Chicago Med - Heart Matters - Review

“Gone but never forgotten. Rest in peace, dear friend, and protect us from above.”

Wounded CPD officer Kate Windham is brought to Chicago Med, and she’s got history with our favorite nurse. Last season, Maggie was arrested for interfering with a police investigation—Kate was just doing her job, but so was Maggie. It doesn’t take long for Ethan to break the bad news to Kate’s husband—Kate is braindead. But that doesn’t mean Kate can’t continue saving people, something she dedicated her life to. As an organ donor, Kate can potentially save eight lives, so Maggie begins the coordination process. But because of the history, Sergeant Platt requests Maggie not work on the case, so April takes over. Speaking of April, the baby is just fine! All the fear from the previous episode regarding the effect April’s TB meds might be having on the baby are, for the time being, gone.

Unable to find April, Kate’s husband asks Maggie for help in getting a special necklace of Kate’s to her for the organ harvesting. Maggie’s not letting this one go. “I swore to devote myself to the welfare of those committed to my care…I want to honor your wife.” It’s not just Maggie who honors Kate, but many officers of the Chicago Police Department. I was in tears in the closing moments of the show as officers lined the hallways to salute Kate one last time. Over dispatch, Kate is given a memorial as well, and it was one of the most touching scenes I’ve ever seen.

“As a human being, I would love to root for Meghan. As a doctor, I’m more aware than ever the power this disease can have over someone.”

Meghan, Connor’s potential heart transplant patient from the previous episode, is back in the ER after a car crash with her daughter Bria. The crazy thing is, they were on their way to the hospital for Meghan’s transplant—she’s a match for Kate’s heart. Connor’s first concern is that Meghan’s injuries might be too much for her to handle heart surgery. But after running tests, they conclude she can handle the surgery, but her blood/alcohol level indicates she had been drinking. Because an addict has to be sober eighteen months prior to receiving a transplant, a panel is formed to determine whether or not Meghan can receive Kate’s heart.

Despite the panel’s ruling to deny Meghan the heart, the inability to transport the heart to another viable candidate means Meghan will receive the heart after all. It’s a huge relief for Connor, whose science mind battled his heart throughout the hour. Dr. Latham, someone who doesn’t often deal with emotion, also finds himself battling the emotion of the case. I’d imagine we’ll see Meghan again next week, as the hour closed with heart being placed in her chest. She still has a long road of recovery ahead. Not only that, but Ethan finds a mass in Bria’s back that turns out to be spinal AVM. It’s nothing serious, yet. In fact, because they caught it when they did, surgery will fix her up good as new.

Meanwhile, Sarah is on a neurology rotation with Dr. Abrams (who, after my recent binge of The Man in The High Castle, I can’t see as anyone but the snarky-but-lovable Robert Childan). Dr. Abrams performs Bria’s surgery, and call me cynical, but between the comments made by Ethan that the surgery isn’t complicated along with Sarah’s note that Dr. Abrams is a brilliant surgeon makes me think something’s going to go wrong. It’s like in football when the announcers talk about how a quarterback hasn’t thrown an interception in ages—and then he throws one the very next play.

After fighting for Meghan last week, Connor takes her slipup hard. Colin Donnell takes the MVP award this week—he was fantastic. Connor’s frustration, hurt, and anger are apparent, and they battle his desire to still give her the heart. Surprisingly, Daniel was a big comfort to Connor this episode. Continuing with his decision last week to rise above and accept Robyn’s relationship with Connor, Daniel seems back to his old self this hour and offers Connor support. It was so nice to see these two friendly again!

“Sometimes things just don’t break the way we want them to.”

After the bombshell Jeff dropped on Natalie last episode (as in, he once told her husband in a roundabout way he had feelings for her), she’s a bit standoffish as the hour begins. Not only that, but she’s facing Dr. Stohl’s Morbidity and Mortality seminar, an “M and M”, where her case from the previous episode will be the focus. As Dr. Stohl points out, Will is also required to be there, as his position as the attending makes him responsible for Natalie’s decisions. Dr. Stohl grills Natalie at the M and M, but Will is there in full support. And you know what? Natalie can hold her own just fine.

Even though Will earlier told Clark that med students don’t present at M and Ms, he couldn’t help but jump in as Natalie’s “white knight” while Dr. Stohl grilled her. Oh, Clark. He had the best intentions, but that was the wrong move. Natalie leaves the seminar humiliated. “I am not a damsel in distress and I do not need you to defend me!” Near the end of the hour, it looks like Natalie might be in the mood for reconciliation. But alas, she’s in the mood for closure. In a way, closure with her husband came with closure with Clark. It seems Natalie is finally ready to move on, and she’s doing it without Clark.

Ready or not, it seems a Will and Natalie relationship is fast approaching. I’ve said it before, but I sincerely hope that inevitable relationship doesn’t cost this show Clark and Nina. That would be such a shame! Should we start shipping Clark and Nina…?

“You are playing Russian Roulette. There are only so many times you can pull that trigger.”

Will treats Felix, a jockey in the ER for severe dehydration. But after running a few tests, Will discovers Felix is also bulimic. As a jockey, he’s under immense pressure to stay at a certain weight, and it’s obvious Felix is passionate about what he does. He’s devoted his life to the sport and nothing will stop him from racing. Nothing, except perhaps death. He panics when hydration alone makes him gain two pounds, yanks out his IV, and passes out as Will warns him that his is in serious danger.

I respect the dedication Felix has to his profession—for all the flak athletes catch, it takes incredible dedication, skill, and sacrifice to do what they do professionally. But no sport is worth your life, and that’s something Felix won’t accept. He insists on leaving the hospital against medical advice, something that, based on his mother’s medical history, likely makes Will angrier and more frustrated than anything else. But leave it to Daniel to be sneaky—he anonymously tips off the track that Felix is taking diuretics, so he won’t be racing any time soon.


What did you think of the episode? Will Meghan and Bria survive their surgeries? How soon will the inevitable Natalie and Will relationship begin? Share your thoughts below!