WILL ABBY LOSE CONTROL OF HER FULL-PLATE OF PROBLEMS? OSCAR WINNER SALLY FIELD RETURNS TO GUEST STAR

As Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) retuns from Africa, Abby (Maura Tierney) veers disturbingly close to a breakdown in her attempt to cope with a multitude of problems, Dr. Weaver (Laura Innes) confronts the man who stole her purse and Dr. Pratt (Mekhi Phifer) accompanies paramedics -- and is later surprised by what happens to a comatose homeless man found on the street. As Abby awaits word on her missing flyboy brother and deals with her needy mom (Oscar-winning guest star Sally Field), she and Carter try to keep a brain-dead boy alive so that his grieving parents can adjust. Elsewhere, Dr. Kovac (Goran Visnjic) finally arrives at the hospital in the nick of time to aid an overdosed teen and Dr. Lewis (Sherry Stringfield) is flattered by her teenaged admirer which doesn't help sugarcoat the grim news for her young cancer patient. Ming-Na also stars.