Grey’s Anatomy Season 22 Episode 13 Recap — Katie Is Dying

If you tuned in to the March 12 episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” hoping for an uplifting, feel-good hour of television, allow us to offer our sincerest condolences. Not even Jo’s baby-proofing side quest (she really is living in her own little sitcom now, isn’t she?) could mask the wave of pain that swept through the halls of Grey Sloan Memorial this week.

Upon being readmitted to the hospital, Katie began experiencing multiple organ failure, prompting Bailey to shift her focus to palliative care for her friend. Bailey initially forbade Lucas from being there when she delivered the bad news, as he’s no longer on Katie’s care team, but when the patient insisted on going home against medical advice, Bailey had no choice but to call in her pinch hitter.

After Lucas convinced Katie to remain at Grey Sloan until in-home hospice care could be provided, Bailey faced the brunt of Katie’s mother’s rage, made worse by the fact that Katie’s grandmother also died of cancer at that same hospital 15 years ago. “You didn’t fight, not for my baby,” her mother told Bailey, reducing the strong surgeon to a puddle of helplessness.

“Katie is dying from bureaucratic stupidity,” Bailey lamented to Lucas in a powerful outburst. “Years of hard work finally developed medicine that was working, but instead of helping people access it, our government is dismantling science. Just like that, clinical trial gone. And it’s not just Katie’s cancer. Maternal diabetes prevention, substance abuse programs — space exploration is even on the damn chopping block! Just decades of groundbreaking work without even a single thought to its cost in human lives.”

Lucas couldn’t solve the country’s healthcare problems in a single episode, but he did come up with a compromise: Katie is going to stay at his aunt’s house, and Lucas, Simone, and Kwan will take shifts looking out for her. Bailey wasn’t on board with the plan at first, but when Lucas reminder her that it’s “literally her dying wish,” she helped him get the at-home equipment that Katie will need.

The March 12 installment of “Grey’s Anatomy” also saw the demise of a budding young couple, one that only just became official three episodes ago.

It all began with a tense morbidity and mortality conference, where Jules and Mohanty were questioned about the mishap during their latest procedure with Dr. Wright. When asked who incorrectly placed the stitch that caused tension to the patient’s flap, Mohanty said it was all on her… because she should have been watching Jules more carefully. (Say what?!) Jules stood up for herself, saying that Mohanty was the one who placed the stitch, but it only made her look worse in front of the staff.

Jules needed Dr. Wright to know that Mohanty was lying, but much to Jules’ surprise (and dismay), Dr. Wright didn’t really seem to care. In fact, she now thinks even less of Jules for getting pulled into this drama, rather than rising above it. Great!

Totally off her game, Jules approached Winston at the end of the hour, insisting that he should know she didn’t place the stitch, as his opinion matters more to her than anyone else’s. She even admitted to lying about coaching his patient a few weeks ago. “I lied then, but not today,” she said. “I just didn’t do it, and I need you to know that.” He said he believes her, and just when we thought they were about to kiss… they didn’t! Big blah.

Speaking of couples who are unlikely to kiss anytime soon, Kwan confronted Mohanty about throwing Jules under the bus, and she didn’t deny it. She also dismissed it as a small deal, figuring she’d find a way to help Jules out someday. But that wasn’t good enough for Kwan, who stood by Jules and ended things with Mohanty. He even wished her luck getting a position in Boston, which was an incredibly loaded sentiment.

Other developments from the March 12 episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” included…

* While Jo made plans to baby-proof their apartment, Link met her with a counter proposal: What if they just move into his man cave? His wife put up a minor fight — it was the equivalent of a single punch, really — but she quickly warmed up to the idea of making new memories together. Sure, it’ll be easier to baby-proof, but does she not remember how much smack she talked about Link’s old apartment last week? Something tells us that she’s going to regret agreeing to this.

* Now cancer-free and back in the operating room, Richard found himself at a crossroads this week. The old Richard would have celebrated removing a man’s enormous, record-breaking spleen, but the new Richard is more focused on the patients they weren’t able to help in time. “What if I can’t unsee this?” Richard asked Ben, who suggested that it might be time for him to start a new chapter — whatever that may be.

* Meanwhile, there was absolutely no forward movement on the Owen-Teddy front. Come on, they just kissed last week! Are they getting back together? The people want to know!

Let’s talk: What did you think of this week’s “Grey’s Anatomy”? Even though we knew our time with Katie would be short, aren’t you struggling with this devastating storyline? And do you even care that Kwan called things off with Mohanty, or were you not invested in that relationship yet? Drop a comment with your thoughts below.