Thursday October 28, 2004
9:59 PM 1.0 ER
NICU

ABBY AND NEELA ENDURE A ROLLERCOASTER MONTH OF EMOTIONS IN HELPING STRUGGLING NEWBORNS --- A reluctant Abby (Maura Tierney) and Neela (Parminder Nagra) are assigned to the dreaded NICU -- the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit -- a separate floor where they are confronted with a whole new universe of jargon and helpless babies fighting for their lives as anxious parents wait for miracles that often don't come. The wrenching marathon is part of their month-long rotation, and the pair begin to confront their own fears as they are tested emotionally and professionally. Eventually, they begin to bond with the Chinese parents of sick twins, a baby boy with a faulty heart, a praying mother (as Susannah, guest star Jordan Berkow) who refuses to give up hope for her comatose infant -- and even Dr. Weaver (Laura Innes, who directs), whose newborn baby with Lopez (guest star Lisa Vidal) needs the NICU's help. Noah Wyle, Alex Kingston, Sharif Atkins, Mekhi Phifer and Linda Cardellini also star.