Carter agrees to undergo random urine tests and constant monitoring in order to return to work at County General. He also attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. To his surprise, he encounters Abby at one of them, and she admits that she is a recovering alcoholic. Abby agrees to be Carter's sponsor. Carter's grandmother, Millicent (recurring guest star FRANCES STERNHAGEN), begs him to quit his stressful job. After learning that an abusive diabetes patient sold his Medicare coverage to a bankrupt Health Maintenance Organization, Romano forbids Benton from operating on the man. Benton protests Romano's unethical and illegal order. But a visit from a county inspector prompts Romano to pretend the whole situation is a mix-up. Kovac and Weaver struggle with a delusional stroke patient whose lesbian partner asks the doctors not to keep her alive by machines. But legally, the decision must be made by the victim's estranged brother. An upset Chen admits to Weaver that she is pregnant after witnessing a patient, Regina Morgan (LARA HARRIS), give birth very prematurely. Unable to medically help the tiny infant boy, Abby allows the hopeful Regina and her husband to hold their son for an amazing nine hours before he dies. Now living with Greene, Corday is continually frustrated by his cramped, dilapidated apartment. After the lovers spar with each other throughout the workday, Greene surprises Corday with a date--to a beautiful townhouse he bought for the two of them. Greene proposes marriage, and Corday joyfully accepts.