This episode is packed with some serious emotional punch, but I want to talk about the interesting case of Tia Benton.
Tia Benton is the big case of the episode. You've already gotten the situation regarding Tia from the setup. Next is Leanne, Heather, and Mario in Gina's office. Gina is leaving her eighth message demanding to speak to a judge - any judge - so that they can get a court order to go ahead and do the surgery on Tia without the father's permission. There is no doubt that is mad! However, she's not as upset as the doctors are. Mario can't believe that religion is trumping science. Gina says her hands are tied because they can't do anything unless it's "imminently life-threatening" Leanne keeps pointing out that if they don't operate Tia will get "compartment syndrome" - which cuts off the blood supply to the leg and could, in fact, kill her. When Gina counters with the patient probably would only lose her leg, Heather is incensed! The girl is only sixteen. While Mario and Leanne are upset this Heather seems to be taking the situation personally.
Leanne points out to Gina that at 16 Tia can legally decide for herself what she wants, so why aren't they trying to convince Tia? Gina has a whole list of reasons: Tia's already said no, the father is there, and besides, "she's handling it."
Leanne isn't thrilled either. With all three doctors glaring at her Gina tells them they can certainly hold Tia for eight hours while she goes after that court order.
It's Leanne who gets to tell the dad that while they won't operate they are going to be keeping Tia for observation. Adam talks strongly about how they have faith in the healing powers of God. Tia is obviously torn - especially as Leanne points out that she's seen this kind of injury before and how it can turn out. Still, it's Tia who says that she's healing through prayer.
It's at that moment that Tia's friend peeks in to see how Tia's doing. It causes quite a scene! The dad doesn't want Elena there - he blames her for what's happened to Tia. Tia defends Elena because it's Tia that wanted to go to the concert. Elena, devastated at seeing Tia suffering screams at the Dad about Tia being "in pain." She can't believe a father would allow his daughter to suffer like this. Then she cries out to Tia that Tia is being brainwashed! Luckily Mama arrives and escorts Elena away before things get out of hand.
After Elena is taken away Leanne lets Tia know that Tia has the legal right to choose for herself if she has the surgery or not. At this point, the Dad, with a scary sort of calm, informs Leanne that Tia does not want the surgery and that he now forbids anyone at the hospital from talking to Tia.
Heather is still steaming about this and comes up with a plan to convince Tia to have the surgery. She enlists Mario to help get Adam away from Tia with some forms to fill out. She tells Mario that Tia isn't completely entrenched in the father's religion or she would never have gone to the nightclub.
I'm impressed with how Heather gets Tia to agree to the surgery (and with the writers who came up with it!) First she tells Tia about her own strict religious upbringing (which explains much about Heather!) and then points out a big hole in the religion, and in her father's faith. If there is no medical intervention, why does Tia's father wear glasses?
Heather: "Why is it okay for him to allow a doctor to help him see again, but you can't let us help you walk again?"
Tia is taken away for surgery, but she asks them to sneak her away. When her dad discovers what's happened he's briefly angry at the doctors. Upon seeing Gina he demands that the surgery be stopped, but Gina's got a court order saying the hospital can do the surgery. He's given a choice to go sit in a waiting room or to be escorted out by security.
At this point, Adam Benton stops being angry. Instead, he's devastated. He explains that disobeying God can result in his daughter's death.
I think this is the toughest case Code Black has tackled yet. Adam Benton's religion seems irrational and made up, but there are cases similar to this that make the news on a regular basis. From a strictly secular perspective, Adam's religion makes no sense at all, but this is an extreme position for most mainstream religions. Personally, the argument being put forth by Adam's religion seems to go against the Biblical story about Jesus in the desert being tempted by Satan: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test..." – Mathew 4:7. That's just me, though. There are religions that absolutely believe in no medical interventions and with the United States being a country that believes strongly in religious freedom, it's not taken lightly to go against a person's wishes...unless it's endangering the person's life.
In truth, this topic is far more complicated than what can be taken on in a 43-minute show. The bottom line is that most people aren't comfortable with the idea of a religion that would keep a person from receiving reasonable medical treatment, and that's the storyline that this case is following.
Tia Benton is the big case of the episode. You've already gotten the situation regarding Tia from the setup. Next is Leanne, Heather, and Mario in Gina's office. Gina is leaving her eighth message demanding to speak to a judge - any judge - so that they can get a court order to go ahead and do the surgery on Tia without the father's permission. There is no doubt that is mad! However, she's not as upset as the doctors are. Mario can't believe that religion is trumping science. Gina says her hands are tied because they can't do anything unless it's "imminently life-threatening" Leanne keeps pointing out that if they don't operate Tia will get "compartment syndrome" - which cuts off the blood supply to the leg and could, in fact, kill her. When Gina counters with the patient probably would only lose her leg, Heather is incensed! The girl is only sixteen. While Mario and Leanne are upset this Heather seems to be taking the situation personally.
Leanne points out to Gina that at 16 Tia can legally decide for herself what she wants, so why aren't they trying to convince Tia? Gina has a whole list of reasons: Tia's already said no, the father is there, and besides, "she's handling it."
Leanne isn't thrilled either. With all three doctors glaring at her Gina tells them they can certainly hold Tia for eight hours while she goes after that court order.
It's Leanne who gets to tell the dad that while they won't operate they are going to be keeping Tia for observation. Adam talks strongly about how they have faith in the healing powers of God. Tia is obviously torn - especially as Leanne points out that she's seen this kind of injury before and how it can turn out. Still, it's Tia who says that she's healing through prayer.
It's at that moment that Tia's friend peeks in to see how Tia's doing. It causes quite a scene! The dad doesn't want Elena there - he blames her for what's happened to Tia. Tia defends Elena because it's Tia that wanted to go to the concert. Elena, devastated at seeing Tia suffering screams at the Dad about Tia being "in pain." She can't believe a father would allow his daughter to suffer like this. Then she cries out to Tia that Tia is being brainwashed! Luckily Mama arrives and escorts Elena away before things get out of hand.
After Elena is taken away Leanne lets Tia know that Tia has the legal right to choose for herself if she has the surgery or not. At this point, the Dad, with a scary sort of calm, informs Leanne that Tia does not want the surgery and that he now forbids anyone at the hospital from talking to Tia.
Heather is still steaming about this and comes up with a plan to convince Tia to have the surgery. She enlists Mario to help get Adam away from Tia with some forms to fill out. She tells Mario that Tia isn't completely entrenched in the father's religion or she would never have gone to the nightclub.
I'm impressed with how Heather gets Tia to agree to the surgery (and with the writers who came up with it!) First she tells Tia about her own strict religious upbringing (which explains much about Heather!) and then points out a big hole in the religion, and in her father's faith. If there is no medical intervention, why does Tia's father wear glasses?
Heather: "Why is it okay for him to allow a doctor to help him see again, but you can't let us help you walk again?"
Tia is taken away for surgery, but she asks them to sneak her away. When her dad discovers what's happened he's briefly angry at the doctors. Upon seeing Gina he demands that the surgery be stopped, but Gina's got a court order saying the hospital can do the surgery. He's given a choice to go sit in a waiting room or to be escorted out by security.
At this point, Adam Benton stops being angry. Instead, he's devastated. He explains that disobeying God can result in his daughter's death.
I think this is the toughest case Code Black has tackled yet. Adam Benton's religion seems irrational and made up, but there are cases similar to this that make the news on a regular basis. From a strictly secular perspective, Adam's religion makes no sense at all, but this is an extreme position for most mainstream religions. Personally, the argument being put forth by Adam's religion seems to go against the Biblical story about Jesus in the desert being tempted by Satan: "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test..." – Mathew 4:7. That's just me, though. There are religions that absolutely believe in no medical interventions and with the United States being a country that believes strongly in religious freedom, it's not taken lightly to go against a person's wishes...unless it's endangering the person's life.
In truth, this topic is far more complicated than what can be taken on in a 43-minute show. The bottom line is that most people aren't comfortable with the idea of a religion that would keep a person from receiving reasonable medical treatment, and that's the storyline that this case is following.
