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Another great episode on our favourite doctor on tv. House had an all new episode called Small Sacrifices, in which Science and faith are called into question when a patient is admitted to the hospital following his reenactment of the Crucifixion. The patient, Ramon Silva, refuses to undergo the prescribed treatment, and the team learns that after his daughter’s cancer was cured, he pledged an oath of self-sacrifice to God. With little time to save Ramon’s life, the team struggles to understand his reasoning and seemingly extreme religious convictions, but eventually learn that faith is not an argument. Meanwhile, Taub questions his wife Rachel about her relationship with an infidelity support group member and the team attends a co-worker’s wedding where Wilson’s relationship with Sam takes an unexpected turn.
Quotes from House MD S07E08 – Small Sacrifices
Greg House: I loath weddings and their seven levels of hipocresy
Greg House: Pontius Pilates a misunderstood oncologist
Greg House: At least your daughter has one viable role model
Patient: Don´t you believe in God?
Greg House: I used to, but then I grew my curly hair
Greg House: Ritual is what happens when you run out of rational
Wilson: I was buying a wedding ring. I´m going to propose to Sam at the wedding.
Greg House: That´s the second stupidest thing I heard today. And I´m surprised how close you came
Wilson: Pretend to apologize
Greg House: Do you want me to lie?
Wilson: It´s a lovely simetry. A lie got you into it, a lie gets you out
Cuddy: Why are you wearing that?
House: It´s my dressy casual. You like it?
Cuddy: You look… like Wilson… it looks weird
Wilson: In case you haven´t heard, I´m busy
House: With what?
Wilson: Sudoku. What do you think? I´m the head of oncology in an important hospital
Wilson: I need that file, that chair and that desk
House: I hate rehearsal dinners just as much as I hate weddings
House: I thought I was supposed to be the dark one
Cuddy: Not today
Chase: Someone had to distract the wasted friend
Foreman: I´m not here to be your wingman
Chase: I´ll be your wingman
Wilson: Ignore him. He just got an idea
House: Looks like God broke your deal. I´m sorry. I´m also right
Chase: First one was my bad. Second one I had no choice. It was a threesome.
House: Punishment is proof of God. No punishment is proof of God. Ingenious argument.
House: Either you are naive or you have scruples. I don´t know what´s worse.
Recap from House MD S07E08 – Small Sacrifices
Recap by deanspeir and MikeSaros
Open with what look to be a modern crucifixion. The man is nailed to a cross but it quickly taken down when blood starts pouring out of his mouth.
Cuddy is still mad at House for lying and wants him to apologize. He doesn’t think he has to. She tells him about the man, who is 33-years old and also suffering from fever. We learn that the hospital’s Chairman of the Board is getting married in a few days and everybody is going.
The man (Ramon) tells House that when his daughter Marissa was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and given months to live he made a bargain with God. For every year she was alive he would nail himself to a cross. That was three years ago and she is now cancer-free. This leads to Hosue arguing with Ramon and Marissa about why she is cancer-free.
Wilson tells House he’s planning to propose to Sam at the wedding. Their conversation gives House an idea.
The team discusses the wedding and we learn that Taub’s wife Rachel is acting suspiciously. She has an upcoming meeting at a hotel.
The test they’re running on Ramon make them think he could have a horse infection. Ramon tells the doc his teeth are falling out, which is not a symptom of the horse infection.
The team wonders if metal poisoning could be to blame and plan to search Ramon’s house.
Cuddy won’t give House the file for Marissa since Ramon won’t consent. He is wearing a conservative outfit for the rehearsal dinner. Cuddy sniffs out that he wants her to lie to him and say he looks good so they can be “even” in lies.
Masters and Chase are in charge of going to Ramon’s Spartan apartment. They discover that he has basically been starving himself and think malnutrition could be responsible for his symptoms.
House tells Wilson he forged Cuddy’s signature to get Marissa’s file and wants him to look it over. House discovers Wilson going over some of Sam’s files. Her boss wants a clinical review of everything and he is helping her to make sure everything is in order.
Rachel tells Taub she met a male friend online a support group for people with unfaithful spouses.
With a huge smile on his face Ramon tells Masters his legs are killing him. She asks why he’s smiling but he insists “I’m not smiling.”
House suggests that Ramon’s religious extremism could be a symptom and orders an MRI.
House tells Cuddy about forging her signature. He thinks he’s caught her in a lie about her age, but she tells him she actually lied on her HR file years ago to get hired.
The doctors spot MS on Ramon’s MRI. It was hiding behind the malnutrition and only showed back up when his diet improved.
House and Ramon have another discussion about faith. Ramon can’t feel anything in his right arm.
House tells the team Ramon has Margu’s variant of MS, meaning he has just days to live. The team knows embryonic stem cell treatment should help him, but doubt someone so devout would accept that type of care.
Wilson tells House that Marissa’s case seems legitimate. She had aggressive cancer that shouldn’t have responded to treatment. House tells Wilson that in five of Sam’s cases the stated doses don’t explain the radiation damage. Wilson saw the same thing and is concerned. House says it’s a good thing, since it means she tried to save her patients’ lives and crossed the line a tad.
As House and Cuddy leave for the rehearsal dinner she tells him she doesn’t think the marriage of the hospital chairman will last and speaks in specific terms about the state’s divorce laws. House gets word that Ramon has refused treatment and bails on the dinner.
Ramon says accepting the treatment would be going back on his deal with God. House and Masters make a good case but he won’t change his mind. He will gladly die for his daughter.
In the hall Masters suggests they have Marissa talk to her father.
Marissa knows what dying is like and doesn’t want her father to go through it. If God kills her father, she says, “I hate God.” Ramon sticks to his decision.
The whole department is at the wedding. Chase is doing very well with the ladies. Taub tells Rachel he doesn’t like how close she is with this man on-line. House flatters Cuddy but she is still mad at him.
Back at the hospital Ramon tells Masters that he is surprised Marissa couldn’t change his mind. He admits to being scared about dying. He says his beliefs are what define him.
Taub asks Rachel to end the relationship. She says she needs it at this point in her life.
House finally catches Cuddy in a lie when she says she’s never been married. House discovered in her file that she was married for just a few days many years ago. Cuddy admits that House caught her but seems hurt more than anything.
Wilson proposes to Sam. When he talks about liking that she went the extra mile for her patients she tells him that she never did that. She says every one of her files was legit and she can’t believe he doesn’t trust her. She storms out.
House leaves the wedding and goes to Ramon’s room. He tells Ramon that he used a more advanced scan on Marissa and that her cancer has never gone away. Ramon doesn’t believe him but House is persistent. A despondent Ramon finally consents to treatment.
House returns two days later and admits to Ramon that he lied about his daughter having cancer to give him the treatment. Marissa is fine and he seems to be responding to the stem cell treatment. House thinks this means God doesn’t exist, Ramon takes it to mean that God merciful.
Masters was the only member of the team left out of the ruse. She tells House they can’t continue to work like that. “I can,” House says.
Sam packs her stuff and leaves despite Wilson begging her to stay. She can’t deal with his lack of trust.
House tells Cuddy he’s been an idiot. He says “maybe it’s time I took a leap of faith. I’m sorry, I won’t lie to you again.” She is happy.
Wilson arrives at House’s place and tells him about Sam. He tells him about apologizing to Cuddy. Wilson thinks this is a good thing. House says “I lied. I just took your advice.”
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