Say a Little Prayer Holby City

Why is it called Traffic Lite Night? Red is no, green is go.

Because friends go speed dating together, don't they(?)

You ended us. What difference is it to you who I take speed dating?

I'm worrying whether Evie's coping, whether Mikey's coping.

My little one is barely sleeping through the night.

I can't ask Raf to do any more than he is.

If there is another problem to add to my list, get it off your chest.

I need some space. Argh!

Ah! Ah.

Well, hello, Fletch. I must say, I'm glad to see you.

You deserve to live the life you want.

But the things that I want...

..aren't the things that you want.

BEEPING

HEARTBEAT

Mikey?! Argh!

Yeah, I'm coming.

HIGH-PITCHED RAPID BEEPING

SIREN WAILS

RAF YAWNS

Morning. Hey.

Oh.

Here. Extra shot.

Your need is greater than mine. Thanks.

Did you get any sleep at all?

I had this horrible dream where I was drowning

and then I woke up and the wee one was crying, so...

Poor little thing.

God, life is cruel, isn't it?

Oooh!

Ah, Mr...

Mr Levy. I didn't, er...expect to see you here this morning.

Yeah, sorry, last minute change of shift.

And shirt, by the look of it.

Bit OTT, isn't it? Well...

Huh! Oh, that's a cool shirt!

Thank you.

Yes, I think Dr Copeland is probably a better arbiter

of the sartorial zeitgeist than am I.

Morning. Morning.

Hi. Hi.

I thought you were on a late? I thought you were.

HE SIGHS

What exactly happened? No idea.

He must have tried to get out of bed and just hit the deck.

Have you done a head CT? Yeah, yeah, it's all clear.

Well, his temperature was up. Maybe he got confused.

Look, we have to go, we have a consult...now.

OK, I'll keep an eye on him. Raf? Are you coming?

HE SIGHS

So, when are you going to tell Zosia?

Hey! You all right? Yeah, just pregnant.

Nice skirt. You said that yesterday.

I know. It's the same skirt.

Well, I was wined and dined by Mr Valentine.

Aha! New Moroccan place.

Nice! Hot, was it? The food, I mean.

If that look was more penetrating, they'd use it on radiology.

I think he found it just spicy enough.

I don't think I should have had that last pastry.

What's that? Hm? Pigging out again, Ollie?

Oh, you know, greasy food.

Always makes me feel a bit queasy in the morning.

Can we talk about the lung reduction, please? Yes, sure.

Nice skirt! Thanks.

He was asleep when the duty nurse left him.

And we've no idea how he fell?

No. He hadn't rung for anyone,

there was no equipment in the way, the floor was clean and dry.

The board, of course, will want to ask questions,

as they have every right to do.

Yeah. I'll do the report.

That would be very helpful, thank you.

DOOR SLAMS

Whose is this? It's mine.

Yours? I didn't know you sing.

Yeah. I thought I might try out for the hospital choir.

Oh. OK, well, good luck.

They're actually quite good.

Oh, really? Yeah.

So, who've we got? What?

Oh, yes! Er...it's Becky Schama. Yeah, she's on the way up.

I've been trying to chase her up,

she missed her last check-up. I'll take it.

It's an emergency admission. She's been severely vomiting,

so I think I should probably come with you. Yeah, of course.

I always thought we had a lot in common with Becky and Simon.

You know, similar age, similar family background.

Yep.

Your hair looks lovely, by the way.

Thank you. I thought I would try something different.

Yeah, same here.

Carla Arenas.

78 years old, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Don't tell me, she's been smoking 40 a day for 30 years?

40 years, actually. Gave up 10 years ago. Hurrah!

And since then, she's become a bit of a fitness freak, until the COPD.

She's been responding well to treatment, attending physio,

being an all-round good girl. Better late than never.

So, what makes you think a lung reduction's her best option?

Well, I think it will hugely improve her quality of life.

And when we did an X-ray, we found this...there.

That's tiny!

A lung reduction could prevent it from being life-threatening.

It might be benign.

Just a question of killing two birds with one stone.

Good luck getting an anaesthetist on board.

You know how much they love COPD. Just leave that with me.

It'll take a lot more than your admittedly considerable charm.

Well, I want Ms Jackson, and I'm not going to ask, Ollie is.

Ooh, you're pimping Ollie! Yeah. He loves it.

Huh!

Fletch? W-What's going on?

Back and neck pain. And now I can't feel my feet.

Full spinal precautions.

I've requested a spine MRI and CT scans.

Spinal fracture? But wouldn't I be in more pain?

Won't do any harm to be 100% sure.

Have you done bloods? Yep. I'll see if there's a scanner free.

Tone, coordination, power, reflexes,

normal bilaterally, but there is definite loss of sensation

to light touch and pinpricks.

And it's bilateral? Yep.

It's not a stroke. Definitely not.

You're not diabetic, are you?

No, but my old man is. I test myself regular.

Mate, how's the head? Sore.

And have you any idea why you fell last night?

I haven't got a clue what happened.

Yesterday, it was just pins and needles.

There's one free now. I'll take him.

Can we get some help in here, please? Quick as you can.

Mission accomplished.

Ah! Well done!

See, she's the top man. Mm.

Even with Jackson, it's still a risk.

Well, I'm with Zosia. I think it could improve her quality of life.

So, shall we go and meet her? Sure!

Wow! Was that your stomach? Yeah. No breakfast.

Greasy food queasy, eh? Yeah. Zosia, I need to, um...talk to you later.

OK. What, about the op, or...?

No.

It's personal.

Sure.

Oliver Valentine...

I know what you're going to say and it's under control. Good.

Because this is going to be a tricky one for Zosia

and I do not want a messy fallout over the patient.

Message received and understood.

Hello, Carla. Hi!

This is Ms Effanga and Mr Valentine.

That's quite a name to live up to.

Carla is a publisher.

Oh, really? I love reading.

Do you? What sort of things?

Don't mind, as long as it sends me to sleep.

I have a book by my bed for precisely the same reasons.

OK, there are a few things before we go ahead.

Um...the surgery carries a certain risk. I know.

I could die on the table.

Is that what you're trying to say?

If my future is stuck in a chair watching daytime TV,

well, frankly, I'd rather be dead.

Have you talked to your family about this?

My friends are my family.

And we've talked about nothing else for weeks.

I'm ready for the next big adventure, whatever it is.

Jose Fuentas? Yes.

I published his first novel.

You discovered Jose Fuentas?

I suppose you could put it like that. Huh!

His stuff's amazing. It's even better in Spanish.

Yeah, I read it in Spanish.

Darling, let's hope I survive.

This looks fine, too.

Yeah. I wasn't exactly looking forward to telling him

he might have a spinal fracture.

CT and MRI both good, Fletch.

So, I can take this thing off now, can I? Yeah. Here.

Oh! Cheers.

You didn't slice through my spine, then? Just managed to miss it.

Some might think you didn't have any faith in me.

I'll chase bloods.

How are the kids? Yeah, top form.

I'm running the show with military precision.

Bernie would be proud of me. What about Mikey?

Mikey got twice my score on the computer last night. He's OK.

What's his behaviour like? It's all under control.

I even managed to clean out the fridge last weekend.

Some of the food in there had sell-by dates in Roman numerals.

Very funny. So, he's not acting up? No, he is good as gold.

I dropped him off at school today and he ran off with his mates.

He's a popular kid.

OK, let's get you back on the ward.

Swing your legs over.

Fletch?

I can't move them.

Ah, Becky, excusez-moi!

Hello! Ah! Hello, strangers!

Hi, Essie. I'm really sorry about last month.

Oh, look at you!

Oh, do you like it? Yes, I thought it might cheer everyone up a bit.

Either that, or they'll think they're delirious.

Becky! Tact is not one of her strongest points.

You can't afford it in my job. You're not back at work, are you?

No, not yet, but I cannot wait.

I have got to get out from under Mary Berry's feet.

I've just signed up for a cookery course.

Have you? Have you? Yeah.

Southeast Asian cuisine. Oh, I love cooking Thai food.

I love French food. I love eating it.

THEY LAUGH

So you've been vomiting. Mm. For three days? Mm-hm.

It's not a sign of rejection, is it? Not necessarily, no.

There, now, you have it from the horse's mouth.

He's fussing more than my mother.

Your blood pressure is a bit low.

Can I take a look? OK?

OK, well, it's a nice clean wound.

May I have a feel of your abdomen?

Essie, can we see if the scanner room's free?

We need to do an urine test and an ultrasound.

Will do, Sacha.

So, how's the family situation?

Ah! So this, you will not believe.

Mother rings two weeks ago. "Come for Shabbat, bring Simon with you."

That's amazing! And the big news is...

We've decided to get married! Ah, amazing! Congratulations!

I'm off to Paris this weekend with a new person.

No way! Oooh!

So...we would like you both to come to the wedding.

Oh, that...that's really kind of you.

Well, Mother's always moaning,

"It's not going to work. Different culture, different faith."

And she needs to see other couples like us.

Actually, Becky, we...

Yeah, um... Um...it's...

They broke up.

You're joking?

ANIMATED CHATTER

LAUGHTER

Ahem!

Whoops!

And you are? Bernard Montefiore.

Oh. Ms Effanga.

And this is...Dr March.

Are you the surgeons? Uh-huh.

Carla, darling, I feel so much better!

You look like human beings! Don't they?

Bernard is an old friend of mine.

A very, very old friend.

THEY CHUCKLE

Is that alcohol?

Er...no. It's rum punch without the rum.

Right. I'm afraid Carla has to be nil by mouth before her operation.

I haven't touched it. Try it.

No, thank you. It does look the business, though.

Taught to me by... Luis? Luis.

Barman at the Varadero, Havana, where we stayed last year.

Right. We have to prepare Carla for surgery.

Oooh! Yeah. I think you have to go.

Oh, of course. Of course.

Al igual que los zarcillos de la vid.

Nuestras almas nacen de una raiz comun.

I'll be back.

Line from Fuentas.

Like the tendrils of the vine, our souls...

..spring from the same root.

Aw! Hm.

He's not been exposed to anything toxic?

Like what - uranium?

I haven't noticed any leaking nuclear facilities around here(!)

Sorry.

He's usually a pretty healthy guy.

Except for the fact that his legs don't work.

Could it be psychological, the effects of the trauma?

Look, Fletch is not your typical hysteric.

I keep paging Guy, but he's not answering.

I'll go and find him.

Mikey? I'll leave you to it.

Hey. What happened? Ah, I fell against a tree.

Yeah, right(!) Where's Dad? I want to tell him something.

No, no. Not like that, you don't.

Er... Look, Sharon, could you take this young man,

clean him up and then put him in Ms Campbell's office?

You, wait for me there!

HE SIGHS

MONITOR BEEPS

How you doing?

Not quite as straightforward as it looked on the video last night.

I think that's enough.

Removing grasper and port.

Backhands and clip, please. Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And there's the lesion.

Yeah. It doesn't look good.

That's one little baby she's better off without. Send it to Pathology.

LOW-PITCHED BEEPING Hang on. Her BP's falling.

We've got a bleed from pleura. Diathermy, please.

Come on, Carla.

BP's rising.

Well done, Dr March.

When you're ready, Mr Valentine, could you close up for me?

I love saying that. Hm!

She is going to be unbearable for the next few days.

Yes, it'll be the coronary artery bypass graft all over again.

I did wake up once and I couldn't move.

When was this? Years ago.

I must have been asleep.

You know, sleep paralysis.

I've never had it.

It's as creepy as hell.

Just thinking about it freaks me out.

Look, we can rule out some real nasties,

like spine compression, fractures...

Yeah. Where's Raf?

He's gone to talk to Guy.

Because he's really worried. I know he is, I can tell.

He wants to do his best for you.

Fear doesn't help anyone, Fletch.

Well, I am going to be here for quite some time.

Have you done a lumbar puncture?

Not yet. I just wanted you to check him over.

Mr di Lucca, I really wish I could,

but I am right in the middle of a very delicate procedure

and I have to concentrate on the matter in hand.

Better get them all in before next Pesach.

Amen to that! THEY CHUCKLE

Simon? Look, I'm sorry about earlier on - Essie and me.

It's all been fairly recent.

I wasn't expecting your news. That's...

About, you know, what with Becky's family.

Mm. Neither was I! So, are you converting?

Going for the full snip?

HE WHEEZES Sorry.

Yes. I am.

I've sort of fought against the idea for years.

Not the culture. I love the culture. Just the religious side of things.

But I feel different now.

Not that I'd do anything to make her happy, but...

Almost anything. Yeah.

Same with you and Essie. I mean...

Sorry. What I mean by that is...

Simon, Simon, it's absolutely fine. It's fine.

Listen, I'll see you back there in a minute, OK? Oh, and Simon? What?

Mazel tov.

Mazel tov!

That was very impressive, Zosia.

Thank you. Carla is one tough lady.

She was born in Havana, apparently.

Her mother was Cuban.

Wouldn't be great to get a job that takes you all over the world?

Holby giving you cabin fever?

Well, no.

But, um... Well, there's not much to keep me here, is there?

I wonder what it would've been like if I'd taken that job in Pakistan.

But, er... Well, we have such a great team here.

You wanted to talk? Yes.

Huh!

You remember what it was like when we started seeing each other?

Um...yeah, pretty intense. Yes. Yeah.

Because we were, you know, working together.

And when you're dating someone that you're working with,

things can move quickly. What are you trying to say?

PAGER BEEPS

Sorry.

Er...got to go. Can we talk later?

Yeah, sure. OK.

You told them he was an accountant?

Well, it's half true. He does do his own accounts!

THEY LAUGH

But they know now? Sort of. Ha!

She hasn't mentioned the pigs.

Oh, can you blame me?

Just imagine - "Rabbi, meet the son-in-law, the pig farmer"!

Oi! I'm diversifying. Goats and sheep.

And if that doesn't work, there's always the stand-up.

Heard the one about the rabbi, the priest and the pig farmer?

It's blood! She's...! It's all right, it's all right.

No spinal fracture on the CT, MRI normal, no longer pyrexial,

all obs are normal, but it's gone from his feet to his legs!

How are we supposed to treat him when we don't know what's wrong?

That's why we're doing the lumbar puncture.

It's a process of elimination. Could it be MS?

It's a possibility. It's one of many.

How can you be so calm?

I've seen a lot, Raf. You'll have to keep a steady nerve.

Maybe I need to spend some time in a war zone. No.

No, you don't.

You're his mate. Of course you're worried about him.

The trick is not to let him see it.

I mean, I've been just been sat at home chilling.

Is that code for onesie wearing and binge eating burritos?

Course not!

Listen, do you really think when Taylor and Burton split up,

Liz sat around moping?

Counting and polishing her diamonds?

Look, I don't need to do a course to teach me to cook.

All right. Well, I'm just saying you

might want to put yourself out there, like Sacha is.

Do you think that's why he's joining the choir, to meet other women?

No, gay men.

What? I'm kidding, I'm kidding.

Look if you're not ready, you're not ready.

Well, I've not been completely idle.

I was doing a clear-out.

What the merry hell is that?

Sacha gave to me.

It belonged to his mother.

Well, that's sweet.

Would Isaac like it?

Absolutely not!

I wanted to give it him back. Do you think he'll be hurt?

Yes.

Are you OK?

Yeah. Becky's ultrasound is all right but she's vomiting blood

so we need to do a gastroscopy ASAP. Are the bloods back?

Yeah, I was just checking.

Right, I'll inform theatre. Do you want to scrub in? Sure, yeah.

Oh, here they are.

She's pregnant.

All right, I'm going to give you a local, Fletch, OK?

Small scratch coming up.

So everything's negative so far?

Yeah, that's right. This will rule out an infection in the CSF.

Why would I have an infection?

It's unlikely. We're just ruling things out at the moment.

Well, come on, hurry up. Are you going to give me this local or what?

Told you it wouldn't hurt.

Either that was the most skilful jab I've ever had or I didn't feel it.

Right, I'm going to get this off to the lab ASAP.

Could you take over, please, Raf?

My age is typical for MS onset.

Yeah, but the presentation is too quick

and we didn't see anything on your MRI.

But you haven't ruled it out.

Let's just wait for the lumbar puncture results

before we jump to any conclusions.

It was malignant, the lesion.

Well done. Caught early, she stands a really good chance.

Thank you.

LIVELY LATIN MUSIC PLAYS

Sorry. Dodgy volume control.

How are you feeling, Carla?

Like when I was trekking in the Andes

and got kicked in the chest by a mule.

But the breathing does seem easier.

That's wonderful. I do hear that people feel a change straightaway.

Right, Bernard, could we keep the noise down?

Absolutely.

Cool track, though.

Well, allow me.

Mr Montefiore, can I have a quick word?

Just this way. Come, yes.

So the vomiting was morning sickness.

Yeah. I guess you were focused

on the kidney when you did the ultrasound.

It's bleeding from the duodenum.

The vomiting was a red herring? Yeah, could have been.

So we inject adrenaline?

Yeah, let's do that first,

saline and adrenaline solution, please. Thank you.

So come on, then. What are you going to do for your audition?

Well, it's hardly an audition.

Oh, please.

I think you should do that one...um...Salad Days.

# Look at me Oh, look at me

# Oh, look at me, I'm dancing. #

You're very good. Thanks.

Yes...

Nope. Nope, it's not working.

LOW-PITCHED BEEPING

Blood pressure's falling.

Shall we get some blood cross-matched? Yeah. Just in case.

Let's get a thermal probe, please.

What about a laparotomy?

No, we're going to try clipping first.

I'd rather not do a laparotomy on a pregnant woman if I can help it.

Don't touch anything. How's Fletch?

It'll be a couple of hours before we get the count.

Just keep doing the obs.

That is the last thing he needs at the moment.

I want to see Dad. It's really important.

Your dad is resting right now, Mikey.

Hey! Mikey, calm down.

Do you mind?

Please do.

In here, come on.

I really don't want to have to risk doing a laparotomy.

Well, she's still bleeding and her BP is still falling

so we don't really have much choice.

She told me that her and Simon given up the idea of having kids.

It's barely six months since the transplant and she's

already on heavy immunosuppressants.

That's hardly the ideal conditions for a pregnancy.

Shall I go scrub in?

Yeah...

Yeah.

Removing the scope.

We're going to open her up

and we're going to under-run the bleeding vessel.

OK?

How long have they been trying for a baby?

A long time.

I want to tell my dad something.

Look, Mikey, you know there are doctors here

who people can talk to if they are upset or angry.

What do they do to them?

They just talk to them, find out why they're angry.

Where did that come from?

Dunno. Was here.

Show me.

What is it?

It's Cosmas and Damian. They were twins, doctors, a long time ago.

Look, I need to know that you are on side,

doing what's best for your dad. OK?

OK.

Right. You're some man. Stay here, OK?

LATIN MUSIC PLAYS

Bernard, what are you up to?

BERNARD SINGS IN SPANISH

Marry me, Carla!

HE SPEAKS SPANISH

Ah.

What does that mean?

Um...

..one's first love is a thread

woven into the soul...

..forever.

Hey. What did you want?

I am not going to be your dirty little secret.

Look, I was in the middle of telling her, OK, when you paged me.

Stop! Someone could see. OK?

Isn't that the point?

Isn't that why we're doctors? The risks, the thrills?

And here was I thinking it was about healing the sick.

Aw! How sweet!

But let's leave that to the GPs and district nurses,

chugging along in their Morris Travellers.

I used to have a Morris Traveller. It was a good car.

Aw, and now you're more of an E-type. Elegant, shiny, sleek...

HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

Oh, sorry.

Carla's stopped breathing.

How's that?

If this is MS...

..then what's the best possible outcome?

I spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair?

I've got four kids, Raf.

Right, I play football with Mikey, I take all four kids swimming.

What if this doesn't stop at my legs?

What if I can never hold my kids again?

We don't know what it is yet.

Always look on the bright side, eh?

What's the alternative?

HE COUGHS

That is just anxiety.

The lumbar puncture results will be back soon and then we'll have

a better picture of what's going on.

Sorry about the state of the fridge, mate.

There was enough mould in there to set up your own pharma company.

Everything else is fine.

Evie came top of her class in French.

Obviously takes after me.

Yeah, obviously.

You could teach her Italian.

Raf...

What?

Not looking at the bright side...

..if something happens to me...

..I'd love it if you took the kids.

Took them where?

For you to look after them.

Of course I would if I had to...

..but I won't have to.

You are their dad and you are going to keep being their dad.

But you don't know that, do you?

Cos this is a really fast progression.

What's going to stop it?

You can't stand there and tell me that this isn't going to kill me.

All right, Dad.

Well, if this is the state of you, what's the state of the other kid?

I'll go and check on those lab results.

Pneumothorax? Yes. Which side? Left.

OK, we'll need to do a percutaneous drainage

and can we get an ultrasound, please? Yes.

What's happening? Her left lung's collapsed.

Carla, darling, can you hear me?

I love you with all my heart.

We need to insert a chest drain.

Why did she have the lung reduction?

Surely the risks outweigh the benefits?

Jasmine, I think we know what we're doing.

Sorry. I'm just here to listen and learn.

Yes, you are. So be quiet.

When are you coming home? We'll look after you.

Not for a little bit.

Your dad's going to take a little bit longer than we thought

to get better. It's all right with Raf, innit?

Yeah. His cooking's good.

He lets us have chocolate spread on toast.

Good old Raf.

I brought you some. Well tasty.

Yeah. Listen...

do you mind... do you mind if I eat that later?

Are you angry with me?

No.

I mean, you drive me crazy. But then you all do that.

You know, you kids...

..you're the only thing I'm really, really proud of.

Even me?

Even you, mate.

I didn't hit anyone. You told me not to and I didn't.

I won't push Evie again either, I promise.

OK.

I don't want to fight any more. I want to stop.

Do you believe me? I won't make you ill again.

Mate...

..this isn't your fault. It is.

LOW-PITCHED BEEPING Dad?

Dad!

Raf! Raf! Anyone! Dad!

All right, Fletch, OK. Here we go. Breathe deeply. Breathe deeply.

All right. That's it. Well done.

You still haven't given me an answer.

No, but I thought your song was fabulous, darling. Thank you.

Oh.

They say if you sit on the fence, the iron enters your soul.

Well, we radicals suffer too.

Must be all those afternoons

spent outside the South African embassy in the rain.

You need a stick.

A stick!

Can you imagine Che with a stick?

Poor man. Never got the chance.

So when's the big day?

Oh, I persist but she always says no.

What, you've asked before?

Many times.

I feel compelled to from time to time.

She does say no and then life settles back down to normal.

I don't want to get married.

I'm perfectly happy as I am.

You infuriating, beautiful, fascinating woman.

Hello. Hi.

You're Nurse Fletcher's son.

Are you a doctor? You don't look like one.

Don't I?

What are you doing?

Just mending this.

Can I help, do you think?

It's just a paperclip.

Thank you.

So, how is your father?

He thinks he's going to die but Raf says he isn't.

Well, you know, sometimes when people are ill

they become frightened.

I would say Mr Di Lucca

certainly has a good idea of what's wrong with your dad.

Are you one of the doctors that talk to people when they're angry?

You mean a psychiatrist?

No, I'm not.

Why?

They find out why people get angry.

Well, I think...that'll do it.

There you go. Thanks.

Now I have to go, if you'll excuse me.

Good to meet you.

Have you seen Raf?

He's around here somewhere.

Why isn't he answering his pager?

Any news on the lumbar puncture?

That's why I'm trying to find him.

Normal white cell count, CSF slightly elevated,

nothing on the gram stain. OK, well, that's good.

Could you do Fletch's lung function tests for me? Sure. Thanks.

Raf?

Raf, I've been paging you. Have you read the lab report?

Normal white blood cell count, normal antibody levels,

so we can rule out MS.

The CSF protein levels were elevated, though.

Why would the CSF protein be elevated with

a normal blood white cell count?

We have to keep investigating to find out.

Raf...

Fletch is lying on AAU

with a creeping paralysis that could kill him.

Do you think I don't know that?

So it's not a spinal injury, it's not diabetes,

it's not an infection, it's not a stroke.

Could it be something weird like...like shellfish poisoning?

Fletch hates shellfish. I feel like we're running out of time.

It's progressing too fast! So what are you saying?

Everything was getting better. Why should this happen?

I don't understand! Neither do I. I can only do.

We keep trying or we give up.

Is that some kind of parade-ground pep talk?

Well, it works for me.

I don't know what works for you but you'd better find it, fast.

I'm sorry.

I'm pregnant?

You understand, Becky?

You understand we had to go ahead with this procedure because

we wanted to save you and the baby?

You saved my life again, Sacha. It's getting to be a habit.

I'm pregnant?

I'm 46!

Come on. Stop that.

I'm the one who's normally the crybaby.

Hey, mate. Raf, where were you?

Dad couldn't breathe. They had to give him oxygen.

He started coughing like before.

He's OK now. I'm looking out for him.

I'm so sorry you had to see that.

What do you mean "before"? When he had that cough.

On holiday?

Oh, yeah. I remember.

Look...could you wait here?

It's just the new kidney, the marriage and now this.

I'm used to things going wrong.

Becky, we do need to make you aware,

carrying a child to full term with a new kidney

and under immunosuppressant therapy

does carry great risks,

for both yourself and for the baby.

We will support you, whatever choice you make.

I'm not sure I want to take that risk.

I do. I do.

OK.

Then let's do it.

PHONE RINGS

Mother.

Give it here.

Tell her she's given me an ulcer.

Hi, yeah, it's Simon.

Simon.

Yeah, we're at the hospital.

Hospital.

It's just a check-up.

No, I haven't thought about using Uncle Leo's place

as a venue for the reception.

Alvina, Becky and I can sort out the arrangements.

OK?

OK.

Speak later.

You see what kind of man I'm marrying?

He's a mensch.

I had a case about five years ago.

Similar partial paralysis, bilateral -

Guillain-Barre syndrome.

Well, it could be one of a number of things.

What's your reasoning?

It fits. It crossed my mind before but it usually comes after

a respiratory illness and Fletch hadn't been ill but then

Mikey reminded me that he'd had a chest infection about a month ago.

It would explain the raised protein levels in his CSF too.

I'll get someone to do the nerve conduction study.

That would help with diagnosis.

Where are you going?

To see Guy.

You OK?

Yeah. Never better.

You could have taken a slice out of the atmosphere earlier.

Is that to do with Ollie?

I interrupted a passionate embrace between him and that F1, Jasmine.

Ollie and Jasmine?

I'm so sorry, Zosh.

You knew, didn't you?

I was just trying to be protective.

You could have stopped me looking like a complete idiot.

Who else knows? No-one. How could they?

She lives with Morven. OK, maybe Morven. Does Dom know?

I don't know. Look, I'll tell you what, I'll tell you what.

Why don't you come round to mine tonight?

We'll have a girlie night in, a movie and a pizza.

No. I don't need a shoulder to cry on.

And even if I did, you're my boss.

Guillain-Barre?

What about the lumbar puncture? Was the protein raised?

Yes.

OK, well, I suppose it's possible, but without examining him myself,

I can't be sure.

Get the neurophysiologists.

Bernie's organising that now

but if it is Guillain-Barre, what's the next step?

It's plasmaphoresis, right?

You'll need to do the nerve conduction studies first.

We're running out of time.

Look, Raf, I should be finished here shortly

so if you can wait, then I'll come and assess Fletch myself.

I don't want to wait until we have to intubate him.

Is that likely?

The way things are looking, yes.

Is there any reason why we shouldn't do this if we're not 100% certain?

Well, yes.

I mean, there is no guarantee that his lung function won't

deteriorate but, you know... MONITOR BEEPS

Oh, fantastic(!)

That'll add at least another hour.

Look, if you see Hanssen,

tell him that my facial nerve monitor has packed in!

# Look at me Oh, look at me

BOTH: # Oh, look at me, I'm dancing!

# I'm gay and I'm breathless and I'm jubilant

# And I'm dancing dancing, dancing. #

So?

I just don't think singing is your thing.

Well, you know, practice makes perfect.

It's going to need a lot of practice.

Look, you do realise you don't have to do things every single night.

It makes you seem a little bit desperate.

Why don't you just watch a movie, stay at home,

order takeout, chill out?

That's what I do every night. Hm!

Is that what you did before you met Isaac?

Oh, Lord, no.

No, I was out most nights, but it's different - I'm younger.

Oh, thank you so much(!)

PHONE RINGS

Speak of the devil!

LIFT: 'Doors opening. Lift going up.'

Preliminary NCS results are indicating Guillain-Barre.

How long will the formal results take? About an hour.

His breathing's deteriorating. We can't wait.

If it's not Guillain-Barre...

If it's not, what's the worst thing that could happen?

It's just a plasma exchange, it's not chemo.

But if it is...

Right, let's do it.

So, what are you doing at the weekend?

Me?

Well, I've decided to do a sub aqua course so I guess I'll be in a pool.

Right. What about you?

Um, I was thinking of reading that book.

The Scandi thriller you gave me for Christmas.

About time.

This is just like the one I gave you.

That is the one you gave me.

So what's it doing here?

Well, I just know how much it means to you

and it doesn't feel right to keep it now.

So you were going to give it back to me?

I gave you this as a present.

No, no, no. I insist.

But it belongs to your mother.

She'd be delighted for you to have it.

Actually, I...

I don't really want it.

You don't want it?

Well, neither do I.

Because...

this is the most hideous thing I have ever seen

and I've hated it all my life.

So why did you give it to me?

Because I thought you wanted it!

You think I've got that bad a taste? No.

You told me you loved it.

Yeah, but I only said that to please your mother. Well, I thought...

Why do you suddenly bother

about what she thinks? So that I could please you.

I am so sorry.

Sacha, that was your mother's.

Dr Copeland, please. Yeah, one moment... Just leave it.

I'm really sorry. Leave it. Honestly it's fine, honestly.

Are you really going to go scuba diving?

Do you fancy a drink after work?

What about choir?

I think I might just give it a miss.

Hm. Hm.

How are you feeling, Fletch?

FLETCH GASPS

Like I can't get any air down.

If you feel your breathing is getting any worse,

just let us know. OK?

I think we've headed you off at the pass.

You know about... last rites and stuff.

It won't come to that...

If it does.

Look, just try and keep calm, OK? It won't help your breathing...

Pulse is rising... What?

I thought I told you to wait.

Mr Self.

Look, he's anaphylaxic. Put out a crash call.

Fletch, you've got to help me. Fletch?

Get some adrenaline, hydrocortisone now.

Laryngeal oedema. His throat's swelling. We need to do a trach.

Where's Bernard?

Oh, he's walking somewhere.

Do you think I should change my mind...

..about Bernard and marriage because of this lesion thing?

Because I won't...change my mind.

Years ago,

I realised that I didn't want to tie myself down to one person.

I don't need somebody waiting about at home for me like a pet.

Bernard doesn't belong to me...

..nor I to him.

LOW-PITCHED BEEPING

Oxygen.

Pulse stabilising.

The paralysis was progressing so fast.

We wanted to try something to avoid intubation.

We had to do something.

Yes, but this is not the battlefield, Ms Wolfe.

We have a more measured approach here at Holby.

Thank you. Ahem!

The formal results from the nerve-conduction study.

And, yes, he clinically does have Guillain-Barre. Well done.

Plasma exchange was the right call.

You took all the appropriate precautions.

It was highly unlikely that he would react in this way,

so you were all very unlucky.

I've never encountered anaphylaxis in a situation like this.

It is incredibly rare.

So, what now?

We wait, and when he's stable, we try immunoglobulin.

How long before it plateaus?

Well, it's difficult to say. It could be days.

But at least we have a diagnosis and, although it's serious,

it should resolve with treatment.

He saved my life not so long ago,

so we're not going to let him down.

You see, it belonged to my great-great-grandmother,

who bought it in the Paris Exhibition of 1900.

And then on her deathbed, she gave it to my grandmother,

who then gave it to my mother, who then gave it to me.

I don't know what to say, Sacha. I am really, truly sorry.

I mean, I will, of course, pay for it.

That's not really the point, is it?

You're going to Paris, yeah? Yeah.

Well, a couple of days scouring the antique markets in Paris

will probably throw up something.

Sure. Yeah. No, of course I can.

Oh, you're winding me up. I hate you both.

ESSIE LAUGHS How could we resist?

Give us a chip, then. Just the one.

All right, Greedy. What are you like?

How's Dad?

Yeah, he's good.

You know what you told me earlier about his chest infection?

You might have saved his life, you know.

It was the missing jigsaw piece.

Is that sore? A bit.

Are you going to tell me what happened now?

I didn't hit anyone, they hit me.

Right. And, er...why was that, then?

Because I was crying. They were saying stuff.

What kind of stuff?

That if Dad dies, we have to go into a home.

Different homes.

What, they hit you because you wouldn't fight back?

You won't tell anyone?

No-one is going to split you and your brother and sisters up.

Do you understand?

I won't let that happen.

You going to finish those?

Oi, Raf, leave it out!

RAF CHUCKLES

Yes, yes, I know. People in love are disgusting.

I see it as some kind of pathology now.

Oh, well, thank you very much. Bursting my bubble!

Sorry, I'm just not in a very romantic mood.

Understandably. Look, I...I don't know what he sees in an F1.

I mean, it reeks of desperation to me.

Why are people so obsessed about coupling up, anyway?

Because.

It's the racing of the heart,

it's the butterflies in the stomach...

It's the stripy T-shirts. Look, I look French, OK?

It's like we're so obsessed by what might be out there,

we don't appreciate what we already have.

Mm.

I-I just spoke to Evie.

The neighbour has to go, but I can stay with them.

Oh, thanks. You're a star. Hm!

Hey. What's this? I mended it.

Yeah, I see that. With a paperclip. But it's not mine, Mikey.

No, it's mine. A patient gave it to me the other day. It's not valuable.

Do you know who they are?

Damian...and Cosmic?

Close. St Damian and St Cosmas.

They were supposed to have performed the first limb graft

and invented a cure for paralysis.

They made a point of not charging.

"Freely you have received, freely you give."

My mum gave me one when I first qualified.

It's long gone now.

Oh, you can keep it, if you like.

See you later. Come on, Trouble.

Right, what we having? Oh, the usual.

Hi. A whisky and a Pinot, please.

Do you think it makes me look desperate, doing all these classes?

Cookery's fun. Yeah.

Life drawing, nudes.

Pottery.

Yeah, surgeons make great potters, apparently.

Hm! Anything else?

Beginners' Russian.

Ukulele lessons. Huh!

I could play the ukulele. See?

Hm. Maybe going a bit overboard?

Well, you are free to do what you like.

Yes. I'll drink to that. Mm-hm.

Here's to the future.

Whatever that may bring.

Nasdarovya! Wow! You do learn quick.

You see, I do learn quick, you see? Yes!

MONITOR BEEPS

FOOTSTEPS APPROACH

Sorry to wake you.

Oh. I wasn't asleep.

Well, you could be forgiven for dropping off, in the circumstances.

Yeah. The Guillain-Barre affected Fletch's lung function,

so we ventilated him as a precaution. I see.

I bumped into Nurse Fletcher's son. I thought he might benefit

from meeting Dr Steven Arran, child psychologist.

Thank you.

Ms Wolfe. Thank you.

Any change? No.

All obs are stable.

I heard you offered to take his kids on.

Well, I'm sure it won't come to that.

Is that a clinical judgment?

No, it's pure intuition.

That and the fact I've been sat here for the past hour praying.

I don't care where your inspiration comes from, as long as you get it.

Have you eaten anything?

Two chips. No, I tell a lie, three.

Right. I'm going to have a break.

I've ordered pizza. Ham and pineapple.

Oh. Pizza snob, eh?

I once had a halal goat pizza.

It was very good, actually.

You're lucky because I'm starving. I'd eat anything.

Just don't go sprinkling the wards with holy water. Come on.

Get your pills! Side-effects guaranteed.

'I'm a doctor. I believe that many common illnesses

'are best treated without drugs.'

We're just prescribing

more and more pills.

Patients want a quick fix. We need a revolution.

Today is the last day that you are going to take these drugs.

How could this EVER be good for a human being?

'Persuading Britain to go cold turkey

'could be the hardest thing I've ever done.'