It's a figure of speech. I mean...if things will end up worse than they started, somehow.
[Doctor] She's a child; she doesn't get to make choices. You know she's a child, right? She doesn't look like it, but she's not even a year old. I can't support this if you take her with you. And...I really want to support this because it looks a lot like you don't have anyone behind you right now. Make her stay. She's his daughter, she's not yours to take under wing. He wouldn't want that for her, I know he wouldn't and he put me in charge of her. Tell her she can't come, if she asks. I'm begging you.