S14 E8 (30 Oct 99) : Seeing the Light by Katharine Way
Episode Summary
It’s Adam’s first day as staff nurse. Duffy tells him she’s not as prejudiced as he might think but that it’s her job to make sure he’s careful for everybody’s sake. She tells him to always ask if he’s stuck and they laugh together. Adam’s first patient is Phil Savage, who has damaged his eye at work. He is told he shouldn’t work for a while and has a patch on his eye, but his boss Ian wants him back at work as they need to finish a job that night. Andrew Kavanah is also with them. Holly recognises him and shows him the posters that Maggie has been putting up. She asks him to contact her but he leaves as soon as she mentions it. Holly contacts Maggie Kavanah, who comes in expecting Drew to be still there; when Holly tells her he’s gone she gets mad at Holly, saying she shouldn’t have interfered. Holly thought she’d have been glad to know he was still safe.
Jade Johnson brings her sister Clare into A&E after she took an overdose. In resusc, Clare stops breathing for a while before being brought back to life by the team. Jade says that they had had an argument; Clare had threatened to kill herself and Jade had told her to go ahead, not believing she would actually try. Later Clare tells Eve she could see herself from above when she had stopped breathing, but knew it was not the right time for her to die. She asks to go back to resusc to see where it happened. Both sisters want to see each other. Eve is affected by them.
A group of medical students come into A&E, in Halloween costume and drunk. One of them, Simon, has fallen over and cut his head. As Adam is treating him he has a fit. Adam calls Sean in; they suspect epilepsy. Simon doesn’t want to believe there’s anything wrong with him and runs out of the hospital. Adam finds him; Simon says he doesn’t want to be dependent on drugs for the rest of his life, and that if he has epilepsy it would ruin his chances of becoming a doctor. Adam tells him not to assume that. Simon says he sounds like understands.
Phil Savage is brought into resus by ambulance after falling onto boiling tar. Drew blames Ian, as Phil was half-blind but Ian still made him work. The team manage to stabilise him and he is taken to ITU. Drew has burns to his hands and whilst he is being treated Holly calls Maggie back in. Drew is angry when he sees Maggie, telling Holly she shouldn’t have interfered, and when Maggie realises Drew doesn’t want to see her she turns on Holly too. Later Maggie finds Drew and tells him she knows things can’t go back to the way they were but she just wanted to know he was safe. She asks him to keep in touch and it looks like Drew will.
Tina has a go at Chloe, saying she hasn’t been pulling her weight recently. Duffy hears and tells Tina to show Chloe more sympathy. She tells her that Chloe is going for an abortion after the shift. Tina later apologises to Chloe but they aren’t friendly. At the end of the shift Tina offers Chloe a lift to the hospital. She says she’s fed up with being angry – and she also misses the gossip. Tina offers to miss her party and go into the clinic with Chloe. Chloe accepts.
At the end of the shift Duffy tells Adam he did well, and jokes that he might even be an asset to the team.
Sean lets it slip to Charlie that Eve had been thinking of resigning. Charlie is annoyed that Sean hadn’t said anything to him. Eve later freezes in resus and walks out. She empties her locker and leaves the department. Charlie and Duffy find the empty locker and Charlie guesses Eve has gone to the Mission. He goes to look for her and finds her there. He is upset that she just left in the middle of a shift without a word and Eve apologises. Charlie says they could have been more supportive after Gerry’s death, saying she could have talked to him. He keeps trying to persuade her not to leave, but Eve won’t be persuaded. Charlie says she’s one of the best nurses; Eve says she doesn’t think so. She says she knows what she did was wrong and she doesn’t have a chance to change things. Charlie asks what she’ll do; she says she’ll start by working to keep Gerry’s Mission open. Charlie asks if she’ll go back to say goodbye; Eve says maybe, when she feels she can. Charlie gives her a goodbye hug.
Patients
– Phil Savage, a 28-year-old first with eye damage and later on bad burns
– Clare Johnson, a young woman who has tried to kill herself by taking an overdose
– Simon Casey, cuts in his head, has epileptic fit while in cubicle
– Drew Kavanah, burns in his hands
First Scene/words
[The shift is about to begin and everyone is in the staffroom.]
Duffy: My kids are trick or treating. Sean, I thought you were off on study leave.
Sean: Charlie, do you mind if I use your office. It’s quiet, I’v got some studying to do.
Charlie: Only if it’s quiet, which it won’t be.
[Tina shows Holly a dress.]
Tina: What do you think, the bride of Dracula…
Holly: Oh Tina, it’s so you!
Tina: Halloween fancy dress party!
Duffy: At the end of shift?
Tina: Yeah! Just getting going then.
Sean: Whose party?
Tina: You don’t know them.
LAst Scene/words
Charlie: You’ve had a grievement, do you think if you took some leave?
Eve: No… I wish there was a quick fix and I could have one big cry, but there isn’t.
Charlie: I’m feeling guilty now. We could all have given you more support.
Eve: No, it’s not about you, it’s not even about Gerry really. This is about me, I need some time to myself. I’ve spent the whole life looking after other people. I need to sort myself out.
Charlie: Alright, we’ll keep your post open, that’ll give you the time.
Eve: You’re trying to find practical solutions, don’t you?
Charlie: Well, I’m good at that! Can’t blame me for trying.
Eve: I don’t.
Charlie: What are you gonna do?
Eve: There’s a service in about an hour, think I’m gonna stay for that. Gerry wanted the mission to carry on even if he died, you know. When he died I though maybe I could do that.
Charlie: Is that you’re idea of a penance?
Eve: No, it’s like I’m giving something back. I don’t know really, I just feel it’s a good place to start.
Charlie: You’re not gonna come back and say goodbye?
Eve: Maybe. When I feel I can.
[Charlie and Eve hug.]
Notable Facts
* Susan Cookson plays Julie Day.
* Verona Joseph plays Jade Johnson.
* This is Eve’s last episode.
Review by Alison & Karin.
UK Viewing Figures
9.12m
