Abby asks Simone how she's doing, and Simone dreamily says that she thinks her baby is doing better. Abby tells Luka about the maintenance fluids being administered to the baby. Simone says that her own mother gave birth to Simone at home, so she thought it would be good for her baby. Luka interrupts to say gently that the tests came back, and that the baby has a disease called sialidosis. Simone asks what that means. Luka sits down, glances at Nathan, and says that the baby's body lacks an enzyme that breaks down waste products from the cells, and that there is already extensive damage to the liver, bones, and nervous system. Simone gasps and says slowly that she's been staring at her baby for over an hour now, and she still can't figure out what to call him. Luka notices that Nathan is jerking around, and asks him to leave. Nathan walks out. Luka tells Simone that children with sialidosis are mentally retarded and often blind. The baby will never speak or walk, and his life expectancy is less than two years. A nurse comes in to tell Luka that the NICU is on line one. Luka excuses himself. Abby takes off her costume hat and asks Simone gently if there's anyone she can call. Simone says quietly that it's just her and her baby.
Abby finds Luka talking on the phone. She asks if he's having a bad night, and he says it's no worse than usual. Abby says, "That was a little bit insensitive, don't you think?" Luka says that he had to tell a mother that her baby was going to die, and that he didn't need an audience. Abby's all, "Oookay." She says that she's starting to get complaints about him. Luka asks if they are from patients. Abby says they are from nurses. Luka walks away silently. Abby tells him sarcastically not to look so concerned, and says that first he called Chuny an idiot and then later when Abby herself was sexually harassed... Luka interrupts to scoff at calling what happened with the permanent-erection guy "sexual harassment." Abby says that it was, and Luka says that the guy was harmless. Haleh stalks by and hands off a chart to Abby, saying that the guy with the boner grabbed her boob. Abby asks what the patient's status is. Haleh replies, "He's going to die if he tries that again: that's his status." Abby points out to Luka that all of the nurses complain to her. Luka says that complaining is part of their jobs, and that everyone does it. Abby says that it's part of her job as Nurse Manager to counsel him. Luka starts to walk away. Abby tells him that he can give nurses orders, but that he can't critique their work, and that if he has a problem with a nurse, he has to come to Abby. Luka asks whom he complains to if he has a problem with Abby. Abby suggests that he try fighting for the nurses instead of with them. Luka leers that Abby should sew some swastikas on her costume and be "a naughty Nazi nurse." Abby tells him that he totally sucks. Luka yells after her that she's creating a hostile work environment. Ugh. This Luka storyline is what totally sucks. I can buy that he bought that car and started having one-night stands. I can't buy that he turned into an asshole. I understand that he was in danger of turning into Saint Luka and the writers had to do something to humanize him a bit more, but is this the best they could do? Naughty Nazi nurse? Girl, please.













Comments