Skin Deep Doctors

BEEPING

BEEPING STOPS

Is everything all right?

I've lost the, um... I can't find my...my letter.

Which letter?

The appointment letter. It was here, it was right here.

I'm meant to have a biopsy today.

OK, in that case we'll have you on the system.

May I take your name?

Your name?

Valerie. Pitman. Valerie Pitman.

All right, Valerie.

I've seen a haematologist, Dr Papadopolous,

and he referred me to the radiology department.

It's all in the letter.

It's fine, we don't need the letter.

You're in the right place, that's the important thing.

You wait here and I'll get you signed in, all right?

Valerie?

Let me just pop this on for you.

There you go. New fashion accessory.

We just need to do some checks, blood pressure, pulse,

that sort of thing.

And we'll get you changed into a gown.

I'm Nurse Jacob, by the way. You can call me Nina.

Would you like to follow me?

You can change in here

and just pop your clothes in one of the lockers when you're done.

What about my shoes?

Just leave them on.

Should I have brought slippers?

Some people do, but you'll be fine in those.

Won't it look odd wearing these with a gown?

I should have brought slippers.

Why didn't anybody tell me to bring slippers?

Valerie, you don't need slippers, honestly. Don't worry, all right?

Just get undressed and I'll be back in a few minutes.

Ayesha Lee?

Sorry, do I know you?

Churchill Estate.

Oh, Lydia Randall.

I'm sorry, you just look so different.

Do I? You haven't changed a bit.

Anyway, what you up to these days?

Still living with your mum?

Actually, I live round here.

Really? Good for you.

Anyway, don't let me stop your run.

Lovely to see you again.

Oh, look at my bum, don't you just love it?

What?!

This place is like a maze if you don't know where you're going.

That's why I always come and fetch people.

We've had patients go missing for hours.

Wondering around in a draughty gown, it's not what you want, is it?

My old work was like that.

At the PCT, such as it was.

Ah.

Oh, I could tell you some stories.

See, the building sort of went round in a big loop.

It was like being inside a giant doughnut.

We used to take bets on newcomers,

how many circuits they'd do before they found the right door.

Almost there.

This way.

Here we go, just take a seat for a minute

and I'll let you know when it's time.

I thought I was going in now.

Not just yet, I'm afraid. Bit of a backlog, sorry.

Well, you know how it is.

Something for you to fill out while you wait.

It's just to confirm your name and date of birth.

And also we need to double check your medical history.

Any allergies or medication you might be on. OK?

I'll leave you to it.

So, they were showing us how to experiment with framing, right?

-Uh-huh.

-It's about choosing your focal point.

If you want to create a really powerful image,

you take the subject and place it dead central in the frame.

But maybe that's a little bit obvious.

Maybe you want to challenge the viewer, so instead of putting your subject in the centre of the frame

you put it in the side of the frame, then you're breaking the rule of thirds.

Did they mention anything about breaking the rule of friendship?

I listen to you talking about gadgets.

Fair enough. Listen.

I'm really pleased that you've found this. I am. Well done.

My pleasure. See you soon.

What? I went for a run earlier, I nearly killed myself.

Another runner injures themselves!

I speak, but you don't listen.

You'll get used to it.

Sorry?

The waiting.

Flapjack?

No, thank you.

They're home-made. Gluten free.

Thanks.

I'm Claire.

Valerie.

This your first time running the gauntlet?

I'm just having a few tests done.

Hopefully, that's all it'll be.

Me? I've not been so lucky.

So you have...

Had it. Beat it. Got it again. Beat that.

And now we're back for more fun.

Just tests this time, same as you.

But when you get to my enviable position,

you're pretty much always expecting it to come back.

But hey, I'm up for the fight.

Bring it on, Big C, time for round three.

Take a seat, I'll be with you in a...

Hello.

Can I help?

I certainly hope so.

My name's Lydia Randall. I'm a motivational speaker.

Really? Wow.

The University's hosting a series of talks today.

It's organised by The Student Union

and The Letherbridge Women's Society,

to promote a more holistic approach to health and happiness.

What are you doing here?

Ayesha.

Are you a nurse?

Er, yes. What are you?

She's a motivational speaker.

Jimmi?

She's a motivational speaker.

Ah. Very motivating!

I've been invited to give a lunchtime talk and I was

hoping you could pass some of these out to some of the students.

Sorry, we don't allow advertising in a doctor's surgery.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, course we can.

Yeah, we do. Leave as many as you want.

What is it anyway?

-I doubt it would interest you, Ayesha.

-Oh.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Thank you.

Can you believe cancer turned me into a bit of a chef?

It's true, in my old life I could barely boil an egg,

it was all ready-meals and takeaways.

But once I realised there were certain foods that actively

help your body fight the disease, I was hooked.

Now everything I make is packed with anti-cancer molecules,

anti-inflammatory flavonoids, carotenoids, it's ridiculous.

So food can help you fight it?

Absolutely.

Green tea can stop cancer cells from growing, for instance.

Cabbages, sprouts, broccoli, all really, really good.

Just don't boil them.

All the brightly coloured fruits

and veg contain vitamin A and lycopene, they fight cancer.

Honestly, there's too many to list.

If you like, I could e-mail you some recipes.

Oh, no, that's all right.

It's no trouble, people here swap recipes all the time.

There's an online group, actually, so we can keep track of how

everybody's doing, or message each other if somebody doesn't make it.

But it's a lot of fun too, we share all sorts,

mostly a sick sense of humour.

All jokes aside, though, you can find tips on how to deal with chemo,

hair loss, anything you need to know.

I might not need to know it.

You're right.

But if the worst does happen, you're going to need people around you.

Do you have family, Valerie?

Yes. Yeah, yeah, I have a big family. Friends.

And I'm engaged to be married. His name's Ashley.

Oh, he wanted to be here today, but he's away on business.

I'm glad you have someone.

I do, too. I have a lovely husband, two wonderful little boys.

But they don't have cancer.

And I'm glad of that, of course I am,

but it can feel very lonely, Valerie.

All I'm saying is, we're here.

Oh, hey, I'm making tea. Would you like one?

I'd love one.

I've just had a lovely text from Chris.

He's been doing it a lot lately. Texting, calling, since Howard.

Well, at least one good thing's come out of it.

I miss him like crazy.

Come here.

Meeting Amelia, it was good, but to be honest it just reminded me that

my own son lives on the other side of the world and I never see him.

I understand.

You want to be around your family, of course you do.

Why don't you?

Why don't I what?

Invite Chris over for Christmas. I'm sure he would.

I'd love to meet him.

That's a great idea. I'm going to call him now.

Yeah.

That's Noah. He's seven.

And that's Ethan, who just turned five.

They're lovely.

They may look lovely, but they're a right pair of little monkeys.

And that's my husband John.

I know he's not much to look at, but he's been my rock, he really has.

Stuck by me through the worst of it.

Oh, that's just our cat, I'll spare you pictures of him too.

Right, your turn.

Your fiance. You must have a picture.

Valerie? We're ready for you now.

How was your birthday, Nina?

Really good. Quiet, but good.

I got the card you left, by the way. Thanks very much, Claire.

My pleasure.

Ready to go?

Good luck, Valerie.

Oh. Same to you.

Bless her. First time.

-Flapjack?

-Thank you.

The radiologist's on his way. He'll explain everything.

Will you be here?

Yes, don't worry.

And if there's anything you don't understand, just ask.

Good afternoon. I'm Dr Mukisa.

Miss Pitman, yes?

That's right.

You are here for a core biopsy of tissue from the neck.

I am going to inject a local anaesthetic

and then make an incision into your neck.

I will then insert a needle and take a sample of tissue.

You understand?

Yes.

Even though it is a safe procedure, there are some

risks from infection and bleeding.

But the risks are small

and you are advised to go ahead with the procedure.

Do you agree to proceed?

Um, yes.

Any questions?

No.

Then please read the consent form carefully and sign it.

He's a little scary, I know, but he's very thorough.

You're in safe hands.

-Come on!

-You made your feelings perfectly clear.

Please, Jimmi, tell me more about framing.

I'm really interested in framing.

I need new friends.

Guys, I'm going to go to this. I'll be back after lunch.

You off to see lovely Lydia?

-Can we come?

-Oh, give it a rest.

Al said you knew her from when you grew up.

Sort of. I don't know her that well.

Is it true she used to be obese?

Yeah. She was massive.

She is massively lovely.

You should say that to her,

because if you did she would fall in love with you for sure.

Oh, what, and you reckon you've got a chance?

-More chance than you have.

-If you ask me, you could both do better.

She's turned into a total cow.

If you hate her so much, why're you going to see her talk?

Just curious.

Please turn your head to the left.

OK, Valerie, we're just going to clean the area for the procedure.

This may feel a little cold.

This is the local anaesthetic. You will feel a slight scratch.

You're doing really well.

Which brings me to number three on my list.

Be your own drill sergeant.

Shedding those pounds isn't easy.

There's always a voice inside your head telling you to quit.

You know the voice, right?

I know you do.

It's that voice telling you it's OK to eat between meals,

or to skip a visit to the gym, because it's a nice day outside.

Or because it's a terrible day outside.

It's a pretty persuasive voice, right? A pretty powerful one.

Well, what if you could harness that power?

What if you could make that voice work for you,

instead of against you?

What if that voice said, "Stop feeling sorry for yourself

"and work for those goals.

"You can do it!"

A lot of people think, "Look at Lydia,

"she's obviously had work done.

"She must've had surgery to look the way she does."

No nips, no tucks. No Botox. No liposuction.

OK, a bit of make-up.

And a damn good push-up bra.

But the rest is all me. From 18 stone to eight.

And how did I do it?

With the help of that little drill sergeant in my head.

I'm about to make the incision.

Just try to relax, you won't feel any pain.

You will hear a clicking sound, like this.

I'm about to insert the needle.

You will feel a slight pressure.

I am taking the biopsy now.

Nearly there, Valerie. You're doing brilliantly.

One more.

You can dress the wound now.

Yes, doctor.

Is that it?

That's it.

Number seven. Life is tough.

Be tougher.

When I was 12 years old, I was in a terrible car accident.

I was in the back seat of my parent's car

when a drunk driver slammed into the side of us.

My mum and dad weren't hurt, thankfully.

But I wasn't so lucky.

My back was broken in two places,

and I had to wear a steel back brace for over a year.

That's when the weight gain started. I couldn't exercise.

I couldn't go out with my friends.

Pretty soon, I had no friends. People called me names...

..Robocop being a favourite taunt from my estate.

So I got fatter and fatter,

and the more I hated myself for being ugly and alone,

the more ugly and alone I became.

Like I said...life is tough.

But I'm tougher.

How're you feeling?

-Better.

-Good.

Stay and rest as long as you need, but otherwise you're free to go.

I think I'll go.

Leave the plaster on overnight.

It should be fine to remove it by tomorrow.

What if it starts bleeding?

The doctor said it could start bleeding, or get infected.

That's very unlikely.

There may be a bit of bruising, but that's normal.

Call if you have any concerns, all right?

OK. Thank you.

Oh. When will I get the results?

That depends, I'm afraid.

It'll be sent off to the lab today to be processed.

But normally, how long?

It could be a week, maybe more.

Sorry. It all depends on how many tests are being processed.

Look, I know it's hard,

but try to keep your mind off it as much as you can.

So remember, the power is in your hands.

Be bold to be beautiful!

Thank you very much.

Thanks. Thanks for coming.

As you can see, I have a DVD available for just 12.99.

It comes with a free rubber resistance band.

It also has a bonus disk

with my very own full cardio workout session for home users.

Interesting talk.

Ayesha. I didn't know you were here.

What did you think?

I think you've got quite a way with words.

Are any of them actually true?

I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about.

Really?

Well, why don't you invite Mandy Atkinson to one of your talks?

I'm sure she'd love to hear it.

She's fine, by the way. She lives not too far from here, actually.

Am I supposed to know who that is?

You should do, seeing as though you stole her story.

The car accident, the back brace,

that happened to Mandy, it didn't happen to you.

I'm talking to you.

So I borrowed some of the facts.

It doesn't make it any less true. It's called showmanship.

It's called lying, is what it is.

What I don't understand is why.

It doesn't make any sense.

You were overweight back then, and people were mean to you, I remember.

Why are you even here?

We're not friends and we never were. Why don't you just get lost?

I'm not going anywhere until I get an answer.

Why steal somebody else's story when you can just tell your own?

Because I was nothing but a stupid little fat girl, that's why!

Nobody would care.

I would.

More than I'd care for someone as fake and as vain as you are now.

I am fake. Literally.

What do you mean?

Look at me.

I tell people I've never had surgery, well, that's a lie.

You name it, I've had it done.

Probably serves me right, but the last one nearly killed me.

Flew out to Thailand. Surgeon botched it.

Course, then it got infected.

That'd be a joke, wouldn't it?

To die for a tummy tuck.

No, it wouldn't.

Well, I'm not laughing, believe me.

All I have to show for it is an ugly scar, and a huge debt.

I thought doing this would be a way to pay it off, but,

if anything, I'm losing money.

I'm sorry.

Maybe it's for the best.

Who am I to give people advice, anyway?

I've taken just about every diet pill there is.

Had bulimia.

Bounced from fat, to thin, to fat, to thin again, like a demented yoyo.

I just wanted to help people look good.

Is that so bad?

Of course not.

Is the bulimia still a problem?

No, I've got a handle on that, at least.

To be honest, since Thailand, I stopped looking for short cuts.

Nowadays, I keep the weight off the hard way.

Still sounds easier than the other stuff.

It is, actually.

I actually enjoy running now, eating well...

I feel better about myself now than I've ever done.

Well, then maybe you're not a fake.

I mean, if you work hard at staying fit

and healthy, that's down to you, isn't it?

I suppose so.

I should get back to work.

And if you think your own story's not interesting enough to tell,

you're wrong.

People come into the surgery all the time with body image issues.

I've felt it myself, sometimes still do.

If you told everyone what you've just told me,

made them realise they're not alone in how they feel,

maybe you would make a real difference.

See ya.

Did you get hold of Chris?

Yes, I did. Oh, hello, Valerie. I didn't think you were in today.

Oh, you know me.

Can't stay away.

OK, OK, so what did he say?

He's not coming for Christmas.

Oh. That's a shame.

Not really.

I'm going there.

-To Sydney?

-Yes! He wants me to stay for two weeks.

It'll be a proper Christmas break.

That's fantastic! I am so happy for you.

I'm so excited, I've already booked the flights.

It feels so good just to do something impulsive for a change.

Life's too short.

I need to go shopping. It's summer over there, isn't it?

Are we done? I'm beginning to feel like Kate Moss.

Immaculate Interiors.

Don't say it.

-Don't say what?

-The house is a mess.

Oh, is it? I've been too busy reading your Procrastinator's Monthly.

We'll reconvene tomorrow. Eight o'clock, my place.

Your place?

Perhaps we could put his obsession to some more charitable use.

Who doesn't want a photograph of their vomiting four-year-old?

Two sugars, please.