Three Rivers (2009–2010): Season 1, Episode 9 - Win-Loss - full transcript

We are here today

to join together
Kim Mullens and Sam Heden.

Kim has been a member
of this church

all her life,

but Sam is new to us.

He met our Kim
just across the inland waterway,

College of Charleston.

And yes, folks,
Sam's a Yankee.

I won't hold that
against you, son.

Nobody could blame you

for falling in love
with our Kimmy.



Thank you, sir.

Are we ready?

Very.

Mr. Wilson, look what
I brought for you.

You just won't
give up, will you?

Those Romans,
they're impressive,

and I like the Aqueducts
as much as the next,

but those Spartans?

They kicked ass.

Bunch of zealots.
If your village

was at stake, who would
you rather have defend it?

A bunch of guys
that would die

rather than admit
defeat, or a bunch

of wine-drinking sex
addicts wearing togas?



Not this again.

Oh, I'm just trying to
educate your husband

on the marvelous virtues
of the Spartans.

Indoctrinate me
is more like it.

I was starting
to think this is why

I haven't gotten
my lung transplant yet.

Dr. Foster knows
I'm a captive audience.

Listen, when I go and procure
those lungs for you,

you're going to be happy
there's a Spartan on your side.

Come back with your shield
or on it.

That's right.
How's Mr. Wilson today?

Well, he's being a pain
in the ass, as usual.

Sue, tell me the truth.
Is it Dr. Foster

who's the pain in the
ass? You can tell me.

Dr. Foster is the best,

and she's pretty, too.

Thank you.
Take it easy.

When am I going
to get new lungs, doc?

That's what I wanted to come
and talk to you about.

We're concerned that we
haven't gotten another offer.

Your condition
is worsening.

I should have taken

the ones
from that motorcycle accident.

I think that was
the right call.

You had concerns about
the guy's lifestyle.

We couldn't rule out
the possibility of HIV.

But until we get
another suitable offer,

I think we're going to
have to put you on ecmo.

Is that the thing
that breathes for him?

Yeah.

How long can he stay on it?

Well, it's not a
long-term solution.

The body can only tolerate
it for a week or so.

So, if he goes on it, won't we
have a week to find him lungs?

Shouldn't we use this
as a last resort?

Honey.

I-I think the doctors are trying
to tell us we're there.

Do what you think is best.

Okay.

So, you're representing
Anton Weathers?

I thought the Sixers
might be interested.

You really think
he's ready to go pro?

Top score for Duquesne.

Third highest average
in the conference.

And he's only
a sophomore.

Next time you see this,

I'll be getting paid.

Come on.
Let's go!

What do you know
about the drugs?

I told him
if he wanted to go pro,

he gotta clean up his act.

Since then, no drugs.

In the gym eight,
nine hours a day.

He wants this.

He's ready.

Whoo! Let's go! Come on!

Dr. Colvar to Cardiac
Rehabilitation Center.

Dr. Colvar to Cardiac
Rehabilitation Center.

Want me to open?

No, I'll do it.

I wish we were giving
Mr. Wilson new lungs

instead of putting him
on lung support.

We're not going to let him
die on the waiting list.

Let's get him ecmo
and hope we get an offer soon.

I say, rip the lungs out

of the factory owner
that exposed him to the radon.

Wow. You really do need a nap.

Do you, Sam,
take Kim to be your

lawfully wedded wife?

I do.

May this ring symbolize

the endless love
you'll have for each other

throughout your lives together.

By the powers vested in me

by the state of South Carolina,

I now pronounce you
man and wife.

You may now kiss the bride.

Kimmy?

Oh, my God!

Come on, let's play!

Dude, I'm open!

Set a pick!

Got you!

Anton's down.

Hey, coach!

Coach, Anton's down!

♪ ♪

What do we got?

Collapsed during practice.

His name's Anton Weathers.

Plays at Duquesne?
He arrested in the ambulance;

had to shock him
on the way over.

Lauren, get me an echo

and an EKG.
Yes, doctor.

Hey, Anton.

You hear me, Anton?
I'm Dr. Yablonski.

Everything's
going to be okay.

We're going to take care of you.

This tube is here to help
you breathe, okay?

I need you to stay
as calm as possible.

Everything's going
to be all right.

Ready with the echo.

Thank you.

Left axis deviation.

Thank you.

All right, Anton,
I got you.

Now let's have a look.

Here it is.

Possible hypertrophic
cardiomyopathy.

Folks, we need to
improve his blood flow.

I'm gonna put in a vad; Let's get him
upstairs right now.

Anton, I'm gonna be
right back, okay?

I'm gonna be right
back. Hang in there.

He's crashing!

V-fib.
Call Pam.

Get my team, we're going to
do it right here.

Come on, Anton, come on!

Andy, how's the
basketball player?

He's stable, but the
heart looked enlarged

when I put
in the vad.

Well, I have
Mr. Wilson's post-ops,

if you have a second.
Sure.

Thanks.

How you doing,
Mrs. Wilson?

Well, if he's okay,
I'm okay.
Good.

Okay, I'm gonna
look at the stats.

Too bad Wilson
doesn't need a heart.

David seems to be building up
quite a collection.

Yeah, but he always
breaks them, so...

That wouldn't help.

Okay, right here.

You see, there's no infection
or clotting in the lungs,

but he's awfully weak.

Increase his heparin.

I'm worried about
what's building up

around the valves
of the air groove.

How long do you
think he has?

A few days,

if we're lucky.

Who shot her?
Some nut.

Just lost his wife,
mad at God,

decided to shoot
up a church.

They're in room 5.

I'm Lucy Welsh.

I'm a family care specialist.

I am very sorry
for your loss.

I'm, I'm Sam Heden.

You're Kim's husband.

Yes.

This is Nancy Mullens,
Kim's mother.

They say that she's
dead, but look at her.

She's still breathing.

She's still warm.

The ivs and the ventilator
are keeping Kim's body stable

for the moment.

To give you time to make
some end-of-life decision.

What, uh, what-what do you mean?

Have you considered
organ donation?

No.

She's still here.

People wake up from
comas all the time.

I'm afraid this isn't a coma.

The scan shows that Kim's
brain function has ceased.

And once that's gone,
she's gone.

Her heart could stop on its own,

and donation will no
longer be an option.

If Kim is going to save lives,

we need to start the process.

Well, she can help someone.

No!

We don't believe in all that.

Kim had her own beliefs.

You mean you had yours.

You are not carving up my baby.

This is the family's decision.

Yes, ma'am.

But as her husband,

Sam is the next of kin.

Legally, the decision is his.

well, Cindy, the interesting
thing is that hands like that...

You're telling me
this lame-ass place

doesn't even have ESPN?

Channel 570.
How are you feeling?

Like crap. Who are you?

I'm Dr. Yablonski.

I'm the guy who hooked you
up to that hunk of metal.

What is it, a battery?
Kind of.

It's a ventricular
assist device.

It helps your heart
to pump.

Spoke to
the Sixers,

we've got till
April to declare.

Hey, doctor.
Russ Coble.

Lawyer, right?
Yeah.

Tell me you're not going pro.

I ain't spending two more years
playing for free.

Well, on behalf of season
ticket holders,

I wish you'd reconsider.

I mean, the team's
just coming together.

Besides, you need to work
on your free throws.

Excuse me?!

I'm the leading scorer
at Duquesne.

Well, I was
the third best rebounder

at Allegheny
Community College.

When can I get out of here?

Your heart's not pumping
enough blood.

Now, there's a few things
we can do to fix that.

And I'm going to discuss them

with my colleagues.
Right now.

But I'll be back to talk
it over with you, okay?

You, stop trying to make
my season seats worthless.

Anesthesiologist to ER, stat.

Anesthesiologist to ER, stat.

Your Spartans had
the first democracy.

And your romans built an empire
that lasted a thousand years.

And then they fell.

Don't give up.

You hear me?

You're a good girl.

You take good
care of me.

Anton Weathers,
20-year-old male, collapsed

during a basketball game.

Severe ventricular hypertrophy
and restrictive blood flow

due to aortic stenosis.

He's currently on a vad
and is stable.

We could start

with medication and see
if he heals on the vad.

No, he's not responding quickly
enough to the meds.

I think we should replace
the aortic valve,

which would improve
his ventricular outflow.

My concern is that he has
underlying cardiomyopathy.

Isn't it possible that
his heart will heal

if we just give it a chance?

Not in my opinion, no.

Vanessa, you did the med soc.

What'd you find out?

He has no family...

Uh, his lawyer said

he has people in Illinois
or Indiana or somewhere.

His mother's from Indiana,

but she's estranged
from her family.

She died when Anton

was ten years old.

Heart problem?

Mixed with drugs and alcohol.

Anton ended up in foster care,
mostly group homes.

He was never adopted.

Not surprisingly, he also
has a history of drug use.

Okay, but he's clean now.

Those influences
are never far away.

Look, my fear is that,

faced with prolonged
medical problems,

no family support, he'll revert

back to his old ways.

So let's move aggressively.

We fix the valve,

couple of months from now,
he's as good as new.

This kid has a really bright
future in pro sports.

Let's get him back on his feet.

Anybody disagree?

Okay.

Great. I'll recommend
aortic valve surgery.

Miranda.
Okay,

let's talk about Mark Wilson.

He is getting too sick
to transplant.

I think we may need
to deactivate him

from the waiting list
until he rebounds.

Well, he's not going to rebound.

He will die.

You're making my point, Miranda.

Look, he is getting weaker,
but the only way

to reverse his slide
is to transplant him.

I don't think he'll
survive the surgery.

Do you, Andy?

There are
no contraindications.

No infections, no clots.

I can still transplant him.

We just need a pair of lungs.

That's easier said
than done.

All right, what if I asked him

to remove some of the
restrictions on the donor pool?

Look, I will go and speak to him
right now.

I just ask,
don't deactivate him.

Let us know what he says.

Thank you.

How are you
holding up?

Oh, all right.

Is something wrong?

Remember that conversation
we had with Mark early on

about the level of risk he was
willing to accept in a donor?

I know he didn't want an iv
drug user or a prison inmate.

You and I need to have
that conversation again,

because if Mark gets

much weaker, we won't be
able to transplant him.

No?

Now, Sue?

Sue, I'm not saying

that we won't find him
the perfect pair of lungs,

but if a less
than perfect pair

is offered, I think we
should consider them.

He's only 52 years old.

We're supposed
to have 30 more years.

I'm looking for every chance.

Whatever it takes, you hear me?

I put him in your hands.

You tell me to take the lungs,
we'll take them.

Just save him.

Carol, will you give us
a minute, please?

Sure.

Okay.

Let's talk about your heart.

You have a genetic defect.

One of your valves is too small

to let the blood flow
through properly,

and that's why
you collapsed.

We can continue treating you
on medications,

keep you on the vad therapy,
and hope that you improve,

but I'm not optimistic
about that.

This is life-threatening.

I think we should
replace the valve.

Can I still play ball?

If everything goes well, yes.

You'll need six
to eight weeks of recovery,

but then you can start
to train again.

What do you think, Russ?

Let's get you healthy.

When?

Today.

He is not family.

They were legally married.

For a few moments.

That doesn't give him the right
to go against what we want.

It's about
what Kim would have wanted.

She was my baby for 20
years before you came along,

and you will not tell
me about my own child!

This...

All of this is your fault.

I am sure she
didn't mean that.

She meant it.

She didn't speak
to Kim for six months

when she found out
that we were engaged.

So, h-how do we do this?

Do I have
to sign something, or...

Sam, you should
think about it.

Families don't
forget these things.

You heard her.

I'm not family.

So, I'm gonna do

what I believe that my...

...my wife would want.

I'm authorizing a donation.

Okay, so this is
the expanded list.

They're older donors, but
they're perfectly healthy.

Mm-hmm.
Dr. Foster?

Excuse me.
Mm-hmm.

Yeah?

What's going on?

We got 'em.

We got the lungs.

Okay, so the lungs
for Mark Wilson are perfect.

Same with the heart,

liver and kidneys, but those
are going to other hospitals.

Which means
you're going to be tripping

over a bunch of other teams
in a crowded OR.

You got to let them
do their jobs, Miranda.

And don't get
in a fight.

I'll play nice...
If they do.

You guys ready?

I'm scheduling Mark Wilson's
lung transplant

for 2:00 A.M. you should get
some sleep while they're gone.

I'd rather replace
Anton Weathers' aortic valve.

Hi.

This is Pam Acosta.
I need an OR for Dr. Yablonski.

Yup. Another OR.

We can't have any delays
on the way back.

Those lungs are only
viable for five hours.
Shouldn't be a problem.

I'm watching a storm system
in the Gulf, but as long

as we stick to the schedule,
it won't get anywhere near us.

Miranda, you want
to sit with me?

We can share a blanket.

You know what we forgot?

A bimbo for David.

♪ ♪

Okay.

The new valve looks perfect.

Let us inject.

♪ ♪

Kill the music.

I'm not loving
this heart function.

Yeah, it's not
contracting well.

We can't take him off the pump.

He won't get enough
blood flow.

We're gonna have to support him
with the vad.

When we get him up
to the unit,

I'll go talk to Dr. Strauss.

The abdominal team
is in the OR.

And I'm expecting the
heart guys any minute.

Okay, is the donor stable?

For now, but
we should hurry.

The paperwork's in order?

Well, the husband
authorized the donation,

but the mother's not happy.
Oh.

I'm only telling you,
because this is a small place,

and you may
bump into them.

Well, I don't plan on
being here that long.

There's a storm coming.
Hey.

What are you doing?
Thoracic organs go first?

I'm gonna split the liver,
so you've got a couple hours.

Oh, no, no, no, no. I'm not
gonna make my patient wait.

You can do the split ex vivo
on the back table.

I'm old-fashioned.

I prefer to do it
inside the body.

And I prefer
you get out of my way.

Oh, God! You again.

Yorn.

Is that?
Yup. West Virginia.

Now, look, I don't know who...
Careful, doctor.

She throws things.
Oh, bite me, Yorn.
This guy wants to split

the liver
in the body.

Well, let him.

I could use some coffee.
No, no, no.

I am not wasting two hours.

Guys, I want you to scrub in.

We're going in first.

Could somebody please
call security?

This woman is unstable.

Don't make me kick your ass.

Listen up, everybody.

The mother got a court order
stopping the procurement,

so until we hear from the judge,
we're on hold.

No, no, no, no, no, no.

You talk to that mother,
you make her change her mind.

No, I can't do that.

Well, I can't
let my patient die

when there's a perfect
pair of lungs

waiting for him right there.

Miranda?
What?

You were right
about the cardiomyopathy.

This heart will not recover.

I've already started a
transplant evaluation.

All right,
I'll sign off on it.

Thanks, doctor.

Tsk.
Andy?

Yeah.
We're having trouble

keeping Mr. Wilson's
systolic pressure up.

Can you take a look?

Sure.

The procurement's
on hold indefinitely.

What?!
It's a family dispute.

Okay, keep
the dopamine,

start him on levo,
and page me

if there's even the slightest
change in his condition.

Hurry up, Miranda.

Miranda?
Hmm.

Storm was upgraded to
a Cat One hurricane.

And they're closing the bridge
to the mainland in half an hour.

Okay.

So great.

Hello.

Are you one of the vultures

who came to pick my daughter
apart?

For the record, your daughter
was gone before we were called.

You're making
a terrible mistake.

Not for us, but for yourself.

How do you figure that?

Because no one ever regrets
saying yes.

90% of the people

who say no-- they're...

they're haunted
by that decision.

It's the one thing
they could have done

to keep some part
of their loved one alive--

to honor that person--
they didn't do.

We don't get a commission
for the organs we bring back.

We're trying
to save a man's life.

That's why we're here.

I'm sorry about your daughter.

♪ ♪

I said the most awful things
to her this morning.

I tried to talk her out of
going through with the wedding.

Told her she was turning
her back on her family

the way she was raised.

I pray she forgives me.

I feel like
I didn't even know her.

I stopped listening so she
stopped telling me things.

I could fill you in
on the last year.

Then maybe you can tell me

about everything before that.

Guys, guys,
we're back on.

The mother changed her mind.
The judge lifted the order.

Perfect! Okay, you guys,
come on, let's go.

Go where?

We should wait
until the storm passes.

Kim's crashing.

We need to take
those organs now.

They're closing
the bridge.

We can't get
to the airport.

Is there a landing strip on this island?
Yeah.

Start the surgery.
I'll get us a ride back.

How are you planning on...

That's my problem, okay?

Trust me.

Okay. Okay.

We're not flying
in a hurricane.

My team can drive
back to Georgia--

if we leave now.

Your patients are waiting
on those organs.

I can't get that heart
to my patient tonight.

I can get it to somebody
if you'll help me.

Now, Lucy can help place

the heart, liver and kidneys

to patients around Three Rivers,

and my team will fly all the
organs back with the lungs.

People are dying
on this waiting list.

We can't leave
these organs behind.

Okay.

I'm sorry.

We're getting out of here
before they close the bridge.

Let's go, guys.

You can't be serious!
You're really leaving?

Let them go.

We can do this.

Okay.

All right, come on, let's go.

Amazing drive to the basket
by Davis.

And he draws the foul.

You would've blocked
that shot.

We need to talk.

We were hoping to repair your
heart by replacing the valve;

that didn't work.

The damage
is irreparable.

What does that mean?

You need a heart transplant.

I know it's a lot
to process,

but we are out
of options.

And transplant offers you the
best possible long-term outcome.

How long before I can play ball?

Tell-- how long
before I can play ball?

You won't be able to play ball.

I'm sorry.

No, you're not.

I'm not doing it.

No, you can forget it.

I can't forget it.
You can forget it!

Can't forget it because
you will not survive

without...
Russ, do something.

Do something!
Tell him--

tell him, tell him
I'm going pro.

Tell him something!
Tell him...

Anton, the doctor's saying
you can't.

Well, you tell him I can!

Hey, calm down, Anton.

Come on, Russ, okay.

You said this was a done deal.

That was before.

You said this was my year, Russ!

You were a great player.

"Were"?!

Get the hell out of my room,

Russ.
Oh, kid...

Russ, get the hell
out of my room!

Anton, Anton...
Doc!

Whoa, whoa.
Hey, come on.

Anton, hey.

You're scared,

and that's okay.

It's okay to be scared.

I'd be scared, too.

But this is where we are.

The choice is
pretty simple.

Do you want to live
or do you want to die?

The heart's going
to a woman from Detroit.

The liver's going
to a man from Philly.

They're both being flown
to Three Rivers.

So, we'll do the
surgeries there.

We've got 48 hours
to transplant the kidneys.

So, that'll happen tomorrow.

And I've got a farmer
named Dan Port

just to fly us out of here
in his Piper Cherokee.

Perfect!

You know farmers?

Yeah, it's a group
called angel flight.

I-I did a story
on them once.

Local pilots volunteer

to fly patients
in medical emergencies.

Ready to cross-clamp.
Okay.

Intercall
Three Rivers.

Let Dr. Yablonski know.

Ryan get on gloves and a mask
and get that container ready,

because once he cross-clamps,
we have until 3:15

to get these lungs
into Mark Wilson.

And, Ryan...

nice work.

Let's fix this, please.

Everybody, okay?

Damn.

Hey, what happened?
I think I nicked it.

The aorta's gonna be too short
for the transplant.

Get Dr. Yablonski
on speakerphone now.

You almost done?

Uh, yeah, in about ten minutes.

Listen, we have a problem
with this heart.

We lost power and
the aorta was nicked,

so we had to cut it short.

Now, is there anything
that we can do?

Because this is a perfect heart
otherwise.

Bring as much aorta as possible
beyond the arch.

I'll try to repair it.

Who's gonna transplant Wilson

if you're doing
the heart?

Campos can do it.

How are the lungs?

Perfect. I'll see you
in a couple of hours.

Here you go.

I'll be right back.

Thank you.

Mark Wilson's very lucky.

Let's hope they all are.

If you're ever
in West Virginia...

You'll throw me out?

Thank you.

All right.

Let's go.

You'd better
get it in gear.

The other team's
already scrubbed in.

That's because they're actually
doing a surgery tonight.

Just got a call.
Heart recipient backed out.

She's refusing the heart.

Because of the nicked aorta?
She doesn't want to risk it.

She says
she'll wait for the next one.

Well, she's assuming
there will be a next one.

Let's give it to Anton Weathers.

Blood type on this heart works,
size should be fine.

Don't we have to
wait for the OPO

to offer it to the next
person on the list?

There's no time to send it
to another hospital.

This heart's got like an hour
and a half viability left.

Not to mention a shorten aorta
which should be hell to attach.

So, no one's going
to want it anyway.

This heart goes
in Anton Weathers,

or it goes to waste.

I'll call the OPO and
expedite him onto the list.

Oh, and you, scrub in.

Oh, yes, sir.

There's a heart arriving
in half an hour.

The aorta is short,
but I can fix that.

It's a perfect heart.

Otherwise, it is yours
if you want it.

Give it to somebody else.

I'm trying to save your live.

I can't play ball.

I got no life.

I don't believe that.

You're a rich doctor.
What do you know?

I know, okay.

I'm a lot more like
you than you think.

You know, there was
this moment in my life

when things went
very, very wrong.

But I got a chance
to turn it around and I did.

Here's your chance.

You're not gonna play
in the NBA, tough.

You're gonna do something else.

Something you might
not even be able

to imagine
in this moment.

A second chance is
a powerful thing.

Take it.

Wilson.

Ryan, take those kidneys
to storage.

Got it.

I got Wilson.

David, O.R.1.

Got it.

Inder, take that heart to Andy.

He's gone, Miranda.

What happened?

He threw a clot.

There was nothing
anybody could do.

Okay, come on,
I need you in my O.R.

No... no.

I have to find someone
to take these lungs.

The lungs are done.

Let's save the
ones we can save.

Now, scrub in.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Okay, we're in.

We're ready
to come off bypass.

Yes, doctor.

Clamping.

Pinking up.

There's no heartbeat.

Come on, Anton.

Come on.

Come on, come on, come on.

Come on.

Never get tired
of seeing that.

Miranda.

Excuse me,
doctor.

I'm here about my
nephew Anton Weathers.

Anton-- I just
finished his surgery.

I'm Dr. Yablonski.

John Russell.

H-how is he?

Everything went well.

The heart's beating.

I don't know how much
you know about his condition.

Not much.

I, I just drove here
from Indianapolis

when I got a message
from this gentleman.

How's he doing?

He's okay.

He really was the best player
I'd seen in years.

So, are you going
to take Anton back with you?

I don't know about that.

I tried that before
when his mother died.

He got into drugs.

I put my foot down,
haven't seen him since.

You're here.

He's my sister's boy.

I think Anton's going to be
very happy to see you--

both of you.

We don't control anything.

That is so... not
what my father believed.

He said...
that it was up to us...

...to be the best
at what we do

and to never give up
and to take chances

and to do that one thing
nobody else can do

because you're
their last hope.

No, we're one piece
of the puzzle.

Somewhere out there,

somebody is getting
up to go to work

and they have no idea

that they're going to
become a donor today

and that someone they've never
met before is going to live

because they've died.

You did your part.

You took every
chance you could.

You wouldn't give up
on those lungs.

You even flew in
a damn hurricane,

and because you did,

Anton Weathers and three other
people are going to live.

That's a good day.

See you tomorrow.

Couple more weeks like this,
and you get to go home.

I think you mean Indiana.

Give it a chance.

The donor family is here.

What do you say?

We can wait.

No, um... let's do it now.

This is Sam--

Kim Mullens' husband--
and Nancy--

Kim's mother.

Dr. Yablonski.

Anton Weathers.

Thank you for agreeing
to see us so soon.

Sure.

I-I brought a picture of Kim.

She wanted
to teach second grade.

I asked her, "why
second grade""

she said, because the
kids were still sweet

and hadn't been twisted
by learning fractions.

I, uh...

Thank you.

Thank you for...

...You know.

Can I hear my
daughter's heartbeat?

Yeah.

You have to live for two now.

You understand?

She was my baby.

She was a bright
light in this world.

You have to live
for her, too.

I will.

I will.

♪ ♪