Black Box

Previously on "Black Box"...

- I think we need to talk. - Yeah.

I took something to help me get through the night.

Thank you so much for understanding.

You're keeping something from me.

Tell me now.

I'm Esme's mother.

- She doesn't know? - No, no.

I'm crushing the books day and night,

but it's not sticking.

- You could try something new. - What's that?

The transcranial direct current stimulation machine.

- I haven't broken up with Will. - So?

So I need to make a decision.

Will, I'm so sorry.

I can't do this anymore.

There's Eggs Benedict under there.

Yeah, I like the fruit-colored O's.

That's brain food.

Is that work?

No.

A woman?

No, it's a buddy of mine in oncology

reminding me the Celtics are on today.

Don't care.

What are you doing?

I only like the cherry flavor.

You're kidding, right?

No.

Close your eyes.

Close your eyes.

Open your mouth.

What flavor?

It's definitely cherry.

Grape.

Dream stealer.

I thought I could taste color.

I guess you can cross synesthesia off your talent list.

Cyclone.

What?

Four down... It's "cyclone."

- Hello, doc. - Hey. Come on in.

Catherine, this is Joey Giordano,

my indispensable right hand.

Joey, this is Catherine.

Hello.

Per lei, signorina.

Thank you.

And don't let him fool you. He's from the Bronx.

No secrets from the doc here. He knows all.

Good news... I think you won the publishers clearing house sweepstakes.

Again?

Your car is out front, at the curb.

- No rush. - Thanks.

Thank you.

Thanks, Joey.

- Nice meeting you. - And you.

I thought they'd go nice with your hair.

Allow me.

Ohh!

Ohh!

Are you okay?

- Ohh! - Joey!

Joey, talk to me.

Pain, awful... like the worst headache of my life.

Let's get him to the Cube.

All right, get him in the car. I'll drive.

- Help me. - Ohh.

Sorry to give you so much trouble, doc.

Come on, Joey. You're no trouble at all.

Are the pain meds helping? You feeling okay?

Good.

Well, I called your wife. She's on her way.

Now, I'll need to check imaging to confirm,

but I think we'll need to operate.

Long as I'm in your hands, I know I'll be all right.

All right.

Mr. Baker? Excuse me.

I'll be doing your intake today.

You!

You leaving me sitting here, waiting like this, huh?!

You have no right!

Do you know how long I've been waiting?!

I'm sorry you were inconvenienced.

Could you tell me what brings you here today?

Look at me, okay?

Look at me.

Really look at me. I'm a mess.

I'm not normal right now.

I have these emotions, okay? I laugh. I cry.

Right now, I want to throttle you.

I want to... I want to take your head,

and I want to pop it right now.

How about that?!

So you're having mood swings.

Um... that must be awful for you.

It's not how I'm feeling.

It's... it's what I'm feeling, okay?

I feel everything,

and it's agony.

I feel too much.

And I have a cold.

Okay. So, I'm looking at your lab results,

which just came in, and I see here that you have...

No love in my life.

No love in my life.

I see here what the problem is.

According to your urine sample,

you're under the influence of methamphetamines.

What? No.

Wait a minute. No, no, no, no, no, no.

Please.

I don't do drugs, okay?

I'll... look, I'm supposed to speak to doctor, uh...

- Dr. Black? - Yeah.

I'll see if we can't get you a psych consult instead,

um, possible rehab.

What?

No, wait, wait, wait, wait.

This is Dr. Phoebe Schwartz, interventional radiologist.

As you suspected...

Joey has a sentinel bleed from a Berry aneurysm.

"The worst headache of my life" kind of gave it away.

The main symptom is...

A thunderclap headache,

because the onset is sudden and severe.

Whatever. Everyone knows that.

I can easily coil it before it rebleeds.

Well, the aneurysm's in a distal arterial segment,

less accessible by coiling.

It's also small with a wide neck,

which makes it the perfect candidate for surgical clipping.

For coiling, as well.

I can thread a catheter, no problem.

It's far less traumatic, with equally good results.

Well, I disagree.

I think there's a higher risk of thromboembolism with coiling,

not to mention recurrence.

You just want to do this one yourself.

Because I believe I can give Joey the best possible outcome.

And I care about this guy.

You ever stay in a hotel and you needed help?

I'm talking about when you're sick with the flu

and you can't get out of bed and you feel like you're gonna die.

Call a doctor.

A doctor's not gonna bring you his wife's homemade soup.

So what you're saying is, Joey is like family.

All the more reason to let me handle this one.

And deprive my patient of the best care available?

Not a chance.

Going on record here.

Coiling is the better option.

Okay, relax your arms. Good.

Skylar's school insisted I have him evaluated.

He's just a little quiet.

That's all it is. He's fine.

Skylar?

Hey. Answer the doctor, honey.

How long has he been unresponsive?

Unresponsive? He's just shy.

He's in his head all the time.

He can go days barely speaking.

Uncross your legs and relax.

Good boy.

And how's his general health?

He's a delicate kid.

He's had fevers that come and go for a while.

I treat him with herbs and a natural-food diet...

No dairy, no sugar, restricted carbs, of course.

He's hyporeflexic.

A natural-food diet is always good.

Is he up to date with his vaccinations?

Oh, no. He's never been vaccinated.

Why not?

I won't have my child get autism.

There is no connection between autism and vaccinations.

According to Big Pharma.

So he's not been tested for measles, mumps, or rubella?

No need. He's already had the measles...

Five years ago, when he was 3 years old. It was no big deal.

Okay. And did he see a doctor?

No.

Okay.

So, I'd like to do some diagnostic testing,

and, um, and I'd like to do a spinal tap.

- A spinal tap? - Yeah.

Whoa.

Uh, you're scaring me.

Do you think something serious could be wrong?

We'll do the testing, wait till we get the results,

and we'll take it from there, okay?

Get Dr. Farnery to do a spinal tap ASAP, okay?

Okay.

You wanted to see me, Dr. Black?

Yes, um, Tinker...

She said that you did an intake of a patient

about an hour ago... Uh, Fred Baker.

Why didn't you call me?

No need to waste your time.

Urine tested positive for meth.