Also known as: Manic depression
Alex's mother Helen visits Seattle, and Alex becomes concerned when she exhibits concerning behavior (talking about doctors in her head, smelling burning shoes that aren't there). He worries these are signs of a psychotic break or manic episode, reflecting his lifelong experience of watching for warning signs of her mental illness decompensating.
Also known as: Tumor in the spine
The entire party is thrown in Catherine's honor to celebrate her successful surgery for a spinal tumor. She reflects on living scan-to-scan with the knowledge that her tumor could grow back, expressing the ongoing anxiety of never being 'out of the woods' despite the surgical success.
Also known as: Heroin addiction
Betty is two weeks into recovery and struggling as Owen and Amelia prepare to send her back to live with her parents. She describes herself as 'a drug addict with a baby and a dead boyfriend' and expresses fear about adjusting to normal teenage life while maintaining sobriety.