Life situations huge and small consume the storyline in this week's Episode 7 of Season 3, “SFAD” on November 11’s “The Good Doctor.” Two young patients at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital face critical, life-altering choices that no adult would wish to make.

One teen girl, Tara (Haley Ramm), born with SCID (Severe Combined Immunodeficiency), agrees to undergo an ultra-sanitized surgery performed in a chamber to clear a lung infection. Problems arise post-op when she is stricken with a life-threatening sepsis infection, and sure to face more. Charley, a 12-year-old boy, is about to lose his vision completely after both eyes are stricken with ocular cancer.

He determines to make his last day of sight one to remember, and Dr. Reznick (Fiona Gubelmann) and Dr. Brown (Antonia Thomas) are along for the ride.

Shaun Murphy (Freddie Highmore) is disconnected when it comes to staying in touch with Carly (Jasika Nicole) via cyber-communication while she attends a professional conference. “The Good Doctor” does, however, connect very personally with Tara, sharing similar experiences of pain and isolation with her as she makes her difficult choice.

Dr. Melendez (Nicholas Gonzalez) is hardly “fine” after his painful loss of an expectant mother. He joins Claire in the broken doctor category and blames both himself and his relationship with Dr. Lim (Christina Chang) for the situation.

Dr. Reznick continues to display her human side in this one, deciding to be an honest friend, and get a tad bit nasty, in a way only a boy could dream.

A grand getaway

Charley is putting on his expected show of humor and strength in the face of an outcome that would leave any patient reeling. Both parents praise the response admirable, but Dr.

Andrews (Hill Harper) asks Dr. Brown to “get him to open up” with her tack for communication. She dismisses the instruction and avoids as much personal interaction as possible, still in the throes of loss.

When Claire and Morgan go to check on their young patient, they discover that he has plotted his own escape, calling a ride.

They assure his concerned parents that he is “at imaging,” and they will have him back soon, safe and sound. Morgan traces Charley’s name and the ride service to the ballpark, where they find him keeping much more focus on the girl of his dreams, a few rows down, then on any action on the field. He keeps bargaining for time and earns his chance to speak to her, before losing his courage. He still got to make his valiant effort with a slushy.

Shaun starts the day on “The Good Doctor” being scolded by Lea for ignoring Carly's texts. He matter-of-factly defends that she didn't ask a question, so he owes her no response. Lea coaxes him into the subtleties of courtesy within texting that are completely over the resident’s comprehension.

In one very delightful scene, Highmore imitates the rolling-eye emoji, calling Lea from the hospital and asking what the “fake face” means. He doesn't allow her to go into much detail.

Dr. Glassman (Richard Schiff) is still having a sticky situation working out his workplace relationship with Debbie (Sheila Kelley) and patients who bring flying squirrels to their appointments.

By the time Dr. Andrews contacts Brown and Reznick, they are in a real-life version of “Speed Racer,” with Charley at the unsteady wheel in the parking lot. He begs for one more important stop, and Dr. Reznick does her best, even offering $50 to get Charley into a gentleman’s club for 15 seconds. Dr. Brown regains a momentary interlude of empathy.

She offers heartfelt words on her loss, and the terrible lows (“terrible” is substituted for her words here) and wonderful moments in the “life that will be yours, and it will be a good life.” Charley relates the meaning of the occasional Spontaneous Family Adventure Days(SFAD), spent with his family. They return to the hospital for surgery.

One of the most powerful scenes comes when Charley looks at his parents, striving to memorize and imprint every mark of their faces. His dad (Chris Rosamond) declares that SFAD days will be reinstated.

Parents and people bonds

Dr. Park (Will Yun Lee) proposes a riskier procedure for Tara, one that will transplant T-cells and give her immune system the chance to grow and protect her on its own.

Despite Dr. Lim’s support, Melendez urges the more safe approach of clearing the infection and keeping her alive in her “bubble” environment. When Dr. Lim watches Melendez hesitate with his blade during surgery, she knows he is still processing his loss, and lacking his characteristic confidence. Dr. Glassman also tries to help the best surgeon on “The Good Doctor” to speak to someone, but Melendez is grappling with a bigger issue. He thinks that Dr. Lim’s belief in him is exaggerated and that the patient would never have been lost under a different surgeon.

When Dr. Park pitches his approach to Tara, she is fearful and resistant. When Dr. Murphy describes how he understands her struggle of isolation and “being different.” Their gazes connect.

Dr. Murphy, like her, had parents who were distant, not understanding of their son or his gifts. Tara’s parents are “outdoorsy” and in Colorado, not by their daughter’s side. Shaun elaborates that with Park’s procedure, Tara could be like her parents or pursuing her own interests and company. The choice would be hers, not made by her missing immune system. He notes that “I have Dr. Glassman, I have a roommate who is a girl, and I have a girlfriend who is only annoying some of the time.” He assures that being with people is better than being alone. In turn, Tara teaches Shaun the power of simply “being there” is more than enough.

Park thanks Shaun for the pitch, while Melendez chastises him. The procedure seems successful, and Tara escapes, too.

She unzips the door to her “bubble” and ventures to the hospital window for her first breath of unsterile air.

Morgan gives Charley a private show of her own, just before taking him to the operating room. That memory, too, will never be erased. He wakes in personal darkness after surgery, thanking her and calling for Dr. Brown.

Morgan stops at the bar, sits beside Claire, and pleads with her to “deal with your c---,” before you turn into this.”

Debbie is staying on duty, ready with new shoes from her husband, and Shaun sends the best message possible back to Carly: “I’m here.”

Next week, the couple goes for all the bases on “The Good Doctor.”

Score this episode as another home run.
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