S03. E04: This Is All I Need

[LexieLily]

Quote

Max journeys to Connecticut to bring Luna back to New York, but second-guesses his instincts when he sees her with her grandparents. Bloom takes action to ensure her staff feel safe at work while Reynolds takes a backseat in the cardiac unit. Sharpe struggles to lean on Dr. Cassian Shin (Kim) while dealing with a family emergency.

I'm not even sure who came off worse in this episode: Bloom or Iggy. Bloom, as a white doctor with a multi-ethnic population of staff and patients who didn't see why her idea to hire a bunch of cops to stand guard in a busy hospital wasn't a good one (I knew what Casey was going to say before he said it, unfortunately) and why she was proud of herself for her conclusion at the end is to hire out-of-work bouncers that would only annoy people. And unless the Pakistani doctor homeless in her car is too proud to accept long-term help, I don't see how Bloom is "protecting her people" by letting her sleep in Bloom's secret supply closet when the other doctors probably don't know who she is.

Or Iggy, who encouraged a traumatized teenager that was just told his mother would never remember him to converse with her and build a connection with her based on lies. I didn't get whether it was just supposed to be for that day or if they were supposed to keep in touch, but either way I would think it would screw up both mother and boy in the long run.

Or maybe it was Max, who never bothered to give Helen or anyone a heads-up that Reynolds was now working for them again.

Edited March 24, 2021 by LexieLily

[preeya]

31 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

And unless the Pakistani doctor homeless in her car is too proud to accept long-term help, I don't see how Bloom is "protecting her people" by letting her sleep in Bloom's secret supply closet when the other doctors probably don't know who she is.

A few episodes down the road she'll either be working at the hospital or she'll be living at Bloom's place.

[Madding crowd]

The story with the boy Linus was just heartbreaking. But no, Iggy doesn’t just get to find a placement for this boy and encouraging a relationship based on lies is ridiculous. If this woman can’t recognize her son she also won’t recognize friends, family or co-workers. She needs to be told what is wrong with her and then given help. Some people do have face blindness but they find ways to get by.

My husband is a cop and currently works at a big hospital because armed gang members show up, so I get what the employees are concerned about but you need to keep staff and patients safe.

[ams1001]

10 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Or maybe it was Max, who never bothered to give Helen or anyone a heads-up that Reynolds was now working for them again.

How about Shin(dler), who was a complete asshole to a total stranger who was helping him, just because he dared to give an opinion on what might be best for the patient? (And how convenient that his adoptive parents had a surname that could be shortened into a Korean name.)

Oh, and maybe Bloom might want to tell her ER bouncers who Max is? The ER is a stressful place and sometimes conversations are going to get intense. You can't have some muscleman walking up to every doctor who's talking to someone they don't recognize and basically threatening them.

[txhorns79]

1 hour ago, Madding crowd said:

My husband is a cop and currently works at a big hospital because armed gang members show up, so I get what the employees are concerned about but you need to keep staff and patients safe.

I mean, I don't think Bloom handled it correctly, but this is the same hospital where just last season a bunch of prisoners got loose in the hospital via the ER, threatened the lives of a number of staff members and engaged in general mayhem.  Better security just seems like a normal response to that situation.

[amarante]

Stupid story. Just put the cops into "plain clothes" so they aren't visually frightening and yet - supposedly - they are better trained to handle incidents. If something happens in terms of the bouncers physically hurting someone the liability would be through the roof.

I understand why the population using Bellevue's (aka New Amsterdam) might be intimidated by uniformed police but it is ridiculous that the staff would feel threatened by the presence of police in the ED. 

[ams1001]

10 hours ago, LexieLily said:

Or Iggy, who encouraged a traumatized teenager that was just told his mother would never remember him to converse with her and build a connection with her based on lies. I didn't get whether it was just supposed to be for that day or if they were supposed to keep in touch, but either way I would think it would screw up both mother and boy in the long run.

What did they tell her happened to her son, anyway? She seemed to just accept it without even asking to see his body or any other proof that he was really dead.

Also, can you really tell from one scan that her condition is permanent? No one thought to refer her for a second opinion? (Maybe with someone who doesn't consider themselves not qualified for the role they've been put in? I mean, she might be a perfectly well-qualified doctor, but she was freaking out over being in charge all day; not really the person/state of mind I'd want a single and final medical opinion from.)

[callmebetty]

How do you not tell that mother that she has this condition? It seemed like they told the son,  but not her? It makes no sense.  Tell her what's wrong with her instead of creating some fantasy and shipping the kid off to where I can't remember. 

Tell her this is your son,  but we found you have a condition that makes you not recognize his face. Start to build a new relationship. 

 

[DearEvette]

2 hours ago, Madding crowd said:

The story with the boy Linus was just heartbreaking. But no, Iggy doesn’t just get to find a placement for this boy and encouraging a relationship based on lies is ridiculous. If this woman can’t recognize her son she also won’t recognize friends, family or co-workers. She needs to be told what is wrong with her and then given help. Some people do have face blindness but they find ways to get by.

This annoyed the SHIT out of me.  If the woman was rational enough to consent to an MRI and understand that she had a brain condition, then she should have been rational enough to understand that one of the consequences of that condition is loss of facial recognition. And yes, it would not be just her son that should affect. This was such a dumb story.  I get they were going for heart strings but as a therapist (supposedly) Iggy should have been able to recommend a better treatment plan that that including but not limited to some sort of family therapy.

15 minutes ago, amarante said:

understand why the population using Bellevue's (aka New Amsterdam) might be intimidated by uniformed police but it is ridiculous that the staff would feel threatened by the presence of police in the ED. 

That is the whole point though.  Brown & black folks have a deep seated (and honestly  well deserved) distrust and anxiety around police. It doesn't matter the circumstances because they know through experience that your circumstances (professional, doing your job etc.) doesn't exempt you from becoming an easy target.  This isn't a new phenomena despite all the recent awareness of it, it dates back to way before Rodney King got his ass beat. It has always been there in the black community especially.  That was the point Casey was trying to make to Bloom.  From her perspective police are protective and do their jobs the way they are supposed to, from his perspective that is not the case.

The more I see of Shin the worse he is.  Jeez.  I mean, he is a good boyfriend to Helen, but man he is an asshole of a surgeon.  I get whole phenom of the god-like arrogance of surgeons, but would it have killed the guy to be a little courteous to the former head of the department.  It is not like Floyd was some second year Intern.  You'd think there'd  be some respect or a little thrill at working with someone competent and exchanging ideas.  I get it, he is probably not long for the show... but damn.

[ams1001]

3 minutes ago, DearEvette said:

This annoyed the SHIT out of me.  If the woman was rational enough to consent to an MRI and understand that she had a brain condition, then she should have been rational enough to understand that one of the consequences of that condition is loss of facial recognition. And yes, it would not be just her son that should affect. This was such a dumb story.  I get they were going for heart strings but as a therapist (supposedly) Iggy should have been able to recommend a better treatment plan that that including but not limited to some sort of family therapy.

According to this, "People who experience this syndrome will have an irrational belief that someone they know or recognize has been replaced by an imposter. They may, for example, accuse a spouse of being an imposter of their actual spouse." So it seems like it's not necessarily that they don't recognize anyone they know, and they know this person looks like their loved one, but feel no emotional connection and think that it's not the same person. There doesn't seem to be a specific evidence-based treatment for it, since it's rare and can have different causes (schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, damage to certain areas of the brain...). In some situations treatment does involve basically playing into the delusion. But it seems like the hospital shrink and neuro person shouldn't be jumping directly to that the same day(?) she's diagnosed. Every story with Iggy seems to involve some kind of drastic and definitive psychological treatment five minutes after diagnosing anything. Psychiatry just isn't that simple.

[Madding crowd]

Playing into her delusions by including her teenage son seems unwarranted and Iggy would need to have her seen by a neurologist that specializes in this type of issue( or issues affecting the brain like dementia). Also he is not a social worker and cannot place her son anywhere. From what I have read about this very rare syndrome , the patients affected usually have other symptoms going on and if they don’t have Alzheimer’s or dementia, they usually have experienced severe brain injuries. 
So there wouldn’t be a situation where the mom was just fine in every area of her life except not recognizing her son.

 

 

[callmebetty]

I get that it was playing into sort of a theme for the episode.  Creating a new normal for the familiar,  but not the same.

Luna coming home,  not really recognizing Max as part of her every day life.

Reynolds coming back to the hospital (familiar), but in a different role.

Even Bloom and the cops story. How the cops are perceived and seen in different ways.

[ams1001]

49 minutes ago, Madding crowd said:

Playing into her delusions by including her teenage son seems unwarranted and Iggy would need to have her seen by a neurologist that specializes in this type of issue( or issues affecting the brain like dementia). Also he is not a social worker and cannot place her son anywhere. From what I have read about this very rare syndrome , the patients affected usually have other symptoms going on and if they don’t have Alzheimer’s or dementia, they usually have experienced severe brain injuries. 

Also it seems her son should probably have his own counseling (not from Iggy, who is also treating his mom) before doing this. He's a kid. Someone needs to keep an eye on his mental health and advocate for him if this is the path they're taking with his mother's condition. Is Iggy the only psych person in this place?

[FnkyChkn34]

Also, didn't Iggy say that the kid is going to go stay with a relative somewhere else, rather than enter the foster system?  So they are just playing pretend for a day or two until he leaves?  I agree with everyone else that says they should have better explained the mother's condition to her.  She may have finally been able to understand at least something, rather than believe her son is dead.  The boy still needs to be cared for by the relative, but it would have been more realistic that way.  

[jabRI]

Not a fan of the Luna story in this episode, tired of Max walking around like a sad sack all the time.  Sorry, just did not pull at my heartstrings like they thought it would.  This whole episode just felt really off.  The Iggy story was the worst.  Cannot believe they did that to the poor woman and her son.   Not to mention he's a teenager, and will blurt out the truth at some point.  I mean, were they expecting her to just take in a stranger  (to her?) because they were both alone in the world? Bizzare! No medical ethics???

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Also, didn't Iggy say that the kid is going to go stay with a relative somewhere else, rather than enter the foster system?  So they are just playing pretend for a day or two until he leaves?  I agree with everyone else that says they should have better explained the mother's condition to her.  She may have finally been able to understand at least something, rather than believe her son is dead.  The boy still needs to be cared for by the relative, but it would have been more realistic that way.  

I couldn't help but wonder if he'll be able to get any of his things from his house. His mother will think they were stolen. I doubt she'd agree to let this random (to her) kid keep her "dead" son's stuff.

Seems like the place to start would definitely be to explain what's happening to her. (And try to get her to a doctor who has more experience with it.) Playing along with the delusion seems more like something you'd want to do for someone with dementia, or who is violent (I think it was NCIS that had a Capgras storyline; the guy got violent when he thought he was being tricked. He also recognized his wife's voice, and was okay talking to her as long as he couldn't see her, IIRC), or who is otherwise disconnected from reality, none of which seems to be the case with this woman. At least, y'know, see if it works?

[preeya]

This is the 3rd Medical show that I watch that has introduced a "baby story line." This show, The Resident, Good Doctor, in addition to This Is Us. I hate baby story lines and have said so on all the other forums. They do nothing but distract from the main story lines and are usually over played and repetitive.

SHOW RUNNERS, PLEASE STOP.

 

[LexieLily]

2 hours ago, ams1001 said:

I couldn't help but wonder if he'll be able to get any of his things from his house. His mother will think they were stolen. I doubt she'd agree to let this random (to her) kid keep her "dead" son's stuff.

That was one of my thoughts. I also doubt very much that this woman is going to want to keep up communication with the young man who, to her, is someone that tried to break into her house and pass himself off as her son.

How was Iggy supposed to keep the cousin that is taking in Lukas from not blowing up this entire ill-advised scheme?

[FnkyChkn34]

Couldn't they get a DNA test to prove to the mother that he is her son?  That, with the right therapy, doctors, and medication, could at least help her understand that the boy is not an imposter.  Maybe they'd never be able to have a close relationship again, but at least it wouldn't be a lie.  I think that's what I'd want if I were either one of them.

[ams1001]

1 hour ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Couldn't they get a DNA test to prove to the mother that he is her son?  That, with the right therapy, doctors, and medication, could at least help her understand that the boy is not an imposter.  Maybe they'd never be able to have a close relationship again, but at least it wouldn't be a lie.  I think that's what I'd want if I were either one of them.

But that might make sense and we can't have that at New Amsterdam!

[LexieLily]

17 minutes ago, ams1001 said:

But that might make sense and we can't have that at New Amsterdam!

I thought they did a DNA test or blood test or something. Iggy or Not-Kapoor said something to that effect when Mom was in the MRI. Would it have helped if they showed it to her?

[ams1001]

2 minutes ago, LexieLily said:

I thought they did a DNA test or blood test or something. Iggy or Not-Kapoor said something to that effect when Mom was in the MRI. Would it have helped if they showed it to her?

Did they? I don't remember. 

[jabRI]

I don't think she would have believed a DNA test, with this 'imposter' syndrome she'd believe it was all a plot.  Its not just the lack of 'facial recognition'. 

[SunnyBeBe]

I’m no expert, but from everything I’ve ever seen or read about the imposter syndrome, says that there is no way to convince the patient they are wrong. Nothing works.  The patient is incapable of overcoming their misperception.  I did see a show where they had the family member call the patient on the phone. I think that worked momentarily.   Apparently, the voice still registers. I think that was on Law & Order.  
 

Who will keep Max’ daughter while he’s working?

[jabRI]

He will figure it out like all working parents

[KaveDweller]

 

9 hours ago, ams1001 said:

What did they tell her happened to her son, anyway? She seemed to just accept it without even asking to see his body or any other proof that he was really dead.

Also, can you really tell from one scan that her condition is permanent? No one thought to refer her for a second opinion? (Maybe with someone who doesn't consider themselves not qualified for the role they've been put in? I mean, she might be a perfectly well-qualified doctor, but she was freaking out over being in charge all day; not really the person/state of mind I'd want a single and final medical opinion from.)

I think most people would seek a second opinion if they were given a diagnosis like that and told there was nothing that could be done.

I am no doctor, but I feel like even if there is no cure there must be a way to give her therapy. She may not ever really recognize her son, but maybe she could understand she has this condition. That's got to be better than thinking her son died.

36 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Who will keep Max’ daughter while he’s working?

Isn't there daycare at the hospital? Plus, last season Max would carry her around in a carrier strapped to his chest all the time.

Luna is a cutie, I would not mind seeing Max tote her around.

[preeya]

53 minutes ago, SunnyBeBe said:

Who will keep Max’ daughter while he’s working?

Someone, but it will never be mentioned, at least not until we need some more baby drama.

OR maybe the Pakistani doctor will move in with Max as the Nanny.

Edited March 25, 2021 by preeya

[Trillian]

3 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Couldn't they get a DNA test to prove to the mother that he is her son?  That, with the right therapy, doctors, and medication, could at least help her understand that the boy is not an imposter.  Maybe they'd never be able to have a close relationship again, but at least it wouldn't be a lie.  I think that's what I'd want if I were either one of them.

This, I think, was the problem with how they presented the diagnosis on the show. They described it only as a facial recognition problem. I, like you, thought,” well, just explain it to her then”.  Reading these posts, I see it’s a real delusion that is not so easily conquered. But... I was disturbed by how Iggy didn’t try anything. I was horrified that the “therapy” involved telling the woman that her child was dead, and was further horrified at how she took it in stride.  Sorry, folks, losing a child is the single most horrific thing that can ever happen to a parent (perhaps, especially, to a mother).  She is not going to say that she’s sad but oh well, it’s all for the best since she got closure. Unless there was some explanation, perhaps rooted in her disease, about why she didn’t care, Iggy destroyed her life by telling her her son was dead. And we’re supposed to accept that she cares no more than if her car was stolen and trashed. Oh well, let’s move on and chat with this young stranger. No how. No way. 

[LexieLily]

42 minutes ago, Trillian said:

I was horrified that the “therapy” involved telling the woman that her child was dead, and was further horrified at how she took it in stride.  Sorry, folks, losing a child is the single most horrific thing that can ever happen to a parent (perhaps, especially, to a mother).  She is not going to say that she’s sad but oh well, it’s all for the best since she got closure. Unless there was some explanation, perhaps rooted in her disease, about why she didn’t care, Iggy destroyed her life by telling her her son was dead. And we’re supposed to accept that she cares no more than if her car was stolen and trashed. Oh well, let’s move on and chat with this young stranger. No how. No way. 

On the flip side, how is it supposed to make Lukas accept/come to terms with the fact that his mother will never remember him to have him talk to his mother while deluding her that his mother is dead?

[Dowel Jones]

3 hours ago, preeya said:

OR maybe the Pakistani doctor will move in with Max as the Nanny.

Or, since Reynolds just got dumped by his fiancee', he'll move in as The Manny.  Heh.

[MinorL]

This isn’t even the least believable thing about this episode, but are we supposed to believe that Bloom contracted with the NYPD to provide security, ended the contract, and hired a bunch of security guards, all in ONE SHIFT? 

Edited March 25, 2021 by MinorL

[bros402]

My thoughts:
How didn't Iggy get the Capgras Delusion right after the mom said the son was an impostor? Also... wouldn't that news be broken to the kid with a social worker present? So, he's in the lead for Worst Doctor Of The Week.

Bloom getting the cops there as the first response is not the smartest idea - you think she'd talk to Max or Sharpe and get a security guard permanently stationed in the ER. Bloom is now in the lead for Worst Doctor Of The Week!

Wait, no, Iggy isn't going to tell the mother her kid is dead, right? According to wikipedia, "Treatment has not been well studied, so there is no evidence-based approach. Treatment is generally therapy, often with support of antipsychotic medication." so uhhhhh I don't think lying to her is a "treatment" oh no Iggy oh no you didn't. what the hell Iggy oh no. For a second there, I thought he was going to leave the two of them alone in the room which would've been duuuuumb.

Bloom hiring bouncers is definitely a...solution. Definitely the kind of thing Max would do. Although, I wonder how Bloom managed to hire all of them on the spot and get them benefits?

I'm guessing Georgia is buried in a family plot?

I'm also happy at how the show has cut down with the discordant jazz this season - it was just... jarring the first two seasons of the show.

Bloom, if you want to protect definitely-not-uber driver, why not talk to Max and get her a residency or whatever she needs?

So, Dr. Bloom only managed to hold the title of Worst Doctor for one week, as it goes to Iggy this week!

14 hours ago, amarante said:

Stupid story. Just put the cops into "plain clothes" so they aren't visually frightening and yet - supposedly - they are better trained to handle incidents. If something happens in terms of the bouncers physically hurting someone the liability would be through the roof.

I understand why the population using Bellevue's (aka New Amsterdam) might be intimidated by uniformed police but it is ridiculous that the staff would feel threatened by the presence of police in the ED. 

The staff felt threatened by full time police in the ER.

12 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Also, didn't Iggy say that the kid is going to go stay with a relative somewhere else, rather than enter the foster system?  So they are just playing pretend for a day or two until he leaves?  I agree with everyone else that says they should have better explained the mother's condition to her.  She may have finally been able to understand at least something, rather than believe her son is dead.  The boy still needs to be cared for by the relative, but it would have been more realistic that way.  

Ohio.

8 hours ago, FnkyChkn34 said:

Couldn't they get a DNA test to prove to the mother that he is her son?  That, with the right therapy, doctors, and medication, could at least help her understand that the boy is not an imposter.  Maybe they'd never be able to have a close relationship again, but at least it wouldn't be a lie.  I think that's what I'd want if I were either one of them.

That's the thing about Capgras - she would think of a way around it - "Well it says it is 99.999% accurate, this must be that 0.001% time where it isn't!"

1 hour ago, MinorL said:

This isn’t even the least believable thing about this episode, but are we supposed to believe that Bloom contracted with the NYPD to provide security, ended the contract, and hired a bunch of security guards, all in ONE SHIFT? 

She didn't contract with the NYPD - she called NYC Health, who called the NYPD after Bloom threatened to go to the media.

[circumvent]

18 hours ago, ams1001 said:

Also, can you really tell from one scan that her condition is permanent? No one thought to refer her for a second opinion?

Agree. I don't know if what they described is a real thing, and I can get over the diagnosis and prognosis in a few hours after one test with two doctors and no radiologist because TV, but there are so many issues of ethics, for one, in the whole story. The kid was a minor and they just tell him, without an adult present, that his mother is completely gone, forever, then force him to lie about who he is, who she is, as if that was a better solution than say, let the kid live with the cousin, find him some therapy to help him deal with the grief, find help for the mother. And are they implying that the two newly strangers are just going to form a bind and start a relationship as mother and son? It is more messed up than most things I have ever seen on TV.

The cops in the ER was pretty ridiculous. The system already incentivizes them to violate the fourth amendment of anyone they deem not trustworthy - usually non-white, poor, mentally ill - and having them stationed in the ER is in itself a potential violation of the 4th amendment of anyone they decide don't deserve it. Cops as security is one of the most dangerous concepts applied everywhere. Glad the other nurses and doctors rang the alarm bell. Even if the solution was more than far-fetched, the bouncers in the ER was a fun moment to watch.

Max, Luna will not confine herself to a little corner in the apartment. But it was very sweet to see him believing a toddler would keep her play area organized.

I didn't really get the whole Hellen distress. She wanted to be present for her brother's funeral? But factoring in the time difference and the fact that flights to Iran, likely, always have connections, would she be able to make it in the time she said she needed, even with a valid visa? On the other hand a little farsi was nice. I think it is a beautiful language to hear.

[Biggie B]

What a disappointing episode! Everyone was really off-key. The Iggy story line was preposterous and downright weird. Also (and this is a real nit-pick), what camp was the son sent to in the middle of winter?? That annoyed me the whole way through.

I sort of wanted a bit more info on Helen's half brother. How old was he? How did he die? Who called Helen to let her know what was happening? I know none of it makes any difference, since we'll like never hear about him ever again. But what was the point of this story line? To bring Helen and Dr. Shin closer? Seems like they're doing just fine in that department. The whole thing with her brother just seemed completely random and without purpose. Also, Helen was super mean to Dr. Shin, who was only trying to be supportive. I get that this is a highly upsetting situation, but if you tell someone you're trying to book a flight to Iran and offer no other details, do you really think the other person's not gonna be a bit perplexed? How often do people drop everything to fly from NYC to Iran, especially in the midst of a pandemic? To his credit, Dr. Shin didn't pry or push, and how CONVENIENT that he had the contact info of the city's best immigration lawyer memorized! 

Luna is cute. But, too, what purpose does she serve? We already know how utterly wrecked Max is over Georgia's death - we saw that last season. It's good that he was able to clear out Georgia's clothes and belongings, but what next? Does he start dating? Ho-hum...seen this story line a million times before, devastated widow or widower-now-single-parent trying to "move on," if for no other reason than for the child. Whatevs. 

Hoping for a better episode next time - this one was not good. 

[jabRI]

1 hour ago, Biggie B said:

Hoping for a better episode next time - this one was not good. 

Pretty much sums it up for all of us!

[txhorns79]

Quote

She didn't contract with the NYPD - she called NYC Health, who called the NYPD after Bloom threatened to go to the media.

NYC Health has its own police department, and provides police for security at many hospitals in NYC.  They have specialized training for working in a hospital setting.  If I recall correctly, they do not carry guns and and only have limited police powers.  In real life, they provide security at Bellevue (New Amsterdam).

I thought the issue itself was interesting, but the "solution" the show came up with was ridiculous.          

 

[ams1001]

10 hours ago, MinorL said:

This isn’t even the least believable thing about this episode, but are we supposed to believe that Bloom contracted with the NYPD to provide security, ended the contract, and hired a bunch of security guards, all in ONE SHIFT? 

Things move fast at New Amsterdam!

3 hours ago, circumvent said:

Agree. I don't know if what they described is a real thing, and I can get over the diagnosis and prognosis in a few hours after one test with two doctors and no radiologist because TV, but there are so many issues of ethics, for one, in the whole story. The kid was a minor and they just tell him, without an adult present, that his mother is completely gone, forever, then force him to lie about who he is, who she is, as if that was a better solution than say, let the kid live with the cousin, find him some therapy to help him deal with the grief, find help for the mother. And are they implying that the two newly strangers are just going to form a bind and start a relationship as mother and son? It is more messed up than most things I have ever seen on TV.

The syndrome/delusion is a real thing. The rest of the storyline...yeah, what you said.

2 hours ago, Biggie B said:

What a disappointing episode! Everyone was really off-key. The Iggy story line was preposterous and downright weird. Also (and this is a real nit-pick), what camp was the son sent to in the middle of winter?? That annoyed me the whole way through.

And in the middle of a pandemic...

[Pepper the Cat]

3 hours ago, Biggie B said:

What a disappointing episode! Everyone was really off-key. The Iggy story line was preposterous and downright weird. Also (and this is a real nit-pick), what camp was the son sent to in the middle of winter?? That annoyed me the whole way through.

Hockey camp?

I thought Max was incredibly rude to Luna's grandparents. They have been caring for her for months and were obviously having a hard time letting her go.  

[LittleIggy]

On 3/24/2021 at 11:25 AM, ams1001 said:

According to this, "People who experience this syndrome will have an irrational belief that someone they know or recognize has been replaced by an imposter. They may, for example, accuse a spouse of being an imposter of their actual spouse." So it seems like it's not necessarily that they don't recognize anyone they know, and they know this person looks like their loved one, but feel no emotional connection and think that it's not the same person. There doesn't seem to be a specific evidence-based treatment for it, since it's rare and can have different causes (schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, damage to certain areas of the brain...). In some situations treatment does involve basically playing into the delusion. But it seems like the hospital shrink and neuro person shouldn't be jumping directly to that the same day(?) she's diagnosed. Every story with Iggy seems to involve some kind of drastic and definitive psychological treatment five minutes after diagnosing anything. Psychiatry just isn't that simple.

Yeah, this syndrome isn’t just “face blindness.” It’s a delusion. They recognize the person, but think he/she is an imposter.

I couldn’t believe Helen was fluent in Farsi after having met her half-brother a few years ago and having had few encounters with him since then.

[LittleIggy]

On 3/24/2021 at 11:08 AM, callmebetty said:

How do you not tell that mother that she has this condition? It seemed like they told the son,  but not her? It makes no sense.  Tell her what's wrong with her instead of creating some fantasy and shipping the kid off to where I can't remember. 

Tell her this is your son,  but we found you have a condition that makes you not recognize his face. Start to build a new relationship. 

 

That wouldn’t work. She recognizes him as looking exactly like her son but she believes he is an imposter.

[KaveDweller]

10 hours ago, Biggie B said:

Luna is cute. But, too, what purpose does she serve? We already know how utterly wrecked Max is over Georgia's death - we saw that last season. It's good that he was able to clear out Georgia's clothes and belongings, but what next? Does he start dating? Ho-hum...seen this story line a million times before, devastated widow or widower-now-single-parent trying to "move on," if for no other reason than for the child. Whatevs. 

I'm not sure she continues to serve a purpose, other than giving Max a personal life. But once they established her exitance they can't just get rid of her. And it would be out of character for Max to let her stay with the grandparents forever. I kind of appreciate that this show mentions her often, without adding too much drama, most shows forget children exist and never mention them.

12 hours ago, circumvent said:

I didn't really get the whole Hellen distress. She wanted to be present for her brother's funeral? But factoring in the time difference and the fact that flights to Iran, likely, always have connections, would she be able to make it in the time she said she needed, even with a valid visa? On the other hand a little farsi was nice. I think it is a beautiful language to hear.

It seemed like she felt she needed to go to make sure he got buried in time. Maybe there was no one else to plan a funeral? It was not really clear. 

47 minutes ago, LittleIggy said:

Yeah, this syndrome isn’t just “face blindness.” It’s a delusion. They recognize the person, but think he/she is an imposter.

I couldn’t believe Helen was fluent in Farsi after having met her half-brother a few years ago and having had few encounters with him since then.

Maybe Helen was fluent before meeting the brother? If he lives in Iran, and they share a parent, then one of her parents must spend time in Iran or have a connection to it.

[txhorns79]

2 hours ago, LittleIggy said:

I couldn’t believe Helen was fluent in Farsi after having met her half-brother a few years ago and having had few encounters with him since then.

I just presumed the character had an Iranian parent and picked it up that way.  I had read the actress' mother in real life is Iranian, so perhaps this was a way to work a real life detail into the storyline. 

[bros402]

18 hours ago, Biggie B said:

What a disappointing episode! Everyone was really off-key. The Iggy story line was preposterous and downright weird. Also (and this is a real nit-pick), what camp was the son sent to in the middle of winter?? That annoyed me the whole way through.

I sort of wanted a bit more info on Helen's half brother. How old was he? How did he die? Who called Helen to let her know what was happening?

It sounded like her mother was calling her?

 

 

16 hours ago, txhorns79 said:

NYC Health has its own police department, and provides police for security at many hospitals in NYC.  They have specialized training for working in a hospital setting.  If I recall correctly, they do not carry guns and and only have limited police powers.  In real life, they provide security at Bellevue (New Amsterdam).

I thought the issue itself was interesting, but the "solution" the show came up with was ridiculous.          

 

Huh, didn't know that. I guess that explains that jail they have in the basement of New Amsterdam?

I can still understand the staff not wanting 4 cops in the ER, but you think they'd be fine with the NYC Health cops somewhere near the ER, even if they set up in a break room.

[Sake614]

Regarding the police presence in the ER, I don’t know a single hospital, especially those part of NYHHC, that do NOT have armed police officers stationed in the ER. Granted, not to the extent shown on New Amsterdam, but they are most definitely there. My mom was at Brookdale and there’s a police officer at the front entrance and another in the ER. The majority of staff are people of color, and while I didn’t ask them if they were comfortable with it, I didn’t see anything to suggest they weren’t. ERs, especially at public hospitals, can be dangerous places. As someone mentioned above, we’ve seen it before at NA. So I’m surprised they didn’t already have cops stationed there. 

[circumvent]

6 hours ago, Sake614 said:

Regarding the police presence in the ER, I don’t know a single hospital, especially those part of NYHHC, that do NOT have armed police officers stationed in the ER. Granted, not to the extent shown on New Amsterdam, but they are most definitely there. My mom was at Brookdale and there’s a police officer at the front entrance and another in the ER. The majority of staff are people of color, and while I didn’t ask them if they were comfortable with it, I didn’t see anything to suggest they weren’t. ERs, especially at public hospitals, can be dangerous places. As someone mentioned above, we’ve seen it before at NA. So I’m surprised they didn’t already have cops stationed there. 

My main issue was the way they positioned the cops, walking around the patients and this is clearly a violation of HIPAA - then again, HIPAA is only remembered when convenient in TV shows. It would also be a potential violation of the 1st and 4th amendments if a cop decided to go rogue. Being cops, they would 100% violate anyone's 4th

Big cities hospitals can be dangerous. Add the cops, you double the danger.  

[AnnA]

I don't understand why anyone would think having cops in the ER is a violation of HIPAA.  They did not have access to patient files and were not discussing the patients with any of the staff.   Standing guard is not a HIPAA violation.

[circumvent]

56 minutes ago, AnnA said:

I don't understand why anyone would think having cops in the ER is a violation of HIPAA.  They did not have access to patient files and were not discussing the patients with any of the staff.   Standing guard is not a HIPAA violation.

Talking about a patient when other people are around is a violation of HIPAA. I have to take the test every year and one of the "situations" they present is: you and a co-worker enter an elevator and there is someone there. You start talking about a client. Did you violate HIPAA? The answer is YES. Another: a behavior analyst goes t a group home to see a client. Nobody is at home. What should the behavior analyst leave at the door (multiple choice of card with name and phone, card with name, phone and reason for visit). If you answer card with name and reason for visit you made a mistake. If you talk about a patient, you have to make sure anyone listening, or possibly listening, is authorized. 

[statsgirl]

Many hospital ERs have a large board on the wall with the patient name, diagnosis and which doctor is currently responsible for him/her/them.  A cop reading that board, or even knowing the name of the patient in the hospital would be a HIPAA violation. At least it would be a violation in Canada.

[circumvent]

1 minute ago, statsgirl said:

Many hospital ERs have a large board on the wall with the patient name, diagnosis and which doctor is currently responsible for him/her/them.  A cop reading that board, or even knowing the name of the patient in the hospital would be a HIPAA violation. At least it would be a violation in Canada.

I don't know if this is only on TV because the ERs I have been to don't have boards and names visible to anyone who is not a medical staff. In real life it is a violation of HIPAA for sure. All ERs in my area require ID and a pass to get pass the doors that only open with a code or, in one case, metal detectors and an "invitation" to come in. Everyone else stays in the waiting area. 

[ams1001]

8 hours ago, circumvent said:

I don't know if this is only on TV because the ERs I have been to don't have boards and names visible to anyone who is not a medical staff. In real life it is a violation of HIPAA for sure. All ERs in my area require ID and a pass to get pass the doors that only open with a code or, in one case, metal detectors and an "invitation" to come in. Everyone else stays in the waiting area. 

When my mom had surgery a few years ago, my dad said they had an electronic board in the OR waiting room that showed patient status (like if she was in prep, in surgery, in recovery..) and estimated finish time, but it used an ID number, no names. Only my dad and the hospital staff knew my mom's number. I assume to prevent people waiting for loved ones from repeatedly asking for updates from the staff. (Thankfully I haven't been in an ER in almost 20 years, and I was in a neck brace/backboard at the time so I wasn't really paying that much attention to what might be on the walls.)

I know we saw the OR assignment board, and we also see that on Grey's a lot, but I don't know if that's somewhere visible to non-staff.