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Mama Who Bore Me

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“ Our DNA is made up out of four nucleotide bases. The sequences of these bases is what determines our unique genetic code. Everything, from dimples to eye color to tolerance for spicy food, can be found in our genes. Genetic makeup can also help ascertain risk for diseases. So, it stands to reason, if we want to minimize the risk, could we find a way to change our genes? And if we could, are we sure we should? Segments of our DNA strands can be turned on or off by our behaviors and environment. So why not change the expression of our DNA and make it our own? Because who we are isn't determined just by what we inherit but by what we choose to do with it. ”

Mama Who Bore Me is the fifteenth episode of the nineteenth season and the 415th overall episode of Grey's Anatomy.

Short Summary[]

With Levi's help, a patient celebrates a milestone. Jo processes a difficult diagnosis, and Maggie and Winston decide their future.

Full Summary[]

The next morning, Winston climbs out of bed as Maggie sleeps.

Simone meets Lucas in the kitchen as he's packing his breakfast special for his roommates. Mika comes in and urges them to take off.

Amelia and Kai arrive at Grey Sloan. Kai brings up London again but Amelia is not ready to hear about the thing that Kai is abandoning her for.

Winston brings Maggie a cup of coffee. When they are in the OR together, they work in sync and constantly knows what the other needs. They should be able to do that all the time. She asks him to come with her. She's sure he can find a job there. He doesn't want her to get him a job like she did here. He's earning respect here and finding his footing and he does not want to leave. He asks her to stay and fight for the plenty of good things that exist between them. Maggie does not want to give up this opportunity. Winston is steady and committed because he works hard not to be like his father. Ellis's genius is baked into Maggie's DNA but other aspects of Ellis are as well. Winston tells her she has to work hard to not be like her. He hopes she'll stay.

Teddy meets Bailey and Pru in the attendings' lounge. Bailey has already lost her security deposit for the rental home. Teddy has increased security presence around daycare, it being an obvious target. Bailey has decided not to send Pru back there for now and takes her to go on rounds with her.

At the coffee cart outside, Benson tells Jules she looks rough. She hasn't slept in two days. Benson is done with peds. He's paged to the ER. Maggie catches up with Amelia. They both need to talk. Maggie says Winston called her Ellis and wants her to stay. Amelia says Kai is moving to London so she can understand Winston feels abandoned. Amelia wants to be prioritized and she can't go to London. Maggie wonders if Winston meant Ellis-level cold when he called her cold. Amelia assures her she is anything but cold. Saving lives makes her happy and that is not a word Amelia's ever heard in reference to Ellis. Amelia is not ready to give Kai the same amount of support. Amelia tells Maggie to go and be happy. They hug it out.

Mika joins Owen in the ambulance bay. He notices she's wearing two different shoes. The rig brings in Lindsay Allyn, a woman with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome and history of C1-C2 fusion, who fell in the shower and is exhibiting left-sided sensory and motor deficit.

Lucas and Simone are examining Tobey Barrett, who has increased sensitivity of her breast and a recent discharge. She feels uncomfortable talking about it in front of Lucas so Simone sends him out. Tobey leaked all over her shirt during a deposition in county jail. As the only female partner and token Black girl, she's constantly proving to her partners that they can count on her. She can't have leakage.

Winston visits Viv and Nola in the latter's ICU room. Jules stayed with them all night. Nola's labs and vitals look fantastic so they're moving her off the ICU floor today. Viv was hoping to see Maggie but Winston says she's dealing with final paperwork before leaving tonight. Viv had hoped she would stay longer but Winston assures her Nola is in capable hands. Nola then wakes up and mumbles incomprehensibly.

In a trauma room, Amelia shows Lindsay that the fall caused the metal from her spinal fusion to break off. Her C1 and C2 vertebrae are compressing her spinal cord. They need more imaging to assess the damage. Mika and Owen are applying a device to keep traction on her head and neck. Lindsay's brother, her primary caretaker, comes rushing in. They share a duplex and wonders how she could've fallen since there are support bars and she's supposed to sit in the shower. Mika is zoned out as Amelia orders a CT.

Winston calls a code blue and finds a swelling on Nola's neck. He suspects she developed a blood clot around her jugular. He decides to open up the incision. Viv demands to have Maggie paged but Winston has her removed from the room. He swiftly makes the cut and removes the clot. He has Jules apply pressure so they can move Nola to an OR.

Bailey orders Lucas to take Pru to the cafeteria for a snack. She's needed in the OR and needs him to watch Pru for a couple of hours, entrusting on his experience with his nieces and nephews.

Richard is surprised by Catherine's arrival. She came in for some routine tests. Richard tells her his last conversation with Maggie didn't go well. Catherine knows she'll come around. That's what family does.

Levi enters Grayson's room. Grayson is playing cards with his great-grandfather while his parents are packing to pick up Grayson's cousins from the airport. Grayson wants to eat something other than the bland broth. Levi says they need to see how he tolerates clear liquids first. Grayson's bar mitzvah has been cancelled for now. He doesn't want to do it without great-grandfather, for whom it's hard to travel from Brooklyn. Levi follows the parents out of the room and asks for a word.

Jo arrives at the ENT unit with Luna. She goes numb when the nurse asks her if she's checking in, focusing on all the flyers on hearing aids and ASL. Link arrives, having shuffled things around to be here with them. He takes Luna to the waiting area.

Amelia explains to Mika that the paralysis should resolve quickly if they relieve the pressure on the cord. Based on the images and labs, Amelia says Lindsay is allergic to the metal used to stabilize her spine. They have to take it all out, meaning they can't do this revision. Mika wonders if they're just gonna leave her paralyzed.

Levi and Benson follow Teddy to persuade her to allow them to organize a bar mitzvah at the hospital. Teddy wonders who will set it up. Levi looks at Benson, who smiles uncomfortably.

Lucas returns to Simone with Pru after having gotten her a brownie. Simone spots Maggie and asks her for a consult. She felt a lump in Tobey's breast. Maggie says she'll supervise the ultrasound and possible biopsy. Maggie points out Pru is getting chocolate all over the nurses' station.

In the OR, Winston and Jules have completed the neck exploration. They move on to the venotomy. Jules says there were perfect anastomoses and wonders how this happened. Winston says any amount of extra pressure could have caused this. Sometimes, you can do everything perfectly and it still goes wrong. He allows Jules to sew in the patch graft and guides her through it.

Amelia finds Kai in the lab and asks to pretend there is nothing going on between them. She needs their help.

Kai has joined the team in Lindsay's room. They plan on 3-D printing a matrix of coral and stem cells to fuse the vertebrae back together without metal. She will lose some mobility, though. Carlton says it sounds too experimental. It is cutting-edge but luckily, one of the most published neuroscientists in the world is here to help out. Carlton continues to push back until Lindsay says it's not his decision. She fell because she was shaving her legs for a date. She doesn't need Carlton to constantly remind her of her disability. She decides to go for the surgery.

Benson and Lucas are decorating the lobby with balloons. Teddy passes by and Levi assures her it's going great. Levi goes to find a DJ. Mika goes to take a power nap before taking part in Amelia's amazing surgery.

Jo is going over all possible causes for Luna's hearing loss. Link says they'll take this one step at a time. The nurse calls for Luna. Jo picks her up and asks Link to join them.

Maggie guides Simone as she performs the biopsy of the mass. Tobey knows it's bad. Maggie admits it looks suspicious but they'll need to confirm with the biopsy results. Tobey says she's working on a case that might get to the Washington Supreme Court. She thought this was just some infection. Tobey goes to the doctor regularly and self-examines. Maggie says she did everything right and the lump is still smile. Tobey thinks she's getting punished for putting work first, which her mother always chastizes her for. Maggie says loving your job is beautiful. It makes her passionate, not cold, and this is not a punishment. She was on top of things and came her immediately. There are options to treat whatever it will turn out to be.

Outside the room, before taking the samples to Path, Simone tells Maggie she can't be the one to tell Tobey if it turns out to be cancer. Maggie tells her she can. She connects with Tobey and that will make Tobey trust her. Maggie shares that her mother died of breast cancer after a long, painful battle. It took Diane away from a life that she waited too long to claim. Maggie hopes she's doing her proud. Simone is sure that she is; Maggie is one of the best teachers she's ever had.

As they wait the printer to be finished, Amelia comments that the patient was lucky to have a loved one nearby. Kai counters that the patient is just trying to live their life but can't because their loved one is obsessed with being needed. Owen breaks up the fight by asking to go over the surgical plan.

Lucas is giving instructions as Benson hangs up a banner. He has lost sight of Pru, who is hiding under the desk and giggles as he goes off to look for her. Owen arrives in the lobby looking for Mika, who is supposed to be scrubbing in. Benson claims not to know and offers his hands. Owen allows him to come.

Jules and Winston find Viv and tell her that Nola is okay. They moved her back to the ICU. Viv thanks Winston for saving her twice and goes to the ICU. Jules tells Winston she's glad he's staying. She wants to be on his service to learn from him.

Maggie bursts into Richard's office, saying how she won't apologize for her ambition and how she's not disloyal to Grey Sloan. Catherine, the only one there, is surprised to hear Richard said that. Catherine says Richard has been around ambitious women and wouldn't have it any other way. Maggie realizes Catherine knew Ellis. Catherine says not that well. There was only a small group of female surgeons and they would get a drink together after conferences but Ellis always jetted off to her next big thing. She wouldn't let friendship get in the way of her career. Maggie utters that coldness is in her DNA. Catherine corrects her: focus. Ellis saved a lot of lives. Maggie is more than her pure ambition: she's kind, caring, honorable, fair, and a good friend. She believes those traits are in her genes, too. Richard loves her and she knows he wishes every day that he and Ellis had been brave enough to follow their hearts. Maggie wishes she had known him longer, too. Catherine says they'll still see her and hugs her.

Levi enters Grayson's room with a tux and his nice shoes. Since everyone is here together, they decided to throw him a bar mitzvah today at the hospital. Grayson refuses.

Mika wakes up in the on-call room and realizes she missed the surgery.

Benson is assisting Amelia and Owen, who wants to make sure Amelia's anger won't affect the patient. Amelia explains what's going on. Benson heard there are more direct flights to Europe from Seattle but Amelia tells him to stay quiet and assist. Owen watches Mika run into the scrub room but shakes his head at her. She leaves.

Simone just told Tobey that the biopsy confirmed that it's breast cancer. Simone re-iterates that she has options to treat this. Tobey has no clue what to do next. Simone knows. Maggie watches from outside as Simone gives Tobey some room for her feelings.

Dr. Chavez returns to "Mr. and Mrs. Wilson". Link says they are just friends. Dr. Chavez says that the BEAR test confirms progressive hearing loss. They'll run more tests to find out what's causing it. Jo goes numb.

Grayson refuses to go downstairs. He's supposed to eat cake and dance with Eloise. He wanted to sit up on the bimah and shows his friends and family how proud he is to be Jewish, especially his Zayde, who didn't get to have bar mitzvah in Germany. He can't be proud of who he is like this. Levi says part of becoming a man means learning how to handle that not everything goes according to plan. You have to leave room for the magic. Levi then suggests Grayson does it together with his Zayde.

Levi arrives in the chapel with Grayson, where his family is waiting. His Zayde is happy to reel into manhood together. Grayson subtly points out who Eloise is.

The ceremony begins, with Richard being among the guests. Levi carries the Torah to the altar. After Grayson and his Zayde complete their Haftarah, the guests throw candy at them and cheer.

Maggie finds Winston outside the hospital. She heard Nola is doing well. Winston says he absolutely crushed it today and wishes she could have seen it. She tells him he has nothing to prove to her. She thought about what he said. Ellis stayed with Thatcher, which is what made her bitter and cold. She was ambitious before that. Staying made Ellis miserable, as it did Diane. Their mothers didn't follow their hearts and stayed to keep other people happy. Maggie's heart is in her work but she knows she's not cold. She also does not think he's coward. They did the best they could and neither is to blame. She loves him but she has to go. Winston loves her, too, but he has to stay.

Owen and Amelia inform Carlton that the surgery went great. The swelling in Lindsay's cord is going down and she should regain function over the next few days. Carlton knows he can be a pain in the ass. When Lindsay first got sick, he watched the person that he knew fade away and he promised himself he would do everything to bring her back. Owen says his sister can be a pain in his ass all the way from Los Angeles. Carlton realizes Lindsay needs independence. Carlton goes to sit by Lindsay's bedside. As they walk off, Owen suggests Amelia talk to Teddy about bringing Kai on staff.

At the bar mitzvah reception, Jules and Benson talk about their surgeries. Mika comes up and yells at Benson for stealing her surgery. She's coming for him. Benson is not worried. Owen comes up and tells Mika to get her act together or she won't see in the inside of an OR for a week.

Maggie finds Richard at the reception. He tells her her move caught him off guard but she has every right to pursue her career. She knows but it feels nice to hear him say that. Richard got her a gift. It's a business card holder shaped like the bench where he sat on when he learned he had a daughter. It's the moment his life changed forever. He hopes he'll remember him when she looks at it. Maggie doesn't need a bench to remember him. They hug. Winston watches from a distance and then takes off.

Simone finds Lucas filling up two cups of punch. He's getting one for him and one for his date, Pru, who is dancing with Benson. Simone jokes she apparently found another guy. Lucas says that's his luck.

Richard catches up with Levi and compliments his work on the bar mitzvah. Grayson is having the time of his life dancing with Eloise. Richard thinks Levi should consider a peds fellowship. He connects with kids, listens, and cares. It's rare.

Link is reading a brochure on hearing aids as he, Jo, and Luna are heading home. Technology has a come a long way but Jo is not interested in hearing about it yet. It's extremely scary to her at this point. Luna has been through enough and Jo needs to wrap her head around this before Link goes all cheerleader. She thanks him for today and walks off with Luna.

Amelia finds Kai in the lab and excitedly announces that she spoke to Teddy. Kai interrupts her and tells her not to quit her job for them. Amelia says Teddy is expecting research funding so Kai could move here. Kai then says their relationship works because of the long distance. It allows for Amelia to split her time between being a mother and being with Kai, and those things don't overlap. From the minute Kai told her about the biggest career opportunity of their life, Amelia made it all about her. She never congratulated Kai. They are at very different places in their lives. Kai still loves Amelia. "But..." Kai starts. Amelia stops them and says that is what people say before abandoning her. She leaves.

Catherine finds Richard at the reception. All of her results come back. They're all okay, which is the honest truth. Richard can't bear the idea of losing Catherine after losing Maggie and Meredith. Catherine hopes to be around for a long time but she can only guarantee right. Right now, she wants to dance with her husband. They then see Maggie awaiting the elevator at the other end of the lobby. They smile and share a loving look until Maggie gets on the elevator.

Maggie feels the presence of her mothers, both of whom contributed to who she is today, as the elevator doors open and she heads to the next chapter of her life.

Cast[]

Main Cast[]

Guest Stars[]

Co-Starring[]

Medical Notes[]

Lindsay Allyn[]

  • Diagnosis:
    • Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome
    • Eosinophilia
  • Treatment:
    • Spinal fusion

Lindsay, 37, was brought into the ER after falling in the shower. She had a Ehlers-Danlos and had had a C1/C2 cervical fusion. In the ER, they put her in a halo. A scan showed that her fall caused the metal instrumentation from her previous spinal fusion to break off and those vertebrae were compressing her spinal cord. She'd had the fusion to treat atlanto-axial instability. Amelia ordered a CT of her spine, which showed that she was allergic to the metal from the screws placed in her neck, meaning they needed to be removed immediately. Then they used a 3D printer to make a matrix for her body to use as scaffolding to stabilize her spine. After her surgery, her brother was told she'd regain her mobility soon.

Tobey Barrett[]

  • Diagnosis:
    • Breast cancer
  • Treatment:

Tobey had had additional sensitivity in her breasts for a few months. And she also had unusual discharge from her right nipple. Simone did an ultrasound and then a biopsy, which showed breast cancer.

Nola Marques[]

  • Diagnosis:
    • Clot
  • Treatment:
    • Surgery

Nola was still in the hospital after her tumor resection. She was stable and her friend was told she'd be moved out of the ICU, but then she woke up and struggled to speak. Then she coded due a blood clot around her jugular incision, which prevented the blood from draining from her head. Winston had to open her incision bedside to remove the clot. Then they packed the wound and moved her to the OR, where they repaired the venotomy. Then she was moved back to the ICU.

Bailey's Patient[]

  • Diagnosis:
  • Treatment:
    • Small bowel resection

Bailey went to do a small bowel resection.

Catherine Fox[]

  • Diagnosis:
  • Doctors:
  • Treatment:

Catherine was at the hospital for some tests.

Grayson Friedman[]

  • Diagnosis:
  • Treatment:

Grayson was healing from his ostomy. Levi checked on his incision.

Luna Wilson[]

  • Diagnosis:
    • Progressive hearing loss
  • Treatment:

Luna had a BAER test on her hearing. Based on the results, her doctor suspected progressive hearing loss related to her prematurity and said she wanted to order more tests.

Music[]

Song Performer Scene
"Heat" Hookd, M3LT
  • Winston gets out of bed.
  • Simone finds Lucas making breakfast.
  • Amelia and Kai talk.
  • Winston and Maggie are awkward together.
"Untamed" Firewoodisland
  • Tobey processes her diagnosis with Simone's help.
  • Luna's doctor says she has progressive hearing loss.
"Hello" Aquilo
  • Richard and Maggie say goodbye.
  • Lucas and Simone talk.
  • Richard and Levi talk about Levi's future.
  • Jo and Link talk about Luna's prognosis.
"Keep On Movin'" Jillian Rossi
  • Kai and Amelia break up.
  • Richard and Catherine talk.
  • Maggie leaves the hospital.
  • In the elevator, she remembers both her mothers.

Notes and Trivia[]

  • This episode's title originated from the song Mama Who Bore Me, originally from the musical Spring Awakening.
  • This episode scored 3.15 million viewers.[1]
  • This episode was widely announced to be the final appearance of Kelly McCreary as Maggie Pierce as a series regular, although she was set to return in future episodes of the season in guest star capacity.[2] However, Kelly McCreary retained her series regular credit for her next episode.
  • Maggie also narrates the voice-over for the episode. As such, it is the only episode of the season and the fourth episode of the series overall (following Who Is He (And What Is He To You)?, (Don't Fear) the Reaper, and Look Up Child) not to feature Ellen Pompeo in any capacity.

Gallery[]

Episode Stills[]

Behind the Scenes[]

Quotes[]

See Also[]

A complete overview of this episode's crew can be found here.

References[]

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