“Walking on a Dream” is the twelfth episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” and dealt with pregnancy hormones, phantom limb and drastic budget cuts. The episode aired Thursday, Jan. 24 at 8 p.m.
Arizona fights phantom limb
Plagued by pain and nightmares, Arizona is struggling professionally because of phantom limb, a condition afflicting those who have lost a limb but have phantom feelings of pain in the missing limb. The new budget-cutting consultant makes her rounds with Owen and the pair discovers Arizona crying in a lounge with her prosthetic off.
Owen asks the consultant to go on without him and he discusses the syndrome with Arizona who hasn’t told Callie. She is worried that their newly blossoming relationship will face another setback if Callie has to treat her like a patient again. Owen recommends some techniques he used treating soldiers who have lost limbs, including placing a mirror next to the actual limb to create an illusion of the opposite limb. Arizona finds this helps diminish the pain.
Surgery or not
Alex is concerned that his African orphan medical assistance program will be cut and he has noticed Arizona struggling in the OR. Concerned about her and the program, he asks if she is up for the arduous surgery they are doing with Cristina. Unwilling to let others know about her struggles, she insists she is fine.
The next day in surgery, the pain starts and she tries visualization but it doesn’t work. She asks Alex to switch places with her because she knows if she keeps twitching like she is, she will injure the baby they are doing heart surgery on. Cristina says they are at a critical point and she can’t move. Arizona then directs Alex to pick up a scalpel and stab her in her prosthetic foot. He and Cristina are stunned and just stand there. Owen, who is in the gallery with the budget-cutting consultant see the whole thing. Over the intercom, he tells Karev what to do and somewhat unsure of himself, Karev stabs Arizona’s phony foot.
Arizona looks down at her foot with a scalpel sticking out of it and slowly the pain subsides. She is able to finish te procedure without further incident. Owen has to explain things to the consultant who thinks Arizona is nuts and should be removed from the OR.
For more on “Walking on a Dream,” check out these other Grey’s Anatomy articles:
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