This was probably the best episode I’ve ever seen of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and that’s really saying a lot after 11 years.
Amelia’s surgery was everything I hoped for and more. I wanted to see her struggle and I wanted to see her succeed.
The episode picked up right where we left off last week. I don’t think Amelia was quite ready for it to happen so soon. I think she wanted more time to prepare. But the time had come and she had to get herself ready for the surgery of her life. Caterina Scorsone was incredible portraying this very complex and innovative procedure.
Amelia started by breaking down in the bathroom. It felt so real. It didn’t wavier my confidence in her, it just made it feel real. You can’t walk into an intense situation like she was about to without having it way you down at least a little.
Next she stood in a superhero pose. I just heard this study a few weeks ago and it was amazing that the writers were using it.
Then the surgery started with a lot of eyes on her and Stephanie by her side ready for the duration.
It wasn’t long till she hit a road block. She just stared at Nicole’s brain not knowing what to do. Richard recognized the look at knew what it meant. He headed down to the OR and asked if he could be a sounding board as she worked through the problem.
Amelia asked for the intercom to be turned off and asked Richard to come forward. She said she was in over her head and begged him to call her brother.
Richard refused to call Derek. He told her that he’d seen Derek stare over a brain before not knowing what do before he decided what to do. He said if Derek flew in he would take the surgery from her and then kill the patient.
Richard could be right, Derek might have not been able to succeed, but he would have definitely swept in and taken the surgery. Amelia could do this. Richard reassured her that she could do this and asked what the next step was. She stood there staring into space and then she said, navigation probe, and she was back in.
This is exactly what I wanted to see. Amelia was attempting to get out of her brother’s shadow, that was never going to be easy. I wanted to see her rise to the occasion and that’s exactly what we got.
Things went as smoothly as it could from that point. Then the final step, to put the radiation in, to make sure the tumor didn’t return.
Then Stephanie collapsed. She had been in surgery 13 hours straight and didn’t have the stamina to maintain that.
Amelia needed a helping hand for the next part and she asked for Meredith. Dr. Grey had worked with Derek closely and almost specialized in neurosurgery. Meredith wasn’t sure she was up to the task but Richard told her that Amelia just wanted someone to have her back in there.
Amelia laid out what they were going to do and Meredith said sounds like a plan. I really liked that she showed complete confidence in Amelia. I think Amelia needed that. Meredith knows how brilliant her husband is and Amelia just need that little approval from her sister-in-law. Sometimes its more about confidence than skill.
This part was supposed to be the home stretch, but things had changed inside the brain and Amelia was having to adjust her plan. It wasn’t easy to place the chips inside the brain with those big gloves on, so she took off the gloves and everyone freaked out.
The whole point of the gloves was to protect them from the radiation, but she couldn’t place the radiation chips where they needed to go. She was able to do it really quickly after she took off the glove and they were home free.
Amelia was starting to fade, so Meredith told her to have someone else close up. Stephanie came running back in after she woke up. She was worried she missed it, but Amelia told her she was just in time and asked her to close up. Meredith was standing by as well.
The surgery was over, but Nicole wasn’t waking up. Everyone was watching over her waiting and hoping. Finally Nicole’s eyes opened. It seemed like everything was fine, but she couldn’t see a thing.
Arizona was devastated, but Nicole wasn’t. She was alive and happy for it. Arizona gave her hope for life and Amelia succeeded.
Amelia had defeated death and done the impossible. She shouldn’t have to worry about being in her brother’s shadow anymore. And Derek needs to give his little sis a call and tell her how proud he is of her.
While Nicole was in brain surgery, Arizona was flying solo and she walked into the OR very confident.
Bailey on the other hand was second guessing her to the point that Arizona had to yell at her and say either get on board or get out.
Arizona saved both the baby and the mother and made Nicole very proud. It wasn’t a completely smooth surgery, but Arizona remembered everything Dr. Herman taught her and executed it nicely.
When Nicole finally woke up she was very proud of Arizona and once again said, she chose the right horse. Not only does Nicole get to live, her knowledge gets to live on too. Many babies will be saved.
Could Callie and Arizona be on the path back to each other? While Arizona struggled with the chance that Nicole might not wake up and having to make decisions, Callie was there to hold her hand.
I hate to say it, but Arizona never would have been able to learn that much information in such a short time while still being with Callie. She needed all of her energy, time, brain power and emotions dedicated to her fellowship and it was a success.
Next week Owen will have to talk an eleven year old through saving his mother. Take a look at the promo and then look through the gallery below.
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbfd_lM2KwU]
