"Meaning" is the first episode of the third season of '' House'' and the 47th episode overall. It aired on

Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

on September 5, 2006.

Plot

House, still benefiting from his

ketamine Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic used medically for induction and maintenance of anesthesia. It is also used as a recreational drug. It is one of the safest anesthetics, as, in contrast with opiates, ether, and propofol, it suppresses ...

-induced coma, is seen running and pain-free, has recovered from multiple gunshot wounds, and is back at work after two months, taking on two cases simultaneously. The first is Richard, who has been paralyzed and unable to speak since brain cancer surgery eight years earlier, and who drives his wheelchair into a pool. The second is Caren, a young woman mysteriously paralyzed from the neck down after a yoga session, despite no evidence of injury to her neck or spine. Cuddy and Wilson are convinced House is creating a mystery out of Richard's case to cure his own boredom. House concludes Caren is faking the paralysis, and tries to prove it by burning her foot, causing her to move her leg in reflex. When she develops shortness of breath, House again accuses her of faking and threatens to stick a huge needle into her back. He notices engorged neck veins and plunges the needle into her chest to learn that blood is building up around her heart. House insists on opening her up to find the

tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...

that he thinks is there. Before surgery, he notices a discolored toenail and diagnoses her with

scurvy Scurvy is a disease resulting from a lack of vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Early symptoms of deficiency include weakness, feeling tired and sore arms and legs. Without treatment, decreased red blood cells, gum disease, changes to hair, and bleeding ...

. House orders an upper endoscopic ultrasound for Richard, but Foreman objects that his throat will collapse; it does, and Richard almost dies. House orders an

MRI Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a medical imaging technique used in radiology to form pictures of the anatomy and the physiological processes of the body. MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, magnetic field gradients, and radio waves ...

scan of the brain with heavy doses of contrast, and Foreman tells him that it will cause a bleed into Richard's brain. Foreman's predictions hold true and Richard almost dies again. While running at night, House hypothesizes that a corticosteroid production imbalance in Richard's

adrenal gland The adrenal glands (also known as suprarenal glands) are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol. They are found above the kidneys. Each gland has an outer cortex whic ...

is the cause of the paralysis, which points to

Addison's disease Addison's disease, also known as primary adrenal insufficiency, is a rare long-term endocrine disorder characterized by inadequate production of the steroid hormones cortisol and aldosterone by the two outer layers of the cells of the adre ...

, and that a cortisol injection might cure him. Although forbidding House to treat Richard, Cuddy gives Richard the cortisol injection when he is being discharged from the hospital. Seconds later, Richard rises from his wheelchair and hugs his family. Wilson argues against telling House, that being right is not the same as having the right to do everything with the patient on House's guess. Cuddy argues she will be seeing House every day, Wilson closes with, "Everybody lies". House forges a prescription with Wilson's pad, signaling the pain in his leg is returning.

External links

* {{House (TV series) House (season 3) episodes 2006 American television episodes Television episodes about suicide