Grey’s Anatomy: Love in an Elevator

Things are pretty messed up at Seattle Grace. Owen basically strangles Christina in his sleep. Derek has been pulled back to work because of Izzie’s surgery but still looks like the Grizzly Man. Izzie will be undergoing at least three surgeries and seven outpatient procedures within the next week, and Alex doesn’t know how to cope. How will our docs fair with everything going on?

Izzie has a pretty tough oncologist, Dr. Swinder, assigned to her, and it’s clear she’ll be one of the few docs who don’t treat her differently than any other patient. Plus, because of the radiation she’ll have to undergo, Izzie’s best option for children in the future is to freeze her eggs. And frozen eggs have a better chance of survival when they’re inseminated, so the Chief asks Alex if he’d like to seed those babies. (Alex is all weird and twitchy this episode, but he quickly agrees to do this which makes me think he’s more weird about losing Izzie and not knowing how to comfort her.)

Owen, on the other hand, can’t get anywhere near Christina post-attack since Meredith and roomie Callie are cock blocking. I understand they are worried. (The choking scene was so visceral, at first, I thought it was a dream!) But to butt in on how a friend handles dating someone with severe PTSD may be stepping over the line.

What’s sweet is that Derek is reaching out to Owen, making him feel okay. He tells him that PTSD is a real injury and that he could help him, but it is clear Owen can’t help beating himself over it which clearly stands in the way of him really getting better. He tries to push Christina away, but as she’s said in the past, she knows her limits, and it should be up to her. Yet, when he goes in for a kiss, she recoils and leaves. (Sometimes its easy to forgive, but hard to forget.)

Meredith, on the other hand, gives Alex some support when she lets him vent to her. This was not the way things were supposed to be for him or for Izzie, and it was so heart breaking when he said this was not the way they were supposed to have babies. He still didn’t talk to Izzie about it at all which is weird but some people deal with possible death in their own absurd way.

George isn’t too happy to be the last person to find out about Izzie’s condition. Probably about as happy as T.R. Knight is with his current status on the show. For all the caring these doctors do for each other, Miranda is the only doctor to visit Izzie before her surgeries. Bailey’s the best, acting like a friend even though she’s playing the part of resident on Izzie’s case, and it tears me up to see Izzie all alone, sad and knitting an entire scarf in one day.

It takes the case of a dying old lady who was given one month to live but miraculously is still alive three years later for Karev to understand this. His family is seemingly bitching at every moment, just praying for the old lady to croak, but without fail, they’re there for her every month she goes into the hospital and “almost” dies. For her, having people is what keeps a person going.

Izzie’s death brings a lot to the forefront for our doctors. Callie confronts George because he was the reason that she wished Izzie dead when she wrecked their marriage, but she also knows that Izzie is his best friend, and no matter how angry, he needs to be there for her. Derek proposes (sorta). If that was my proposal, he’d get a slap to the face, but basically he wants to know that Meredith will still be there for him even if he can’t save Izzie. She won’t accept his proposal at the moment, but supports him and says he knows he can do it, even when he doesn’t.

While in the OR, the new oncologist questions Derek’s stability and his abilities, but we see a little bit of the old Derek come out when he snaps at her for questioning him. Of course, Derek’s surgery is a success, but Shonda set this up  very nicely. There are still many surgeries to go, so Izzie’s not even close to being out of the woods.

As if it wasn’t enough happiness for one episode with Izzie’s successful brain surgery, Owen and Christina get it on! Yes! Oh yes! The cutesy final scene that brought me to tears was Derek’s proposal to Meredith by bringing her into an elevator and showing all these surgeries that he’s performed and performed well with her support and love. “You know we’ll survive too…I’m not going to get down on one knee. I’m not going to ask a question. I love you Meredith Grey, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you.”

If you don’t know how this one turns out, we’ll then you’re just crazy.

But a bombshell is dropped at the end just when we thought everything was okay.  After Owen and Christina finally make love, she says she can’t handle it anymore, especially since she’s afraid to fall asleep. He heads to Derek to get an MRI and seek help but is it too late. Looking at the tears Christina is shedding with Meredith laying in her bed, I’d think she’s not over this one.

As Karev says in this week’s VO, “Maybe you have to get a little messed up to step up.” I’ve been there, and I’d have to agree.

Season 5, Episode 19: Elevator Love letter (originally aired March 26, 2009)

For another take on this episode, read Tanya Lane’s review here.

For more Grey’s Anatomy, click here.

Thursdays 9/8c on ABC
Photographs courtesy of ABC