Izzie's patient is a nice middle-aged woman who either passed out or had a heart attack. She's in great spirits and says this has happened before and she's sure it's nothing. Her husband kisses her; they seem happy. I'm not sure how to deal with a happy couple in Seattle Grace.

Meredith and Derek's patient is Anna, a twentysomething girl whose legs have gone numb. Just as Derek begins to tell her that she's got a bigger problem, her parents walk in. Her dad is played by Francois Chau, a.k.a. Dr. Marvin Candle, a.k.a. Dr. Mark Wickmund, a.k.a. Dr. Edgar Halowax, a.k.a. the guy in all the instructional island videos on Lost. It's making it a little bit hard for me to watch his scenes without thinking about the fact that he probably just came up from Portland where he's working for the Dharma Initiative. Derek explains to Anna and her parents that she's got a tumor on her spine that needs removing immediately or she could have permanent paralysis. When Anna turns to her father and implores him, however, he says no. Derek and Meredith are both understandably stunned and insist on the procedure, but the dad insists as well and says they're taking her home. Derek turns to Anna to ask what she wants to do, since she is over 18 and doesn't actually need her parents' permission. But she says that she is Hmong and her father is the elder, so what he says goes. If respecting your elders involves paralysis, I might be prone to being a bad seed.

Derek's pondering what just happened while walking up the stairs with Meredith, and tells her to call social services. But when he begins to reminisce about a similar case in New York, she asks him if he needs to tell her anything else actually work-related. As only he can do, he gets indignant and actually growls at Mere about how he was married for eleven years and he's allowed a moment of doubt or hesitation before he pulls the trigger. I didn't see any doubt or hesitation when you were wooing Meredith and not telling her about your estranged wife. I think Mere is quite entitled to be pissed off about her significant other's actions. He raises his voice to a yell until he hears a door open and remembers they're at work. In a low voice he adds, "And a little understanding from you would be nice," and leaves. Here's the thing, Derek. It's not her problem. You were her boyfriend until your previously unmentioned wife showed up, so it's in no way shape or form her problem, so shut the hell up.