- Cuddy's mom has heart problems and is admitted. Secrets come out about her mom.
- Cuddy's mother, Arlene, is admitted to Princeton Plansboro after complaining about unusual symptoms, but stubborn Arlene insists that House be removed from the case, forcing House to come up with non-conventional - and illegal - means to treat his patient. House instructs his team to follow his lead, and they discover details in Arlene's personal life that she kept secret from Cuddy and her sister Lucinda. Later, Cuddy places her trust in House to ensure that her mother receives the proper medical treatment, leading "by the book" medical student Masters to reevaluate her responsibility to practice within a code of ethics and to follow her boss' orders.—Fox Publicity
- Open with Cuddy (Lisa Edelstein) and her sister Julia shopping with their mother Arlene (Candice Bergen). Arlene's heart starts "doing that weird thing again" and Cuddy thinks they should take her to the ER.
We open with House's team meeting in the morgue to hide from Cuddy. Cuddy finds him, wanting him to treat Arlene. House (Hugh Laurie) isn't sure her mother is actually sick and doesn't want any part of it. After a "this is my mother," we cut to House wearing a lab coat and giving Arlene an initial diagnosis. A "daily pill" should keep things under control. Arlene asks him if there is any connection to 15 years of vague symptoms that have never resulted in anything concrete. Before House can make a snarky comment, Cuddy promises they will check her home and run a few tests.
At Arlene's home Taub (Peter Jacobson) and Masters (Amber Tamblyn) find pictures of Arlene engaging in graphic sexual acts with a Hispanic man, as well as a Mexican herbal medication.
Based on the medication Arlene was taking, House suggests a course of treatment. He tells Cuddy about the pictures.
Arlene tells Cuddy about the (married) man in her life and learns Julia has been in the loop the entire time.
Rachel (Jennifer Crystal Foley) shows up while Taub is moving. She knows he's worried about money and gets him a job with her lawyer brother (Michael Gladis) as a consultant. The last time they'd been around each other, her brother had broken Taub's nose for cheating on Rachel.
Arlene is questioning House based on her online research. He suggests she might be a hypochondriac. She counters the pills he gave her are causing a side effect. He tells her he printed a fake label on some sugar pills. She fires him.
Cuddy tells House she had to beg Arlene to stay at the hospital and the only way she'd do it is under the care of Dr. Kaufman, the head of internal medicine. Kaufman calls with word Arlene is having more atrial fibrillation. Cuddy tells House he has to stay on her mother's case in secret.
Based on Arlene's wishes, Kaufman refuses to keep House in the loop. He doesn't like being on the hook for any mistakes made in the background.
House shows the team he's bugged Arlene's room. Masters is immediately uncomfortable. Chase (Jesse Spencer) suggests leukemia, which is what Kaufman was already treating for. House sends Masters to find a new case and brings the rest of the team into his office. He thinks Arlene might be an alcoholic.
House tells Cuddy about his diagnosis and suggests a vitamin treatment which can be done on the sly. She wants to ask Arlene about it. House thinks that's a bad idea. Cuddy assures him they've been honest with each other recently.
Cuddy tells Arlene she's worried about her drinking. Arlene is adamant she's not a drunk. Cuddy says "okay" but gives her the treatment for alcoholism anyway.
Cuddy tells House she's being a coward and wants to be kept out of the loop with her mother's care.
Rachel's brother apologizes for hitting Taub and lays out the new job. He needs a non-testifying expert and if a test case works out will pay him 50 grand a year for 15 hours a week. While there, Taub notices an x-ray for a victim Rachel's brother is about to settle with. He represents a pizza company and is going to settle a multi-million dollar suit after the kid's legs were messed up in an accident. Taub thinks he sees a micro bleed in the kid's brain. Rachel's brother says previous doctors said it was nothing and tells him to leave it alone.
Arlene has spiked a fever. House' alcoholism diagnosis was wrong, as was the cancer possibility Kaufaman had been testing for.
House tells the team Cuddy has fired them as they examine a coma patient. Masters leaves to work on a blood-draw. Afterwards, he tells everyone else the coma case was a way to keep Masters occupied. Kaufman is treating Arlene for auto-immune issues. House thinks endocarditis is a possibility. If he's right, Kaufman's treatment could kill her. One of Kaufman's underlings thinks the same thing but can't convince him. House's suggestion is to switch out the medication Kaufman is giving Arlene without telling anyone. Foreman (Omar Epps) thinks the idea too dangerous on several fronts. House threatens to fire them if they don't go with the plan. Chase is the only one willing to do it.
Taub tells Foreman about the kid. Foreman thinks he should leave it alone.
Taub goes to see the kid. He tells the mother to follow him to the hospital for a test.
Masters goes to see Cuddy and basically rats House out for switching the medication for Arlene.
Cuddy yells at House for such a drastic step. He tells her endocarditis "fits better" and they need her help to hang the new medication.
Cuddy switches Arlene's medication and they have a heart-to-heart about she treats her daughters. It ends with Arlene admitting she has more in common with Julia and likes her more than Cuddy.
Foreman shows Taub that he whiffed on the kid having anything wrong with his brain.
Arlene begins having an allergic reaction, which obviously confuses Kaufman.
Cuddy explains to the team what is happening to her mother, adding Kaufman still doesn't know what they've done. House wants to switch Kaufman's medications again and Foreman is even more against the idea. Cuddy excuses the rest of the team. She tells House she'll do it, just as Masters shows up at the door. Masters says she agrees the latest diagnosis fits. However, she thinks they have to tell Arlene. House tells Cuddy to leave. He then tells Masters if she tells anyone what they've been doing. he'll ruin her career. Her drawing the blood with the coma patient violated the patient's wishes and could get her kicked out of medical school. She realizes he set her up and asks House why: "Because this patient is the highest priority." Masters runs the bathroom and vomits.
Rachel's brother slams his head into the wall, breaking his nose again. He's been reported to the bar and he threatens to sue Taub. He's told Rachel and she wants him to stay out of her life.
Masters tells Arlene and Kaufman what House has done. Arlene fires Kaufman and wants to be transferred to another hospital. Cuddy starts to set it up for her.
House tells Cuddy her mother will die if she lets Arlene leave the hospital. He thinks the problem is that she's letting her mother walk over her. He worried that down the road she'll resent him for killing her mother and demands she "get me my patient back."
Cuddy jumps into Arlene's ambulance and convinces her the best chance she has is to stay at her hospital.
It works and she stays. While House talks to Arlene he realizes she is unable to distinguish sarcasm. This tells him his latest diagnosis was wrong. Arlene has has Metallosis resulting from wear and tear on her hip replacement.
Rachel comes to see Taub after realizing why he did what he did with the kid. She's going to keep her brother away from him.
House is ultimately impressed by Masters' principles and keeps her on the team.
Arlene shows Cuddy online her poisoning causes exactly the symptoms she'd been experiencing for years. They hold hands as the episode ends.
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content