Owner of a Lonely Heart

"Forty years ago, the Beatles asked the world a simple question: they wanted to know where all the lonely people came from. My latest theory is that a great many of the lonely people come from hospitals. More precisely, the surgical wing of hospitals. As surgeons, we ignore our own needs so we can meet our patients' needs. We ignore our friends and families so we can save other people's friends and families. Which means that, at the end of the day, all we really have is ourselves. And nothing in this world can make you feel more alone than that. Four hundred years ago, another well-known English guy had an opinion about being alone. John Donne. He thought we were never alone. Of course it was fancier when he said it. No man is an island entire unto himself. Boil down that island talk and he just meant that all anyone needs is someone to step in and let us know we're not alone. And who's to say that someone can't have four legs. Someone to play with, or run around with, or just hang out."

- Meredith Grey

 is the eleventh episode of the second season and the 20th overall episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Short Summary
A prisoner swallows razor blades to get of solitary confinement, annoying Cristina in the process. While watching over the quintuplets, Addison teaches a lesson to Izzie using an old technique that Richard taught her long ago.

Full Summary
Episode in detail.

Main Cast

 * Ellen Pompeo as Dr. Meredith Grey
 * Sandra Oh as Dr. Cristina Yang
 * Katherine Heigl as Dr. Izzie Stevens
 * Justin Chambers as Dr. Alex Karev
 * T.R. Knight as Dr. George O'Malley
 * Chandra Wilson as Dr. Miranda Bailey
 * James Pickens, Jr. as Dr. Richard Webber
 * Kate Walsh as Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd
 * Isaiah Washington as Dr. Preston Burke
 * Patrick Dempsey as Dr. Derek Shepherd

Guest Stars

 * Rosanna Arquette as Constance Ferguson
 * Timothy Bottoms as Carl Murphy
 * Margaret Welsh as Dorie Russell
 * Pat Healy as Tom Russell
 * Curtis Armstrong as Robert Martin
 * Sarah Utterback as Olivia Harper

Co-Starring

 * Patricia Bethune as Nurse Ginger
 * Monica Garcia as Peds Nurse
 * Elaine Kao as NICU Nurse
 * Brooke Blanchard as Jill the Paramedic
 * Amie Donegan as NICU Nurse #2

Lucy Russell

 * Diagnosis:
 * 32 weeks premature
 * Hydrocephalus
 * Doctors:
 * Dr. Derek Shepherd (neurosurgeon)
 * Dr. George O'Malley (surgical intern)
 * Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (neonatal surgeon)
 * Treatment:
 * Brain shunt insertion via surgery
 * Observation post-operation
 * NICU care

Emily Russell

 * Diagnosis:
 * 32 weeks premature
 * Hypoplastic Left-Heart Syndrome
 * Doctors:
 * Dr. Preston Burke (cardiothoracic surgeon)
 * Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (neonatal surgeon)
 * Dr. Izzie Stevens (surgical intern)
 * Treatment:
 * Left-chamber heart reconstruction via surgery
 * NICU care

Julie Russell

 * Diagnosis:
 * 32 weeks premature
 * Omphalocele complicated by pulmonary compromise
 * Doctors:
 * Dr. Miranda Bailey (surgical resident)
 * Dr. Cristina Yang (surgical intern)
 * Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (neonatal surgeon)
 * Treatment:
 * Surgery
 * NICU care

Charlotte Russell

 * Diagnosis:
 * 32 weeks premature
 * Underdeveloped lungs
 * Doctors:
 * Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (neonatal surgeon)
 * Dr. Meredith Grey (surgical intern)
 * Treatment:
 * NICU care
 * Intubation
 * Cobedding with Kate Russell

Kate Russell

 * Diagnosis:
 * 32 weeks premature
 * Doctors:
 * Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (neonatal surgeon)
 * Dr. Alex Karev (surgical intern)
 * Treatment:
 * NICU care

Notes and Trivia

 * This episode's title originated from the song Owner of a Lonely Heart, originally sung by the progressive rock band Yes.
 * This episode scored 20.58 million viewers.

Quotes

 * George: (the interns are each monitoring a newborn quintuplet) I have the best quint. Lucy. She just smiled at me.
 * Izzie: She's nine hours old, George.
 * George: I'm saying, there are five babies here, and clearly *mine* is the advanced one.
 * Meredith: Charlotte's smart. She's got wrinkles on her forehead. Very serious.
 * Izzie: OK. A: this is not a competition. And B: my quint kicks your quints asses. Emily's strong, she won't let go of my finger.
 * Cristina: Hey, Julie has her organs on the outside of her body and she's still alive, thank you!
 * Alex: Kate's the best one.


 * Olivia: I still get a little squeamish around leeches.
 * George: That's not what I heard