S4 E33 (21 May 02): Touch &Go by Andrew Holden
Episode Summary
Meyer refuses to operate on patient Tom Vincent because he believes that he has been taking drugs, which would make the operation too dangerous. Tom’s daughter, Eve, is not happy with Mr Meyer to say the least. After confessing to his daughter that he has not had a happy life, he spent it working and cheating on her mother with women he met in bars, he asks Meyer to write ‘Do not resuscitate’ on his medical notes. Eve is upset and walks off, bumping into another young girl in the hallway. The other girl is Leonie Johnson, whose mother has been admitted after being taken ill at a party the previous night. They chat about their parents being ill and Eve lends Leonie some lipstick. At the same time Sandy is wheeling Helen Johnson, Leonie’s mum, down to theatre where she is to have a heart by-pass operation. Helen sees Tom and recognises him as Leonie’s father. She asks Sandy if it is Tom Vincent, and Sandy confirms that is his name but will not reveal how ill he is.
Whilst her mother is in surgery, Leonie goes into Tom’s room to return Eve’s lipstick. He has no idea who she is but she obviously recognises him as she acts very awkwardly around him. She returns to her mother’s room to search her bag for an old photo of Tom. Sandy discusses the issue with Chrissie, saying how horrible it would be for Tom to die without Leonie getting to speak to him; Chrissie tells her to stay out of it. But, Tom takes a turn for the worse and all Chrissie and Sandy can do is leave him to die as he has asked not to be resuscitated. Sandy once again mentions Leonie to Chrissie, and Chrissie agrees she should know that her father is dying. Leonie comes to see Tom and screams for them to do something to save him. Chrissie phones Alex, who is operating on Helen, and he gives permission to revive Tom because there is doubt cast over the original decision now Leonie is on the scene.
Helen is bought up early from theatre because Alex discovers she has cancer in her heart; it is too advanced to operate on. Helen is upset and insists that Alex tell Tom so that he can take care of Leonie when she dies. After Eve chats to Leonie and Helen speaks to Tom, Tom agrees he wants to go on living. Alex convinces Meyer that they should operate on Tom and Eve and Leonie wait anxiously for him, together.
Alex is still trying to convince Jess to have an abortion but she is determined to have the baby. Doubts are cast in her mind when she hears Alex arguing with Meyer about Tom Vincent, and the dilemma of finding he has a daughter. Alex tells Jess that if she has an abortion she will get over him and the baby in a few weeks but if she goes ahead and gives birth, she will be stuck with them forever. Jess reluctantly agrees to have an abortion as long as Alex accompanies her to the clinic.
Liam appears to be more mobile around the flat but it is obvious that he fears going outside. He is becoming increasingly annoyed with people trying to take care of him, especially Father Michael and Danny. Liam says he just wants to be alone for a while, like any normal person. When he is finally left alone, he ventures outside, to the place where the accident happened. After facing that, he seems much better and even dances with Sandy in his wheelchair.
Despite trying to avoid Father Michael, Kath runs into him while they are both visiting Liam at his flat. Kath agrees to meet Father Michael later in the afternoon, but has second thoughts and turns up late. It is pouring with rain and Father Michael is soaking wet where he has been standing waiting for Kath. She invites him back to her flat to dry off, mainly because she feels guilty. They end up in bed together again but when Father Michael announces he has written his letter of resignation from the priesthood because he loves Kath, she immediately regrets it. She tells him that if he leaves it has nothing to do with her. He disagrees, telling her that, “I can’t be a priest and love you”. Kath tells him there’s no future in it, he’s her priest and what they’ve done is a sin. She throws him out, telling him, “It doesn’t matter what you do, I don’t love you”.
That night, Danny stops at Father Michael’s house to ask him if he will sit with Liam, who is at home by himself. Danny is shocked to find Michael shut in his car, trying to kill himself with the exhaust fumes. Danny drags him out and Father Michael is taken to Holby. Kath can hardly speak when she sees him in such a state, realising that he did it after they had seen each other that afternoon. She notices that he has blood on his hand and Danny informs her that he won’t open his hand. Kath talks to him and discovers he is clutching a ring that he had bought for her. That is what he wanted to give her that afternoon, and that is what had made his hand bleed. Kath tells him she can never see him again after this.
Patients
* Tom Vincent – Requires his heart valves to be repaired.
* Helen Johnson – Needs a heart by-pass operation due to years of smoking but it is discovered that she has cancer.
* Father Michael – Inhaled toxic fumes.
First Scene/ words
(Tom Vincent is in hospital bed, his daughter Eve, Mr Meyer, Alex, Sam and Chrissie are surrounding his bed)
Mr Meyer (to Tom) : Dr Kennedy informed me you’ve been experiencing some headaches
Eve (to Meyer) : That’s no surprise the stress you put him under
Mr Meyer (to Eve) : Your father requires three out of four heart valves to be either repaired or replaced, and we have been unable to proceed because we have found…
Eve (interrupting Meyer) : I know what you’ve found(Mr Meyer rambles on, medically, about why they can’t operate)
Tom : I’m not a drug addict
Mr Meyer : Your abuse of recreational drugs has delayed the surgery which you so urgently require, and if you carry on, an infection could well destroy any repair we are able to make
Eve (to Meyer) : I don’t know why you don’t just come out and say it. You have no intention of operating on him at all, have you?
Mr Meyer : That will depend on today’s blood tests and if it still shows a low platelet count, we will be unable to operate, whatever our intentions
Last Scene/ words
Tom Vincent is in surgery. Meyer watches on as Alex leads the operation, assisted by Sam. Alex fears that Tom will bleed to death. Mr Meyer advises him to remove the heart packs slowly. Alex does and there is no bleeding.
(Nic)
