you here?
And why was Alison with you?
How do you know her?
I had lunch with her and dad
when I met him at work once.
Is it, uh, always this humid in here?
Take it up with the ferns.
Oh. Okay.
- You will be happy to know
- Hmm?
I told Carol.
You look surprised.
Frankly, yes.
How'd it go?
She told me to be careful.
Of me?
Of myself.
I mean, Carol's seen me
on some of my worst days
every broken heart, every bad date.
It's been a while since I've been in
a proper
[CHUCKLES] relationship.
I get it.
Every relationship
I've been in was a rush.
I don't need this one to be, too.
Well, let's not ruminate on the past.
♪♪
So
last night was really scary.
Do we have to do this, Carol?
Look, I get it. Getting set up sucks.
But you just met Billy.
Was he really worth
drinking all our good vodka?
He struck a nerve.
I know it wasn't my dad's fault,
but when someone promises
to come back and they don't,
that pain still follows me.
Sometimes it hurts so
bad I can't breathe.
Whenever I'm alone for too long, I
The bad thoughts start to creep back in.
And it scares me.
And when that happens,
I don't want to feel anything at all.
Numbing the pain can
feel good in the moment.
But if I didn't come
home, you could have
When you hurt yourself, you hurt
the people who love you, too.
Your dad raised an amazing person, wolf.
My favorite person.
I wish he was here to see it.
♪♪
[LIGHT FLICKERS ON]
Katie basically lives on the rig.
Figured it'd be worth checking it out.
I must admit, I'm impressed, Dr. Nash.
This is pretty outside
the box, even for me.
The ampicillin is working,
but why is she immunocompromised?
Let's say the tank was leaking.
Could hyperoxia impact immunity?
Tanks are full. There's
nothing out of the ordinary.
[SIREN WAILING IN DISTANCE]
Check this out.
What is a prescription pad doing
inside a paramedic's ambulance?
Hand it over.
Perks of being a nosy snoop as a kid.
If you shoot over the grooves
You can see what was prescribed.
Prednisone?
Why would Katie steal an RX pad
to prescribe herself steroids?
My teammates used to
stash stuff like this
all the time to self-medicate injuries,
especially if they
didn't want Coach to know
to stay in the game.
Her wince.
She said she was tired,
but she's in pain.
And hiding it to keep her job.
She could go to jail for this.
[GROANS]
- [DOOR CLOSES]
- Any updates?
Actually, I was hoping that you
might be able to fill me in.
Why have you been taking
steroids for months, Katie?
Uh
♪♪
Uh [SIGHS]
About six months ago,
I was the first to arrive
on-site for a 10-37-2,
a life-threatening medical emergency.
It was a fentanyl overdose.
No I.D., 20s, male, unresponsive.
I kept looking at him and thinking,
"That could be my little brother."
We got there before the cops,
and I could have waited for
them to secure the perimeter.
But with an overdose, you
know, every second is critical.
You're safe. I-it's okay.
It's okay, it's okay.
Are you in any pain?
- [GUN CLICKS]
- [GASPS]
You, you're a narc, huh?
[WIND HOWLING]
I'm a paramedic.
I'm here to help your friend.
[SIRENS WAILING]
H-He needs an I.V.
[TIRES SCREECH]
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
Move in!
[GUNSHOT]
On the plus side, there
was an ambulance on-site.
I spent the next month bed rest.
Gunshot wound healed,
but the pain never left.
♪♪
Probably went back
a little early, but
Me laying there, going over
my mistakes wasn't good for me.
I feel better when I'm working.
Adrenaline is my best medicine.
Adrenaline is not a long-term
solution, just like steroids.
They both tear the body down long-term.
Why didn't you tell anyone?
The moment you can't carry
your weight in the field,
you're done.
Steroids help me manage the pain.
Well, the steroids may
have made you feel better,
but they also made
you immunocompromised,
which allowed the listeria
to almost kill you.
I can't imagine a world where I'm
doing anything other than what I do.
Saving lives keeps me alive.
Are you going to report me, Dr. Wolf?
For what?
It's pure conjecture.
I didn't see you do anything.
Listen
chronic pain is known
as the invisible disease
because there is no scan or
test to quantify one's suffering.
But that doesn't make it less real.
Even after the pain leaves,
your brain is changed,
hardwired to look for it around
every corner, behind every door.
Sounds like you know from experience?
Let's just say that you're
not the only person in this room
who's self-medicated.
We're gonna wean you
off the steroids slowly.
You may not have this pain forever.
Long-term, we need a new plan.
♪♪
So, as we discussed, this
is an experimental solution
to Finn's condition.
We have a patient who uses
naloxone in their line of work.
It reminded me of a
case study that showed
the drug can activate
specific sodium channels in
the neural pathway responsible
for pain receptivity.
Ideally, the naloxone will
turn on Finn's pain receptors.
- Like a switch?
- Like a switch. Exactly.
♪♪
Ouch!
[CHUCKLES]
So, what does this mean going forward?
Finn will have to take naloxone
daily in order to feel pain?
Unfortunately, this isn't
a long-term solution.
The effects of the naloxone
only last a few hours.
That said, we're exploring
fairly uncharted territory.
With naloxone, we might be able
to train Finn to be more aware
of his surroundings,
conceptually know his limits.
♪♪
Ouch.
That's what too cold feels like.
Over time, Finn could differentiate
between safe and dangerous,
knowing which behaviors
to avoid in the future.
With constant supervision,
we can expose him
to new sensations and
continue to learn together.
You've given my son
the gift of feeling pain.
Good pain.
Hey, there's hope.
Good job.
[GROANS]
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]
[GROANS] Mm!
Can I please help you into bed?
You look so uncomfortable,
it's making my back hurt.
I appreciate the offer,
but this is my preferred sleep position.
Oh, like my 97-year-old
haraboji watching the news?
97? You got good genes.
He told me he's holding out because
he wants his last check to bounce.
[CHUCKLES]
Mm.
[SIGHS]
I can't even sleep like a normal person.
Living in pain, there's
no rest, no relief,
only adrenaline,
drugs, and distractions.
But at the end of the
day, it's always there.
I've seen it break others.
I know what comes next.
My career, my health, my life.
It feels like a death sentence.
♪♪
I can't imagine what you
must feel physically each day,
like your body doesn't
answer to you anymore.
But I do know what chronic
emotional pain feels like,
that ache or sting or
throb you can't shake away.
I get not wanting to stop
or slow down long enough
to let it catch up with you.
[SNIFFLES]
♪♪
I'm here.
Okay?
♪♪
[HORNS HONKING]
[INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS,
TELEPHONE RINGING]
[INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER P.A.]
Close the door.
What emergency can't
be explained on the phone?
I left the conference
early to get back here.
When I picked up Maya
for dinner the other day,
Alison was there waiting for me.
Are you okay?
I'm I'm so sorry,
but I have not seen
her in months, I swear.
You said you told me everything,
but you never mentioned
that Maya met her.
What kind of man takes his daughter
out to lunch with his mistress?
What, were you testing the
waters to see if they get along?
No! That was way before
anything happened with me and her.
She seemed lonely. I was being nice.
You were being nice?
How could you do this to us?
I have done everything for this family.
I turned down jobs when
your career was taking off.
I was there before all the
accolades and all the funding.
I was the ideal partner. And for what?
To live out of a duffel bag
and only see my daughter
every other weekend?
♪♪
I hate myself for putting us here.
I wish I had an excuse.
I don't.
♪♪
All I know is I'd do anything
to put our family back together.
So what can I do?
I want you to tell me the truth.
Did you sleep with her more than once?
♪♪
Yes.
[EXHALES SHARPLY]
Were you in love with her?
Mm. Mm.
Get out of my office.
No. No.
- Get out!
- Carol, I
Hey, oh, hey, hey.
I think she made herself
clear, Morris. You need to go.
Now.
[SOBBING]
♪♪
Oh! Oh, God!
[LAUGHS]
It's freezing in here.
[SHIVERS] This better be worth it.
Oh, believe me, ice
baths reduce inflammation,
stimulate blood flow,
boost the immune system,
and override pain by short
circuiting the nervous system.
Also in the pro column, you remind
me of Haley Graham from "Stick It."
Crucial moment in my gay awakening.
That I'll take.
[LAUGHTER]
Ooh, God. What ever happened
to the "we're gonna
be in this together"?
You should be in here with me.
Ooh. [INHALES SHARPLY]
It's a fat chance.
Oh, my God, this
- Oh, well, here he goes.
- Ohh!
- Jesus.
- Okay.
- Ooh!
- Call me when you need someone ♪
Oh!
You're not such a
tough guy now, are you?
Not what this feel like.
What you doing talking over there?
The ancient Greeks
spoke of pain as an emotion,
a feeling intertwined with who we are.
[LAUGHTER]
And to an extent, they were right.
Pain originates in the brain.
One brain can feel too much pain
while another feels no pain at all.
Rather than seeing it as
something to squash or conquer,
true healing requires us
to acknowledge our pain.
You know, PT is gonna go
a long way for Katie, Dang.
- Nice work.
- Nah, that's all her.
She's a living shero.
Low-key
you two would make a cute couple.
Not all lesbians are
into each other, okay?
And, uh, she has a
partner, anyways, so
You do know that's what paramedics
call their coworkers, right?
Katie told me she's single as a Pringle.
Call me when you need someone ♪
Uh, well, maybe you should
practice what you preach
and go for it, too.
What do you mean?
Like, I haven't noticed the
chemistry between you and Erika?
♪♪
I'm just saying, be a shame
if you didn't shoot your shot.
♪♪
You don't know anything.
Or maybe it'll make
it worse, I don't know ♪
Hi.
Oh!
- How are you doing?
- Mm.
I've seen better days.
I just wanted to say thank
you for being there for me
always.
For being my first responder.
[CELLPHONE CHIMES]
Is Josh the reason you
upgraded to the 21st century?
Yeah, we don't have to talk
about it. It's not important.
No, no, don't do that.
I'm sorry I was so curt the other day.
My own love life's in shambles.
But I am happy for you.
And I could use a hint
of romance in my life.
So, dish. Who made the first move?
- Uh, that would be me.
- Ooh!
I completely forgot to tell you
my mother caught us
kissing in the elevator.
Wait, wait! So, I'm a
step behind Muriel now?
- Yeah, well
- Dang!
What I would have given to
see the look on her face.
Ultimately, pain tells
us to pay attention
- [KNOCK ON DOOR]
- look closer.
Only then can we grow and move forward.
Butter pecan. It's your favorite, right?
Jacob, hey.
Everything okay?
Nah, nah, it's not like that, okay?
I just I wanted to
make up for the other times
I showed up unannounced.
It meant a lot to me, you being there.
I just wanted you to know that.
I appreciate you,
but now isn't really a great time.
Yeah.
Rain check maybe?
Of course. Yeah. I'll
I'll leave you to it.
Oh, um, just a heads-up
The light's still flickering
like it's "The Shining" in your lobby.
- You should tell your super.
- Yeah, I've been telling him about that.
And thanks for the ice
cream. It is my favorite.
Yeah.
Night, Jacob.
♪♪
Call me when you need someone ♪
I could be your 911 ♪
[IMITATING AMBULANCE SIREN]
Who was that?
Uh nobody.
- Wrong apartment.
- [CHUCKLES]
So
what's it like being with someone
when you have Mirror-Touch?
It's, uh, pretty intense.
Mm.
Really intense, actually.
How about for you?
'Cause I could be your 911 ♪
I would say it's a definite perk.
♪♪
♪♪
[POLICE RADIO CHATTER]
♪♪
[POUNDING ON DOOR]
Alison, this is a welfare check.
We're coming in.
♪♪
Alison? Alison?
Is she breathing?
♪♪
Greg, move your head.