CHICAGO MED — “Choices” Episode 109 — Pictured: (l-r) Ross Kimball as Sal, Eva Kaminsky as Jennifer, Torrey DeVitto as Dr. Natalie Manning, Nick Gehlfuss as Dr. Will Halstead — (Photo by: Elizabeth Sisson/NBC)

Name of the Episode: “Choices”

Beware – the following contains spoilers!!!

The episode begins by showing Ethan channeling his frustration into boxing instead of sleeping through the night. It is not shown why he’s feeling irritated; but at the hospital, it’s now a requirement to give patients satisfaction surveys after their visits. Maggie doesn’t have much time to argue because a chemotherapy patient comes into the hospital after she fainted at a coffee shop. Her husband, Sal Baker, and daughter come to her aid. Natalie speaks with Sal outside the room and he informs her that his wife has non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. And per her wishes, she has a do not resuscitate form enacted. Once she is conscious, doctor’s find out her name is Jennifer, and she has been through hell with her treatments; nothing has worked.

A teenage boy impales himself on scaffolding while climbing a chain link fence and Dr. Rhodes is the doctor on the case. Sarah is getting more confident with herself and the patients she sees. Although they lost his pulse, the quick decisions and a trip to the operating room seemed to have saved the boy’s life. But once in the operating room, Dr. Downey assists with the additional work in the chest and abdominal area. He asks Connor to work closely at the heart. Downey is constantly trying to push Connor to working in different areas, but not paying attention to other surgeons.

Zoe, the pharmaceutical representative, comes back to promote new medicines and sees Will. Will keeps trying to find ways to save Jennifer’s life; even getting her access into a new medical trial. However, Jennifer has made it very clear, she does not want any more drugs. Natalie hears her wishes and respects it; but Will does not give up. He goes to Sal hoping she will change her mind. Dr. Downey pages for Connor once again to the operating room. Downey wants Connor to assist on a heart surgery to practice his suturing skills. Connor is a trauma surgeon and does not have much experience with aortic surgeries. That area is more Dr. Zanetti’s specialty. Neither of them understands why Downey keeps picking Connor to assist.

While making his rounds, Ethan sees a young woman with kidney failure; he’s confused by what the tests show and admits her for more testing. Ethan’s patient is bi-polar and her kidney treatment is affecting her mental treatments. Dr. Charles asked if Ethan’s ever experienced someone with bi-polar disorder, and his response seems like maybe he has a mental issue that he won’t confront yet.

Meanwhile Jennifer loses her battle to cancer, but Will cannot accept that she died. Her husband and daughter are in the room; despite her wishes, Will resuscitates her with April and a couple other nurses. Natalie realizes this decision could get Will fired, or even disbarred. She removes herself from the room as Jennifer regains a pulse.

Dr. Charles visits with Ethan’s bi-polar patient and Ethan doesn’t like the course of action that’s being taken. He thinks she should be able to deal with the symptoms and not keep taking medicine. Dr. Charles sees Ethan’s reaction and seems to form an opinion about what he’s going through.

Natalie goes to Sharon about Jennifer’s situation and Will is banned from her case. He still wanted Jennifer to be put in the medical trial, but Sal is unsure about everything’s that happened. Meanwhile Sam reprimands Connor for not taking up the opportunity to study more with Downey, calling him a coward. It’s something he can think about later because Downey ends up in the hospital as a patient. He was in a single person car crash; but Sharon comes in and wants him transferred to oncology because he has liver cancer, unbeknownst to anyone in the department. Sharon’s known about his diagnosis for the past six months but kept the information confidential. His prognosis is not good, so he’s been looking for someone to train.

Sharon receives news that the Baker family has sued the hospital for wrongful life and battery. Will is not suspended; the hospital will stand by him for now. At the end of the episode, Zoe feels Will did the right thing in saving Jennifer and offers to buy him a drink; he accepts. Ethan finally goes to Dr. Charles and confesses to seeing a nightmare of a young girl who died while he was on tour in Afghanistan. He cannot sleep because he keeps seeing her, he just needed someone to confide in. When Downey finally awakens, Connor seems to accept the offer of being trained under Downey’s training.

On next week’s episode: It’s public knowledge that Will has feelings for Natalie. Even after Natalie didn’t support Will’s decision about their patients wishes, this could be the moment Will makes his move.  Stay tuned for next week’s after take!