The Good Doctor

Today is not Saturday.

Why did you make me pancakes?

They are fresh start pancakes.

Like the first day of school every year

when you get to wear a brand-new outfit.

Well, not everyone wore a new outfit.

But the rule in this house

is that when you start a new life event,

you get pancakes.

I... don't want a fresh start.

I want to stay in surgery.

I know.

And I am really proud of you

for handling it all so...

Doctors... please give me one more minute.

We have an associate pastor at the church,

but Clarence likes to write the sermons.

- Sorry. - Please.

Although this is important too.

The surgery consists of two steps...

first we fuse the spine to stabilize it,

and then we remove the tumor.

Because the cancer has spread to your lymph nodes,

you'll still have to follow up with chemo.

Clarence, are you in pain?

Quite a bit actually, but I'm fine.

Well, since what's causing your pain

is the tumor pushing against your spine,

the spinal fusion will ease pressure on your nerves

and should eliminate your pain.

Please, I, uh... I need this pain.

Can't you just do the second part and remove the tumor?

If we don't fuse the spine,

it'll make removing the tumor a lot more difficult.

More difficult, but it can be done?

It can. But I recommend against it.

Especially since there's no reason not to.

I did something...

...unforgivable.

This pain is my punishment.

Can I ask what you did that was so bad?

I killed someone.

My sister and I were

coming home from climbing Mt. Whitney.

We're doing the State 50 climbs.

The numbness started during the climb?

First my hands, and then my feet.

- You have a headache? - Yeah.

High altitude causes headaches.

Dehydration compounds it.

From now on just... climb slower.

And drink more.

Tell them about the other thing.

Before leaving for the mountain,

I had this weird sensation like...

dread.

I couldn't shake it.

Well, when people describe a sense of impending doom,

it's usually anxiety.

No, it was like a premonition...

...that I was going to die.

- I'm sure it was... - Dr. Park will run a brain scan,

and we'll do some lab work.

Shaun.

Hello, Dr. Lever.

Carly is fine.

Welcome to pathology.

It is going to be great working with you.

What do you think?

I know it's a lot to take in.

It's kind of like your first time at Disneyland, right?

I've never been to Disneyland.

Let me give you a tour.

Cytopathology, forensics,

genomics, microbiology.

We get to identify organisms,

interpret cell morphology,

sequence genes.

Is that a D300e

pathogen antibacterial bioprinter?

It's new.

You're working on antibiotic resistance

in emerging microorganisms?

It's "we" now, Shaun.

Yes, we are.

Do you want to play with it?

Very much.

Go ahead.

It's kind of your job now.

We are the detectives.

Surgeons are just the beat cops.

Our best bet is to try to separate the tumor

from his cord, and then resect it.

Okay, this is insane.

You know how he "killed" a person?

He was counseling a parishioner who committed suicide.

That must have been traumatic.

Traumatic, yes. Murder, no.

Hey, I know it's stupid, but he has autonomy.

I didn't stay stupid. I said "insane."

You want to override his wishes because he's religious?

Something like 90% of Americans believe in God.

I'm one of them. Are we all mentally impaired?

Should you ignore us all if you don't like our choices?

Only those getting divine messages from their tumors.

- He's not crazy. - Okay, you're right.

He is just stupid. But don't we have a duty to educate him?

You're gonna talk him out of his religion?

No.

You told him the surgery was more dangerous this way.

I don't think he appreciated how much more dangerous.

Good idea.

He thinks he'll go to hell if he dies before he's forgiven.

Make sure he knows it can happen on the table.

An MRI for anxiety?

It does fly in the face of reducing

unnecessary medical tests.

When I was a resident,

I had a patient come through the E.R.

Female. 35 years old.

Slight cough. Slightly hypothyroid.

Normal vitals.

I labeled her a whiner because she kept insisting,

"I'm gonna die."

I sent her home.

And she died?

No. She kept coming back.

Over and over again.

We do this test, we prove there's nothing wrong with her,

we send her home reassured.

Damn.

The MRI showed a high grade meningioma.

An advanced tumor that grows in the tissue layers

that cover the brain.

Its features are consistent with it being malignant.

These tumors tend to be aggressive

and impossible to fully resect.

Um, so what... what can you do?

Palliative care,

symptom control with medications.

You're risking spinal damage,

paralysis... death.

If that's what God chooses, then that is his will.

If you have cancer because he wants you to have cancer,

why are you here? Getting treatment?

I'm here because I believe in science.

I am who I am because I believe in God.

So do you think all people who are sick

are being punished?

I mean, we have an eight-year-old down the hall

with bone cancer,

you want to go tell her God hates her?

I'm sure that girl is not suffering as a punishment.

She's suffering so others may have a chance

to show her mercy,

to show her compassion, so she can inspire.

I don't know His plan,

but I know it's not as simple as you would...

No. No, it's not simple.

Except for your pain.

His name was Michael.

His wife found his body.

You had no idea.

I knew he was depressed.

But you thought he was getting better.

I didn't take his call.

Because I was having a drink.

It'd been a long day dealing with the renovations,

and I was having a damn drink.

Hey, Shaun.

Hey, Carly.

I started Sadie Barnes on anti-seizure medication,

need you to run a peak phenytoin level.

The couriers must be happy that the surgeons

are doing their own specimen deliveries.

How you doing down here?

Carly says pathologists are the detectives,

surgeons are just the beat cops.

Shaun, are you happy here?

When did you give the patient her loading dose?

One hour ago. Hmm.

Shaun, if you're happy, that's great.

But if you're not,

you have to tell Han how you feel.

You need to show him you care

and that you believe in yourself.

Do you need this done STAT?

No. She's asymptomatic.

- It's just for seizure prevention. - Good.

Carly says that in pathology

you can take a break whenever you want.

I want to take a break now. I'm going for a walk.

He shouldn't be in pathology.

- He's a good surgical resident. - You're right.

- Then you'll move him back? - No.

You're wrong about that part. He should be in pathology.

- But he was a good surgical resident. - Then why...

Because he'll never be a good surgeon.

How do you think he'll do in three years

when no one's looking over his shoulder?