Warning: This article contains spoilers for Grey's Anatomy season 21, episode 8, "Drop It Like It's Hot."
Grey's Anatomy fans are experiencing an upheaval with the happier exit of Levi Schmitt (Jake Borelli) and the tragic one of Mika Ysauda (Midori Francis) happening back to back. The latter may now be one of Grey's Anatomy's saddest exits, as Mika decides that she can no longer work at Grey Sloan as it is haunted by Chloe (Julia Rose), her sister who was killed in a horrific car crash. After her own recovery, attempting to return to work, and having a terrible, enlightening day, Mika breaks up with Jules (Adelaide Kane) and walks out the hospital's doors for good.
Grey's Anatomy is notorious for heartrending character deaths, the most common way to write a character out of the show in the early seasons, but it has become rarer in recent years. However, Mika's exit is a standout moment for the show's writing as it manages to be just as tear-jerking without her death being the reason for her absence from now on. While Grey's Anatomy leaves the door open for Mika's return, the well-executed storyline of how hard it can be to work at Grey Sloan makes it seem unlikely she would ever take the same job.
Yasuda Left Grey's Anatomy Because Of Her Trauma
After Surviving The Car Crash That Killed Her Sister, Mika Quits Her Job At Grey Sloan
Grey's Anatomy has included some realistic depictions of PTSD over the years, giving the characters their due with the effect it would have on a real person. Even so, Mika's difficulties at work are hard to watch, coming right after the heartbreaking episode in which she almost dies. Chloe is only a part of the Grey's Anatomy cast for a few episodes, during which time she undergoes cancer treatment before dying after the car crash. She is not as much of a fixture of Grey Sloan Memorial, but her having been there for a short time still affects Mika.
Namely, Mika's reaction to a patient she has no relation to crashing triggers a breakdown where she demands that they save her deceased sister. While leaving the hospital because of a tragedy is a new storyline for Grey's Anatomy, Midori Francis was right in her comments that it was a powerful way to write her out, demonstrating the need for her character to heal elsewhere (via Deadline): "I just felt like the only way Mika would leave the hospital is something really bad happening. And boy, they created something so incredible for me to play."
Hang On, Every Main Grey's Anatomy Character Is Haunted
Everyone Has Lost Loved Ones & Experienced Other Trauma Within The Hospital In Grey's Anatomy
However, it's actually shocking that Mika is the first person to leave Grey Sloan because of grief and/or PTSD. The sheer amount of death and destruction that befalls the hospital means that many characters have lost loved ones or experienced other trauma within its walls. Cristina (Sandra Oh) briefly quits her job after the hospital shooting, which is attributed to the effect the event has on her rather than the location. Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) also leaves Seattle with her children for a time after Derek's (Patrick Dempsey) death but eventually returns to her place of work.
Generally, Grey's Anatomy does a fine job of depicting mental health conditions, showing the various routes to help and healing the characters utilize. While staying at Grey Sloan may mean being around supportive friends with similar experiences, Mika's exit from Grey's Anatomy somewhat jarringly shows that leaving the hospital is the best option for some. Most of the characters who left Grey's Anatomy did so for further career opportunities, but are also now outside the purview of the show's plot of one tragedy after another and the ghosts it creates.
Source: Deadline
