# What happened on ER last night (12-12)? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 13, 2002, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522 "2002-12-13T16:08:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![SwimmingRiddles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SwimmingRiddles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SwimmingRiddles)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/21 "2002-12-13T22:24:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Greywolf73 \* > \*\*I noticed that the leukemia guy’s girlfriend mentioned his parents were lawyers (while she was talking to Abby about being nervous meeting them). > > I smell a lawsuit! I think that was a very obvious setup for a future plotline. \*\* Especially since the girlfriend asked Luka why her boyfriend didn’t get treated sooner, and Luka said flat out: “He didn’t receive proper care.” Or something. My understanding of the law may have all been culled from David E. Kelley shows, but even I know that you NEVER admit fault. Never. I missed the first 15 minutes and was hopelessly confused. It’s such a potentially good plot devise, \* Memento\* rocked. But I found this just…boring. Of course, a more pensive Luka is still Dr. Hottiepants. mmm… ---
**Author:** ![Hoops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hoops/32/6408_2.png) [@Hoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hoops)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2002, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/22 "2002-12-13T23:54:21Z")
I bet they’re setting Luka up for finally becoming a priest–remember he was in the seminary for a while–and his philandering and questionable judgments will eventually be seen as increasingly futile denials of his calling. His being called on to pray with a patient, and the shot of him in black with the white scarf dangling like vestments . . . seems like foreshadowing to me. Hey, he could become the hospital chaplain. It’d make for a different twist on the Classic ER Jurisdiction Argument Scene: WEAVER: You had no business operating on that patient! You’re supposed to be a chaplain! LUKA: Dammit, Kerry, I SAVED his LIFE! etc etc ---
**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/23 "2002-12-14T00:24:07Z")
I see this as a plot device to introduce Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. It’s timely, and he is the most likely candidate. Also, having had some experience in this area, he’s displaying some classic symtoms. ---
**Author:** ![norinew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/eb9ed0/32.png) [@norinew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/norinew)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/24 "2002-12-14T00:50:20Z")
[q]My understanding of the law may have all been culled from David E. Kelley shows, but even I know that you NEVER admit fault. Never[/q] Oh, yeah, during that whole scene, I was thinking, "whey don’t you just get down on your knees and BEG to get sued?!?! ---
**Author:** ![soulburnz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@soulburnz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/soulburnz)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/25 "2002-12-14T00:54:57Z")
Luka “should” have run a blood test at the beginning of the leukemia vics treatment. Abby suggested it several times, and he said no, for whatever reason. I believe the test would have caught the leukemia right away and the domino effect would not have lead to the oxygen loss and further complications. (like Luka messing up the trach) But… I suppose he then would have farked something else up instead. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/26 "2002-12-14T02:10:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Mjollnir \* > \*\*And also possibly Luka was troubled by having been reminded of _his_ own past (and lost family), when he had to treat having been reminded of it by the former _ustashi_, who had been attacked by someone who had recognized him from WWII. \*\* Actually, it _Utashe_, and it’s not a person, it was the Croatian fascist terrorist organization that eventually took control of Yugoslavia during WWII. They were responsible for the assassination of King Aleksander I and Louis Barthou. Anyhoo, Luka was looking extremely sexy, as usual. I liked the episode. Especially when he started telling Susan about how he used to celebrate Christmas with his family back in Croatia-he talked about taking the kids sled riding. ☹ (Oh, and as for no Don Cheadle, I understood that he was only to appear in the previous five episodes-his work at County is finished). Oh god, Luka as a priest…_melts into a puddle of lust_ ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/27 "2002-12-14T02:58:30Z")
A prime example of Gaudere’s Law: > [@](#): > > Actually, it Utashe, 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bafaa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e480ec/32.png) [@bafaa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bafaa)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/28 "2002-12-14T22:20:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by soulburnz \* > \*\*Luka “should” have run a blood test at the beginning of the leukemia vics treatment. Abby suggested it several times, and he said no, for whatever reason. > \*\* That patient was originally Carter’s. As Carter was leaving he hands the chart to Luka and said the guy probably had influenza. It doesn’t excuse Luka but it’s probably why he didn’t feel the tests were necessary. ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/29 "2002-12-14T22:35:06Z")
> [@](#): > > Luka “should” have run a blood test at the beginning of the leukemia vics treatment. Abby suggested it several times, and he said no, for whatever reason. I wouldn’t fault him for not doing the CBC (which includes a white blood count, which would indicate the leukemia) and missing the diagnosis right away. The guy’s presentation was very nonspecific. Where he really messed up was after the intubation, when he failed to listen for breath sounds once the tube was in place. He told Susan that he did and he had heard them bilaterally; she suggested that they were probably transmitted (that is, he was hearing the air in the stomach as he listened to the lungs). That would be unfortunate, but not the gross malpractice that it would be to not listen for placement. Of course, the only one who saw him finish the intubation and not listen for breath sounds is now dead/in a coma following the crash of the Penismobile. Dr. J ---
**Author:** ![TheeGrumpy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@TheeGrumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheeGrumpy)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/30 "2002-12-15T01:04:45Z")
Luka also tried to blame the blown airway on the nurse, who I distinctly remember left the room during the procedure. Also, hasn’t _ER_ used the “Pinter Maneuver” before? A couple of years ago – before _Memento_ even? I agree with **Avalonian** that the episode would’ve been really dull in chronological order. Plus, we never see exactly why Luka tied one on at the Christmas party, since it happens before the story “begins”. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/31 "2002-12-15T05:19:37Z")
Luka’s been getting drunk and going out with sluts for quite a while now. Whatever happened to the sweet guy who waited until his wedding night? No fair! ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522/32 "2003-03-30T21:14:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Earl Snake-Hips Tucker \* > \*\*Pop culture/trivia note: The dad of the hockey player was John Kapelos, who played the custodian in “Breakfast Club,” who–when _he_ was in Shermer HS, had been voted “Most Likely to Succeed” as shown in his annual photo at the beginning of the movie. \*\* OK, I saw the movie today. It was actually “Man of the Year.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-happened-on-er-last-night-12-12/142522.md?page=1)