Is it my imagination, or were we supposed to get some more bonding between Abby and Carter last night? I could have sworn that I read somewhere that Abby was supposed to be respond to Carter's temptation to take drugs with some more information about her own addiction issues and a little bonding. Guess not....

And as a side note, would anyone else have cringed or worse when Carter dropped two pills that he had swallowed and barfed up into their hands? I know I would have. Then again, they were apparently so fresh that they clicked in Abby's hand so I guess Abby didn't have to worry about any spew.

-- Barbara Sirois Doyle (barbara@sirois.com), December 15, 2000

Answers

Yes, we were supposed to get some bonding between Abby and Carter. All the spoilers I read said exactly the same thing...that Abby would share her own addiction story. What's going on with these fake spoilers? As an Abby and Carter fan I want to see more bonding between them...especially on her part!

It definitely made me cringe when Carter stuck his finger down his throat! I was also yelling at the TV screen when Carter saw those pills. Carter's not ready to handle pressure. Right now it's too easy for him to relapse.

-- Karen (kmmatran@ingr.com), December 15, 2000.

Well, who knows what horrors Abby has seen after living with Maggie all during her childhood. I doubt freshly-spewed pills would faze her. Anyhow, didn't Abby take a drag right off Carter's cigarette in "Sand and Water"? She's obviously not squeamish about coming into contact with Carter's bodily fluids. And fer cryin' out loud, she's an OB/ER nurse. She's probably taken things out of people's rectums, so why would she cringe when a friend in need handed her some barfed-up pills (and they looked dry, anyway).

-- Tracy (bankybooda@aol.com), December 15, 2000.

I was yelling at the TV when Carter picked up the pills. I was jumping up and down when he swallowed them. I started cheering when he puked em up.

-- Jessica (Sweetbebe0686@yahoo.com), December 15, 2000.

I felt so sorry for Carter last night...it was just too much for him to handle right now. I about jumped out of my seat yelling at him when he grabbed those pills. I mean, I was not surprised at all -- when that biker dude came in and they made such a point of showing his meds it was pretty obvious what was going to happen. My stomach was in knots watching all of that unfold! When he puked them up I was cheering and so relieved. Thank God Abby was there for him at that moment and I'm glad he told her. BTW, I agree with Tracy. As an OB nurse Abby has seen and done much worse than hold puked up pills in her hand.

I felt so sorry for Jing Mei too. I was in tears during all of her scenes. My husband was adopted and he actually said for the first time after watching that last night that he wondered about what his birth mom went through. It was such a touching story and I'm really glad they showed adoption like that. I loved Carter's line "You're giving them the greatest gift". And it was very neat that they found adoptive parents who were Asian and Black. I know if Jing Mei knew that this about sent Carter over the edge whe would feel so bad. I am glad he didn't show her how stressed he was.

I also enjoyed Mark and Elizabeth's scenes. When he asked her if she would still keep the baby if it turned out he couldn;t be helped I was totally taken aback. I had not even considered that. I knew she would say yes. I think AE did a great job when Dr. Burke told Mark he would do the surgery. The look on his face was great. You could see all these thoughts going through his head...he would survive to see his baby be born, etc. I thought it was very well done. He couldn't decide whether to smile or cry.

I also felt so sorry for the little girl Taylor. I know her sister has leukemia but it is so sad the way she was being treated. If only they would explain things to her a little more. I can't imagine being in her parents situation.

I don't care for the Kaneesha storyline. I am sure something is going to happen but I don't know what. It will probably be some "defining moment" for Cleo.

Sorry this is so long. Just wanted to let some thoughts out. Have a goood one!

-- amanda (amanda.rehm@home.com), December 15, 2000.

Yeah, what was up with that? The TV Guide screwed up again. They said that Maura Tierney shines in this episode. Really? And she shined how? What made me cringe was the fact that they showed Carter sticking his fingers down his throat and then making himself throw up. I'm sorry, but did we really need to see that?

-- Cammie (rmaelhorn@home.com), December 15, 2000.

Of course we needed to see that. That was the "standard ER vomit" scene. They're required to put in one a week. We were lucky, usually someone spews 6 feet and soaks someone else. I was counting my blessings!

-- Rubi (mommyof2@sigecom.net), December 15, 2000.

It didn't bother me when Carter stuck his hand down his throat but what grossed me out was when he stuck his hands in the toilet to get them!! I wanted to hurl myself!!I hoped he washed his hands after that!!

-- Robin (rkonger@hotmail.com), December 15, 2000.

I loved everything about Carter in this episode. It was almost like an early ER episode. Carter kept trying to sleep, to calm down, but he never got the chance. He was completely supportive of Deb, and probably made the whole experience easier for her. Carter reminded me of the old Carter in a way too. But when he grabbed those pills, I was screaming. I was yelling at the television for him to puke them up. My roommate wanted to know what he was saying when he couldn't get himself to throw up and I watched it again, and noticed that it was very convincing. Great job by Noah for the whole episode, and I think the whole pill thing was realistic and well done.

-- Joanne (bucklind@hotmail.com), December 15, 2000.

Another good episode. I'm sure that the editorial staff will think that it was crappy as they seem to do week after week. Oh well. To each thier own.

My wife cried twice this week, and I was pretty close to it myself. First when Ming-Na gave Michael to his new mother and second watching Mark's face when he learned that he was not as inoperable as he once thought. That could have been pretty sappy but Edwards played it superbly.

-- Rusty Priske (rusty.priske@hrdc-drhc.gc.ca), December 15, 2000.

Just a couple more questions about last nite's epi..

- the episode starts with carter finishing things up and kerry just arriving. Carter said he signed out his patients to Dave, Mark and Elizabeth were in NY, Benton and Cleo were sleeping at home, Luka is on holiday, Kerry just got there, an attending just left for bahamas (are they paving the road for a carter-attending storyline?) Anyways, the question is who was the attending looking after carter during carter's shift? or dave for that matter?

- both carter and deb are in their fourth and last year of residency right? if so, given that the er already have kerry, mark, luka, and benton as attending and the county is on a budget, i doubt they will have the money for two attendings.. does that mean that one will have to leave? and we know it won't be carter cuz he is on contract..

-- anna (nc3@postmark.net), December 15, 2000.

Yeah! The scene where Carter prayed to the porcelain god distinctly reminded me of the opening toilet scene from the movie, "Trainspotting!"

-- Lee S.S. (Binkyinc@xsite.net), December 15, 2000.

In answer to Anna's question about attendings: Kerry asked Carter how the "new temp" worked out and Carter answered something like, "He was useless, I had to practically run the board myself." So they had somebody there who was supposed to be supervising the residents, and it didn't work out that way. Actually, considering the fact that Mark, Kerry, and Luka seem to all be on at the same time in most episodes, I just assume that there are supposed to be a few more attendings (and probably residents and med students) who are part of the department but are never shown. There should, for example, be a chief resident in place now, and those five med students from "Homecoming" are probably still around somewhere.

-- Melinda Ross (mross@value.net), December 15, 2000.

Regarding the first post, I was disappointed too, by the lack of the "Compassionate strength of Maura Tierney shines in this episode, albeit briefly" (from TV Guide spoilers). DId they edit something out, and will we see it maybe in the next episode? This just proves that Abby *is* a really great friend to help her (though Luka was not around...thank God they're not to that point where he'd take her with him), and although Carter had this pretty substantial setback, he has improved in that he went to Abby right away. But I really resent that she didn't share her story of own substance abuse and hope it will be shown in future episodes. And yes, I found it VERY odd that he just handed her the puked up pills, and for that matter, that he managed to stick his fingers down his throat and very cleanly get *just* the pills out. Is that possible?

I also assumed that there were other attendings we just never see, just like there are other nurses...and Dory, the nurse from season 4 and from last year who argued with Carter and Carol about the dialysis machine (in the epi where Carter returns to work after the stabbing) seems to be now working in the ER. I think I saw her very briefly last epi too, with Benton.

And just to be picky, Haleh is the one who pointed out that Carter ran the whole board, which Carter gratefully accepted with a thank you. Carter would make a great attending, although the pressure is all too much. I was a little worried this storyline would seem a little ridiculous, but it was done well.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), December 15, 2000.

I see no reason why Carter can't be a attending in a another year or so. He should be recovered enough by then. I think he will be able to handle the stress in a matter of months.I think Carter would make agreat attending and we will probably see Carter become one soon. I think we will see Carter continue to improve as the season progresses. Last night served as a wakeup call. I take it as a positive sign that once he realized that he swallowed the Vicodan that he immediatly got them out of his system.

I think last night showed that Carter would make a great Dad. This may be the only time we see Carter play "Dad" during a birth and he was wondeful in it. I loved the Carter/Kerry scene at the beginning. That was Carter/Kerry interaction I loved seeing in the past. I thought we saw Carter may of us loved last night. I really enjoyed this episode. I really did not get into the Benton/Kynesha storyline and I though Legaspi was quite harsh with Kerry in that final scene. I really don't care for Legaspi too much now.

-- Brenda (jckwfan@aol.com), December 15, 2000.

In answer to Elaine's query, it is possible, if the vicodin was in tablet form. If it was a capsule, it would have dissolved a lot faster. I doubt they would have clicked in Abby's hand, though.

What puzzles me is this: last week Carter supposedly went back on those pills that are supposed to block the euphoric effects of drugs. If he is still taking them, would he get any kind of high off the vicodin?

-- Melinda Ross (mross@value.net), December 15, 2000.

I really enjoyed this eppy. So much better than last week's depressing *major Prozac needed* eppy. I loved Deb and Carter. He was so sweet to her! He was there as a coach, as a friend, as a counsellor. Whenever interference needed to be run (such as when Deb nursed the baby, freaking out the adoptive parents) or a strong hand to squeeze during labour, exhausted Carter was there. He was strong when he needed to be and supportive when she needed that yet they could still kid around with each other. Ming-na's performance made me want to cry. Carter taking the Vicodin, stressing out and going to Abby for support after throwing up his pills (Trainspotting anyone?) was terrific. I liked that Haleh pointed out that Carter ran the board because the temp attending was incompetent. Carter will make a great attending. Isn't that what he will become next year? And why isn't he chief resident instead of *senior resident*? And what effect what the Vicodin have if he is still on Naltrex? Maybe his prescription ran out again. It was kind of cool that Abby didn't freak when he put the puked up pills in her hand. I suppose she's been there , done that when it comes to bodily fluids and other things no one what rather talk about.

-- Laura (laurelc@wincom.net), December 15, 2000.

Well, yeah, but I meant how did he keep from choking anything *else* up, like food? (sorry it's a little disgusting, but really, can you do *that*?)

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), December 15, 2000.

I dunno. Carter didn't have time to sleep, maybe he didn't even have time to eat, poor thing.

-- Ellen (eedgert1@twcny.rr.com), December 15, 2000.

Yeah, I was kind of thinking the same thing, Ellen! But still, it was just too clean.

I forgot to post this above, about Brenda's "Dad" comment. I've said this a million times, but I think seeing Carter sitting beside his wife while she's in labor would be a great moment. We have yet to see a pregnancy of a main character where the father is present for the birth (although it seems Mark will be there for Elizabeth). But you know Carter would be that typical excited, nervous Dad. Running around, helping her breathe (remember Susan's sister Chloe...him helping her breathe was hysterical) Maybe he'd have sympathy pains! It'd be great if he could be alongside Deb when she has the baby she's going to keep! Or Abby. I got into that in the other post though.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), December 15, 2000.

Oh, yeah. I couldn't believe Carter put the puked up pills into Abby's hand. Couldn't he just lay them on the counter or something? I thought *I* was going to barf when he fished those pills out of the toilet. Geez.

-- Brandy Martinez-Rogers (branmart@hotmail.com), December 17, 2000.

In response the original, I went back on another message board and found the exact words from the AOL/TV Guide spoiler. It said, "...but when Carter experiences a crucial moment in his recovery, he turns to Abby, who shares a history of substance abuse and has attended AA meetings with him." The first time I read it, I also interpreted it that Abby would actually "share a story" with him about a time she fell off the wagon. But, take a moment to reread it. The phrase is a modifier describing Abby. It's answering the question "who is Abby?" The answer is "Abby is the one who also has a history of addiction and goes to AA meetings with Carter." So, the spoiler wasn't really bogus. I have to agree though, some other spoiler said "she shines in this episode, albeit briefly..." was a bit of a stretch. Just my two cents. I did love all of the Carter scenes, but considering I'm a Carteraholic, that's no surprise.

-- Kari (kari1018@yahoo.com), December 17, 2000.

Good point Kari, though it's still disappointing. No, it's not like Abby "shined" in this episode, but since Maura Tierney is said to be a reason for the improvement of this season, they probably thought this would bring more viewers.

And as for Carter fishing the pills out of the toilet, he probably just figured he had to get them back...he had to show someone that they were in fact, out of his system. It's gross, but my God, he was in a panicked state, people do what they've got to do in these situations.

-- Elaine (mrsclooney78@hotmail.com), December 18, 2000.