Combat Hospital Episode 1.10 Reason to Believe

It's another eventful day at Combat Hospital. First we're introduced to an Army Chaplain who is struggling to finish a sermon. She's choking back tears and rushes out of the chapel just in time for an injured soldier to rush in for treatment. The soldier, Jeffrey, has suffered a spinal injury from an explosion and feels completely numb. Panicked, he requests the hospital's Army Chaplain to comfort him. She's clearly moved from witnessing the soldier's agony and does her best to remain calm. Midway through reciting a Bible passage, the soldier goes into shock. Simon snaps at the Chaplain to get out of the way - they need to save his life before she can save his soul. Simon sure has a way with words.

After some x-rays, the medical team learns the extent of the soldier's injuries. Simon smooth talks the Colonel into letting him perform a procedure that has never been done on the grounds. Although the Chaplain initially agrees to accompany Jeffrey in the O.R., she pulls the colonel aside to speak to him privately. She confesses that her faith has been challenged since working at the hospital and she can no longer comfort patients with words she no longer believes in. She asks for the Colonel to sign a letter giving her official permission to leave the hospital for good. He replies that he will give her the letter tomorrow, but she should at least stay in the O.R. for the remainder of Jeffrey's surgery. Begrudgingly, she agrees.

In the O.R. Simon is quick to poke at the Chaplain's faith. They argue faith versus reason before Simon has had enough and orders her out of the room. She refuses. Things are getting feisty until the Colonel barges in unannounced to let Simon know that his brother has been calling incessantly with repeated threats of suicide. Simon insists it is a prank from a medical school friend but the colonel doesn't care either way. He just doesn't want his team to be bothered anymore by this "brother", "friend", whatever he is. Anyway, the surgery is a success and everyone can walk away satisfied.

After the rush of accomplishment, Simon goes home to hit the bottle and watch an unmarked DVD that his brother sent in the mail. In a video message on the DVD, Simon's brother is exhibiting extreme signs of Schizophrenia and tells Simon that the money he's been sending is of no good to him. He pleads with Simon to come home. Looks like Simon has more problems than he leads on.

Back in the recovery room, Simon tells Jeffrey that in time he will most likely regain control of his arms, a significant accomplishment given his injuries. Jeffrey only replies with, "You should have let me die." What a grateful guy. Shortly after, Simon has a confrontation with the Chaplain where, in a fit of rage, says how utterly useless she is. She disregards his statements and makes use of herself by comforting Jeffrey. She admits that she doesn't have all the answers but she knows they just need to have faith. Everything happens for a reason.

In other news, Suzy dumps Bobby because he isn't spending enough time with her and he's concerned his relationship may distract him from his first love...his job. He shrugs off the dumping. It's been fun, but a relationship isn't his top priority. And as a side project, Bobby takes on the task of helping his overweight friend, Barry, slim down. It's turning out to be his most challenging project yet.

While the Chaplain and Simon drama is going on, Rebecca and Grace have been spending time outside the hospital walls. They're doing routine check-ups when they're interrupted by screaming. A school teacher is begging for someone to help her children, all of whom are vomiting and struggling to breathe. Rebecca quickly diagnoses them with having been exposed to a toxic poison. Once everyone affected has been treated, the school teacher is concerned that their school books have been destroyed by the Taliban. Rebecca sets up a book donation at the hospital and the teacher is extremely thankful. That is until the elders of the town discover a girly magazine among the new library and Rebecca gets in trouble for donating inappropriate material. Despite the innocent mistake, the school teacher gives Rebecca a poetry book as a thank you. Too bad the book is written in Pashto and Rebecca can't read it.

By the end of the day, Simon is having a slight breakdown. Out of all people to turn to, he turns to the Chaplain. She accompanies him outside where she throws away the release letter she requested from the Colonel. Maybe everything does happen for a reason.