Original subtitles

DAN: So, Jess, have you got everything under control in 4?

JESS: Yeah, it's all done.

Here it comes. The Queen of the Castle.

We're all busy, so I won't keep you.

Good. Lots to do.

As you all know, the ED has been a bit up in the air

over the last couple of weeks, with no permanent Nursing Unit Manager.

But with Nelson's unfortunate resignation...

..the gap had to be filled

and I've been offered the position.

Nelson's actually resigned?

For real?

I know he's going to be a very hard act to follow,

but I'm certain we can find a way

to make the new regime just as efficient as the old one.

The key to running a department like this is cooperation.

So if you give me that, I'm sure we'll get along just fine.

VON: I've got patients waiting in Triage.

Of course.

Thanks for your attention.

I'm going to be sick.

Maybe she'll settle down, Jess.

I thought you were in a meeting.

No, no, that can wait.

Has Curtis turned up?

Oh... So how's everything going?

I've been here six weeks, Doctor Campion.

I can run this place with my eyes closed.

Good 'cause I'll be tied up all day.

Aren't you at least gonna try and talk Nelson out of this?

What a good idea, Cate. What would I do without you?

RADIO: MVA. Cyclist versus car.

Unconscious on site, suspected head injury.

DRAMATIC MUSIC

VINCENT: Listen, mate, Can you hear me?

Hey, open your eyes if you can.

Looks about 10 years old.

GCS is 12. Got multiple head and thoracic chest contusions.

Was he on his own?

Yeah, as far as I know.

Right pupil's dilated, size 6.

Left pupil's size four, appears to be reactive to light.

Dullness to percussion on the right side.

Large laceration to the right side of the head.

Depressed skull fracture.

Get on to to Radiology, organise an urgent head CT, please.

Decreased air entry both sides.

Likely fractures to the right radius and left tibia.

How is he? Tell me he's alright?

Are you his mother? No. I ran over him.

Radiology's ready for him.

Do you know who he is?

I've never seen him before... Were you injured?

No, I was on my way to work.

I'm a solicitor...

He just came out of nowhere...

They said that I need to get a blood test.

You'd better wait with the police. I'll be with you soon as I can.

Let's get him out of here, come on, fast. Let's go.

DAN: Hang in there, mate.

Let's get you on the bed so the Doctor can examine you.

Thanks, but I can do it. Hurts to have anyone touch me.

Sometimes I just want to cut it off.

Okay, I'll just get this sling off.

Charlotte, this is Helen Milsap.

Hey, Helen, I'm Doctor Beaumont.

So, what have you done to yourself?

It's my arm. It's been giving me hell.

Alright, now, where exactly is the pain?

In the wrist, mainly, the arm and the elbow and shoulder.

On a scale of one to ten, sorry, how would you rate the pain?

(sighs) Eight, definitely an eight.

Though some nights it's up to ten.

Alright, you taking anything for that?

Just paracetamol.

Okay, we'll write you up for simple oral analgesia for the time being.

You better have a look at that file before you do anything.

You brought your medical file with you?

I have to. It's a WorkCover Claim.

Anything you do to me, they pay for.

Okay.

There's a fellow outside, wants to see the person in charge.

I take it that's you, for the time being.

Alright, send him in.

Oh, and Von...

Everyone here looks up to you, you know that, don't you?

So I'm counting on you to lead by example.

You cut me some slack and let me prove myself

and I'm sure the rest of the team will too.

I think you underestimate the team, Deanna.

They're all big and ugly enough to make their own decisions.

Conrad Fry.

Deanna Richardson, Nursing Unit Manager.

I'm with PDA Insurance.

And I'm very busy, so I hope this isn't a ruse to sell me something.

Not at all. Actually, I don't work in sales.

I'm in the investigations unit. I'm like a detective.

And I still have a hundred and one things to do.

Helen Milsap has just presented to your department via Triage.

She's a person of interest to our company.

How does this concern me?

Carpal tunnel syndrome, right?

I'm not familiar with her case.

Well, the woman's a fraud.

There's nothing wrong with her.

Is the pain restricted just to your stomach?

(groans) I reckon.

You've got no pain running up your arm or to your chest?

No, no, just the gripes in my gut.

How long has it been going on? About an hour.

And what were you doing when it started?

I was building a bird feeder.

Yeah, really wanted to get it finished today,

but I'm not much good at that sort of thing.

Think you might have strained yourself while you were working?

No, it just came on.

It was right after I caught a glimpse of a tree martin.

I see.

You can imagine what a treat that was.

Yes.

Well, you normally only see them in wide open spaces, don't you?

You know, wetlands, rivers. That's more their sort of go.

Well, I could imagine something as exciting as that

would bring on some pain.

Okay, you on any medication?

Only fresh air and sunshine.

Have you ever experienced this sort of pain before?

Uh, well, I used to get a bit of constipation

but I discovered a good vindaloo fixes that up.

Dan!

Yes, Von?

Right, this is Carl Weekes.

Three 'E's.

I'm Dan.

Dan will take you through to a bed

and get a doctor to see you.

It's been a real pleasure meeting you, Von.

Likewise.

Well, you certainly have symptoms consistent with RSI.

Tell me about it.

I can't turn my wrist even a little bit.

I can't even clean my teeth properly.

How long have you worked on production lines?

Too bloody long.

Been fifteen years with Copeton Smallgoods.

Do you eat salami?

Devon?

I get a staff discount.

Nice.

I know that previous tests came back inconclusive

so I'll X-ray the wrist again and see what shows up.

Doctor Beaumont, can I talk to you for a minute?

I haven't finished with my patient yet.

It's important.

Excuse me.

I'm just going to check your obs now, Helen.

What's the story?

Looks like RSI but I'm not sure. I'm about to order tests.

Just so you know,

I had an insurance detective in my office who says she's faking it.

If she is, she's damn good at it.

This is the file on her hospital visits.

I've seen her file. She brought it in with her.

Do a quick once-over and get her out.

Excuse me?

Helen Milsap has already been to four other hospitals

with the same complaint.

They've all run a battery of expensive tests

and come up with no conclusive diagnosis.

She's just trying to beef up a compensation payout.

Thank you for that information.

But just so you know,

I'll be treating Helen like any other patient.

Just get her out of here, Charlotte.

I don't want this department caught up in her little scam.

Something wrong?

No, it's all good.

Just continue the pain relief and I'll organise the X-rays.

Want me to take bloods?

Oh, yes - FBC, UEC, LFT, TFT,

and we'll need to test for rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibodies.

Helen, there's a likelihood you have some kind of arthritis or arthralgia.

I don't care what you call it. As long as you can make it go away.

I'm going to give you something for the pain, Carl.

Are you allergic to anything?

Cats that kill birds.

Hmm. What sort of work do you do?

I was the chief financial officer for a small public company

but they got taken over and I got retrenched.

Bummer.

So, what do you do now?

Watch birds mostly.

Occasional job interview.

I prefer the birds.

Uh, you might be here for a quite while,

so is there anyone I can call for you?

Uh, sadly, no.

My wife left me about six months ago...

Oh, I'm sorry.

..and we didn't have kids.

Mind you, I've got red-kneed dotterels nesting at home

but they won't miss me - they're more fickle than women.

(laughs)

Is that possible?

VINCENT: Coming through, into Resus.

What happened?

Respiratory arrest followed by a cardiac arrest leaving Radiology.

What did the head CT show?

A large right-sided intra-cerebral bleed.

I need to secure his airway. Size 5.5 tube, please.

DAN: Yep, got it.

Please tell me that he's alright. Deanna, get her out of here.

Do you know who he is yet? No.

Please, don't let him die.

We've got a really good team looking after him.

MACHINE BEEPS Cricoid, Dan.

Oh, my God, what have I done?

Tube's in. Secure the airway.

Come on, little man.

I've reviewed the AP and lateral views of your wrist, Helen,

and I agree with your hand surgeon -

you don't have carpal tunnel syndrome.

There's no obvious or hairline fractures there either.

Then why does it hurt so much?

At this stage, we don't know.

What did you expect? She's lying.

Can you get him out of here?

Who are you?

I'm with the insurance company that's paying all her bills...

Jessica!

..so as far as I'm concerned, she's my patient too.

Leave me alone, please...

People like her are the reason

health insurance premiums are so high.

I'll show you where you can wait.

I can't even scratch myself without him watching.

I mean, it's not my fault. Helen.

I'm not putting it on. I swear.

Just because your X-rays were clear doesn't mean we don't believe you.

It just means we need to change our line of inquiry.

We're not giving up on you, Helen.

The way that insurance guy was carrying on,

you'd think he'd be paying for it himself.

Deanna, what the hell are you doing

letting that insurance guy wander all over the ED?

I was taking a blood sample.

He barged into the cubicle and started harassing my patient

in the middle of a consultation.

I can't be everywhere at once.

No, but you're supposed to be in charge here...

Yes, I am. And I expect a bit more respect, Doctor Beaumont.

He's in the waiting room. I want him out of the ED altogether.

Sneak into this department again

and I won't need Security to throw you out, I'll do it myself.

I was trying to find out if you're planning to run tests...

I'm not interested in why you're here.

The bottom line is, I won't have you upsetting my patients. Clear?

What's becoming crystal clear is you don't want anyone around

to record the barrage of unnecessary tests

you're running on that fraud of a woman.

We don't perform unnecessary tests. Oh, really?

You'd be the first hospital that hasn't.

Do me a favour - actually, do yourself one -

go through her file thoroughly

before you start lecturing me about how I should be behaving.

How about you and I make a deal?

You stay away from my patients and clear of my doctors,

and I'll go through the file.

Gladly.

But I won't go far. I still have a job to do.

So do I.

And I can promise you this - no unnecessary tests, not in my ED.

Hey, it's Charlotte in the ED.

I have got a patient

who requires an X-ray to her left elbow and wrist.

Thanks so much, I appreciate it.

Please tell me that isn't for Helen Milsap.

That and nerve conduction studies,

and a consultation with the occupational physician, actually.

Are you checking her for an enlarged prostate while you're at it?

(laughs sarcastically) That's hilarious, Deanna.

But just so we're clear - if I thought it was warranted, yes.

So you're deliberately ignoring me?

Uh, no, but I don't need to justify myself to you either.

Even though we're dealing with someone we've been told is a fraud?

Or is it that you haven't studied her file thoroughly enough?

I beg your pardon.

She has already had ten ultrasounds to her wrist,

fourteen X-rays,

seven referrals to occupational therapists -

all at different hospitals.

So?

It wouldn't be the first time a patient

couldn't get results from the medical profession.

You can't be that naive.

I do not take my instructions from insurance companies

and I certainly don't take them from nurses

who are more interested in money than a patient's welfare.

Deanna, how is he? Wait here. I'll find out for you.

Cate, I can take over. No, I'll keep going.

Look, he's exsanguinated. There's nothing more that we can do.

It's been over 60 minutes. I think we should call it.

Everyone agree?

Cate?

FLATLINE TONE

VINCENT: Time of death - 11:35.

I killed him.

Hey.

You alright?

The boy in Resus died.

Yeah, I heard.

We still don't even know who he is,

and his parents are going about their day as if nothing's happened.

Uh, the woman who hit him?

Blood samples back. Zero alcohol.

I've just organised a chaplain to talk to her.

My day started out so well.

Is everyone giving you a hard time?

I'm just trying to do the best job I can.

Well, maybe you just need to give them a chance to get to know you.

How come you don't need that?

You know, time to get to know me.

Maybe because I remember what it's like to be the new kid here.

Or maybe I'm just a nicer person than the rest of them.

Get back to work.

WHISTLING

Hi, there.

Are you okay?

Yeah, as fresh as a mountain stream after the spring thaw.

I wasn't so chirpy before,

but Danny Boy gave me an injection and the pain just evaporated.

Look, I didn't even feel anything, popped it straight in there.

If you've been in enough pain to require an injection,

you shouldn't be wandering around.

What's your name?

Cate.

Dan!

Carl Weekes, three 'E's. Pleased to meet you, Cate.

Carl belong to you?

Yeah, he sure does.

I turn my back for two seconds and you're chatting up all the girls.

I was just starting to think I got the short straw

when I got you as my nurse.

Not that you aren't wonderful, Dan.

Thanks for the afterthought. Now, come on, back to bed.

Okay, this should help with the pain a little.

Thanks, Jess.

You must enjoy working at the factory if you've been there 15 years.

You're kidding, right?

It's mind numbing.

But as hideous as that crappy job is, I'm petrified of losing it.

If I don't get that WorkCover Claim, I'm...

Oh, sorry.

You ever think of changing jobs?

Wanted to be an air hostie once.

But I had a kid at 16, and now with this...

And the fact no-one can even tell me what's wrong...

We'll sort it out for you.

I wish you could do something about that insurance company.

I'm watched every second of every day.

I can't even go and have a few laughs with my friends

without them reporting back that I'm doing okay.

I'm just going to reposition your arm under the pillow.

I didn't know you were married?

Do you need me to call your husband?

I'd love you to but he died three years ago.

Um, do you ever have any trouble getting this on and off?

I haven't noticed it before, but...

..it was tight when I took it off for the X-ray.

Okay.

I might just get Doctor Beaumont to have another quick look.

Okay, so we've got all the test results back, Carl,

and everything is normal except for a small iron deficiency.

Are you vegetarian?

No, I mean I draw the line at eating anything with feathers.

Well, how's your diet been?

Haven't been too fussed about it since the wife left, to be honest.

Yeah, well, you have to look after yourself.

Throw a few barbies.

Eat some red meat, some green leafy vegetables, you'll be laughing.

I'll remember that.

Is that what's causing the pain? This iron deficiency?

No, but seeing as how the pain's gone now

and test results are good, the doctor says you're a free man.

Really? Yep.

I'll write you a letter for your GP, just so he knows what we've done,

and I'll get you some details for an iron supplement.

I wasted your time, didn't I?

No. What? It's better to be safe than sorry, isn't it?

Well, thank you.

For everything.

You're one of our success stories, Carl, and it was a pleasure.

And it was a pleasure meeting you, Dan.

What's so interesting about my fingers all of a sudden?

There's some swelling on your affected hand

which isn't consistent with RSI.

Have you had the flu or other viral illness lately?

No.

And your general health's been good?

No night sweats? Fevers? Sore throat?

No.

Why, what's the matter?

It might be nothing. I just need to check your lymph glands.

This might hurt a little bit, Helen.

Glands are enlarged and a bit tender.

Meaning what?

That you could have an infection somewhere that is atypical.

And that could be causing all this?

It could be related.

So you believe there is something wrong with me?

Well, I'll take some more bloods this time for culture and sensitivity,

and see what that tells us.

Helen, can you try and get your wedding ring off for me?

It's not budging.

We might need to cut that off.

(sighs) Do you have to?

I mean, it has...sentimental value.

Yeah, I know but that's gonna cut off the circulation.

Hey, Cate! Hey, Carl.

Have I got a treat for you. Sit down here.

See that big tree straight ahead?

Now, on the balcony just up to the left, about 10 o'clock.

Yeah. See them?

What are we looking at?

A pair of crescent honeyeaters.

Aren't they gorgeous?

Big tree straight ahead, balcony off to the left, 10 o'clock.

Wow, they're gorgeous.

Yeah, you don't see many of them around here.

I mean, there's lots of them down south.

Hobart is a great place to find them.

Well, you've saved me an airfare.

It's their breeding season so I'm assuming they're lovers.

Well, anyway, I'd better get back inside, Carl, I'm having a busy day.

Thank you very much for showing me the birds.

It's my pleasure.

(groans)

Carl?

Carl, what's up? Are you alright?

Same as before?

Worse, much worse.

Alright, come on, we'd better get you back inside.

Sorry to be such a nuisance.

It's okay, mate. It's not your fault.

Look, I'll grab a doctor and we'll sort this out.

I've got a feeling the guy is just lonely.

You think he's pale and sweaty from loneliness?

Glad you're not my doctor.

Dan, the moment he saw me outside, he lit up.

And the whole bird thing - well, it screams loneliness to me.

Well, if he was just after attention,

then why was he so keen to get discharged earlier?

I don't know, but... don't you think it's a bit strange

as soon as all the fussing stops, back comes the pain.

You said it all started when he was eating.

Charlotte said it might been something he ate, so...

Or possibly he was just sick. He was throwing up beforehand so...

You haven't heard of people throwing up to get attention?

Oh, please, I've heard enough about patients faking it for one day.

I bet you ten bucks it's loneliness.

I'm not a betting man.

Well, that's good, Daniel, because if Nelson was here

and heard you betting on patients' illnesses, he'd poke you in the eye.

You know I'm right. Double it and you're on.

Done.

You wouldn't answer your door.

Or your phone.

I've made a recommendation to the Director of Nursing

to treat your absence as leave without pay.

I thought, if you had time to get your head together,

you might want to come back to work.

"Oh, good, thanks, Frank. That's pretty considerate of you."

I see I'm not the only one you've been ignoring.

What the hell do you want?

I just wanna talk to you.

Don't you mean check up on me?

Go on, Frank, satisfy your curiosity.

Have a look around. Play spot the bottle.

That's what you want to do, isn't it?

The day Kerry died I had a fair few drinks myself.

I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I hope you had a good time, mate,

'cause I spent the night in jail - I didn't get to wipe myself out.

You were in jail the next day, or the following day, were you?

You need help, Nelson.

Do I now?

Come back to work.

What? Piss in a bottle every morning just to prove to you that I'm sober?

Are you? Sober?

Well, seeing as you're not my boss anymore,

that doesn't make any difference, does it?

Fine, fine. You have it your own way.

But you do have a choice.

Carry on like this and go to hell in handbasket for all I care

or you can come back to work and try and get through it.

Take your pick.

But if you do want help...

..help is here.

So, what do you think's going on there?

We know he's not here for drugs

otherwise he'd be asking for morphine.

But apart from mild iron deficiency I can't find anything wrong.

So, just keep him under observation, then?

Uh, yeah, for the moment.

What the hell?

This place has been falling apart ever since Nelson stepped down.

Jessica, can I see you in my office please.

That's really weird.

Does your attitude towards me have anything to do with the fact

that you wanted this job?

What?

Well, you were Nelson's 2-IC, weren't you?

And you filled in for him as Acting NUM on a shift, right?

Have you been going through my personnel file?

Let's you and I get a few things straight.

I'm the one in charge here. Have you got a problem with that?

No.

Good.

If you happen to develop a problem with it at any stage,

I suggest you come to me with it

instead of bitching behind my back like a spoilt little teenager.

Look, if this is about the taps...

Is that too much to ask?

If it is, we can always find you a job somewhere else.

You're over-reacting.

That was just a general comment. It wasn't directed at you.

Good.

Because that little chat we all had earlier about co-operation?

That wasn't a suggestion, that's the way things are going to be.

I hope I've made myself clear.

Thank you, Jessica.

You get the "My way or the highway" speech?

Yep.

So, how long has the insurance company been harassing you?

About four months. They're never gonna give up.

Those bastards are determined not to pay my claim.

You okay? Yep.

I'm sure they have to be careful. Must be a lot of money at stake.

Around two million.

Medical expenses, loss of income, future earnings. It all adds up.

So what happens now?

Well, that depends on the results from your tests.

Like I haven't heard that one before.

Hopefully your blood results will reveal something.

There is another way, you know?

If you were to certify my problems are genuine and work related

then it'd be very difficult for them to keep blocking my claim.

I'd make it worth your while.

Say, with two hundred and fifty thousand dollars?

Would that help you to make the right diagnosis?

No-one's ever offered me a bribe.

Yeah, well, it's a first for me, too.

Okay, well, what did you say?

It shocked me.

I told her that I'd pretend I'd never heard the offer.

Can you imagine what the insurance company would say

if they found out about this?

What gets me is the amount of money they're spending

in an effort to avoid paying her compensation at all.

I mean, round-the-clock detectives don't come cheap.

She's a con artist.

Maybe she's just desperate for this whole thing to go away.

I don't know.

Or maybe Deanna's right and this Helen woman's taking you for a ride.

I don't think so.

Look, if the next lot of test results come back negative, then...

Could you do me a favour?

Carl, this is Doctor Quade. He's taking over from Dr Beaumont.

Really?

Yes, Carl.

And I have your most recent blood results here

and I have noted a couple of small abnormalities.

Your haemoglobin has dropped,

there seems to be a sign of a copper deficiency

and an increase in trace elements zinc and magnesium.

That doesn't sound good.

You right, Carl?

Yeah, yeah, I'm fine.

(groans) Are you right?

It's just, every now and again I get this sharp jab.

Okay, we'll get you some pain relief.

Dan, we'll go Morphine 5 mg IV now and 2.5mg PRN.

And we'll also do another set of X-rays, okay.

Okay.

I'll be back.

The police have said it's okay for me to go home.

Would you like me to call someone to pick you up?

I want to stay. At least until they find his family.

They said it wasn't my fault, but...

..a little boy's dead because of me.

And no-one even know his name.

I will call you as soon as we know who he is.

And I will make sure his parents know that you were here.

Can I see him?

Please.

He's all alone and I do want to sit with him just for a while.

Just until you have to take him away.

Please.

I'll see what I can do.

Ah, Jack, Helen's bloods came back negative for rheumatoid factor

and antinuclear antibodies which rules out arthritis or arthralgia.

What about neurological?

Nothing unusual. All reflexes are intact.

Right, but she still has pain?

The ultrasounds and X-rays for her wrist and elbow came back NAD.

Which is consistent with examinations she's had at other hospitals.

Yeah, she's faking it.

Uh-uh, look at this.

White cells are elevated,

subtle signs of oedema in her fingers

and her lymph nodes in her axilla are enlarged, but only on the left side.

Well, there's no correlation between this picture

and possible carpal tunnel syndrome or RSI in general.

Sounds like something more systemic.

Um, you know, a localised infection, maybe?

I think we're dealing with two completely different

and unrelated problems here.

Now all you have to do is figure out exactly what they are.

And the swelling in your fingers and your enlarged lymph glands

have nothing to do with your RSI.

I'm missing a piece of the puzzle,

so what I want to do is go back over your medical history

and then conduct a more thorough physical examination.

You sure this is necessary?

Look, it could be as simple as you forgetting to tell me something

because you didn't think was important

or I have completely missed something altogether.

Are you in any pain right now?

No.

Good. Let's get to the bottom of this.

They've found his parents - his name's Tommy -

and they're on their way in now.

Have they been told?

We'll tell them when they get here.

What am I going to say to them?

I think it would be better if you went home.

But I have to talk to them.

We'll let them know that you were here.

That poor woman, how would you get over something like that?

I don't know. Just learn to live with it somehow, I guess.

I reckon I'd have nightmares for the rest of my life.

Hmm.

How's your bird man doing?

It kills me to admit it but... I think I might be losing my bet.

Charlotte bumped him off to Jack and he doesn't know what's wrong either.

So I'm starting to think that his problem

might be social or psychological rather than physical.

Always happy to take your money, sucker.

Thanks. LOUD YELL

CARL: Dan, help! What?

Hang on.

Okay, back to bed. Back to bed, back to bed.

It's okay.

(Carl groans loudly)

JACK: Let's get him to Resus.

Help me! It hurts.

Stay still, stay still. We'll get you sorted.

Clear the way.

DAN: Put the gel straight through?

Yeah, and take bloods for group and hold.

BP's 100 on 50.

Carl, I'm just going to feel your abdomen so try and relax for me.

What happened?

Take a feel for yourself.

What are you doing?

Tender solid mass in the central upper abdomen.

How did Charlotte miss this?

Don't know. It wasn't on the initial X-rays.

What's wrong?

Carl, you have a mass in your stomach,

which is probably the cause of your pain.

He's written up for morphine.

What is it? A tumour?

No, but we will need to send you off for some more X-rays and a PR exam.

Yep. Uh, Dan, can you put another line in for me too.

Am I going to have to have an operation?

Let's wait and see what the X-rays tell us.

Please, give me something for the pain.

Here we go, Carl.

No, you've got it wrong.

You never noticed a lump on self examination?

I'm only 36 years old. I'm too young to get breast cancer.

Aren't I?

But we don't know that it's cancer yet, Helen.

All we know is there's a lump.

I don't understand. I came in here for my RSI, that's all.

Have you ever had a mammogram?

Okay, we'll organise one of those for you.

Oh, I feel sick.

Just try and take some deep breaths.

After the mammogram I'll refer you to an oncologist,

who'll be able to take a biopsy of the lump

to see if it's malignant or benign.

And if it's cancer?

Let's not jump to conclusions just yet.

Okay.

This isn't happening.

Okay, all set?

Is this really necessary? I'm feeling better now.

It's possible this mass in your abdomen

has lead to an upper gastro-intestinal bleed, Carl.

And that would mean surgery, right?

Yeah. It would.

Okay, let's go.

What do you think's going on?

How does a mass that you can feel on examination not turn up in an X-ray?

I don't know, Cate. Bit of a mystery.

If you could book her in ASAP that'd be great.

It's a Helen Milsap. M-I-L-S-A-P.

No, no, I'll hold, thanks.

What happening with Carl?

He has an upper GI bleed but a negative PR exam.

I've got Gastro Reg coming down to review him

once I get repeat X-rays and blood tests.

But I did a complete physical examination including X-rays.

Yep, I know. Must've been a mix-up at Radiology.

Okay, thank you.

Problem?

My insurance scammer - breast lump.

By the level of calcification I'd say it's been there a while.

And although there's every chance it's benign, I...

You're thinking it isn't?

Well, lucky for her you didn't listen to the wrong people.

You know, give her a quick once over and kick her out.

Does she have a family history of breast cancer, Charlotte?

Uh, no, but she's been really slack with self examination

and she's never had a mammogram.

So I'd like to find that insurance idiot right now

and give him the what for.

Hey.

I believed him.

All that paperwork - it just seemed so legit.

Yeah, about the RSI. This is completely different, okay?

About time you showed up. What's going on in there?

You tell me.

You know when you came to me this morning I believed you.

I looked at Helen Milsap's file

and I went into bat for you and your company.

So, what's your point?

You almost had me convinced.

I feel like a bloody idiot.

What's the price tag up to now on tests you've run on that woman?

Ten, fifteen grand?

Where the hell do you get off? That woman is sick.

That woman is rorting the system.

Helen Milsap has a breast lump that's almost certainly cancerous.

COFFEE SPLASHES What?

But I'm thinking you don't care about that

because breast cancer probably comes outside

of your company's insurance portfolio,

and if you're really lucky,

she'll die before you have to pay out on the RSI.

Oh, God...

Jack. Yep.

You might want to check out Carl's X-rays.

What?

It explains the taps.

You're kidding me?

No wonder the place has been falling apart.

He's been eating it.

KNOCK AT DOOR

VON: Nelson.

I never did give back my key.

If this is about me coming back to work,

I've already told Frank.

I've called him, and I'll be back next week.

No, that's not why I'm here.

Okay.

There's something I have to tell you.

Oh, I'm listening.

I could've stopped it.

Stopped what?

I heard noises coming from Kerry's room that morning...

I thought it was you in there with her.

If I had checked earlier I...

Get out.

Will you get out.

(shouts) And don't you come back, Von! Do you hear me?!

Your mammogram's booked for this afternoon.

If it's cancer, they'll take my breast, won't they?

They'll need to do a biopsy before any decisions are made, Helen.

When can I go home?

Well, we still haven't sorted out your RSI.

That's the least of my worries now, isn't it?

Helen's husband is here.

I thought you said he was dead?

They told you?

We now know what the mass in your abdomen is, Carl,

and why it wasn't there when we first examined you this morning.

If you look at that X-ray,

you'll see a number of foreign objects.

Um, there's what looks like a pen...

..paperclips, nuts and bolts, quite a lot of thumbtacks.

And I'm guessing that a couple of those items

have an H and a C written on them, from our taps.

Hot and Cold.

Carl, any one of these objects could be responsible

for perforating your bowel, which is still bleeding.

I'm sorry.

So, what's gonna happen to me?

I'm gonna get you up to Theatre,

we'll do an emergency laparotomy, repair the perforation

and remove the foreign objects.

Okay?

Why'd you do it, mate?

Oh, I don't know, Dan.

Just can't help meself.

We're both journalists.

Please tell me this isn't some elaborate expose

you're doing on this hospital.

Not this hospital specifically.

We've been commissioned to do a series of articles

on the health system in general -

unnecessary tests, wasted health dollars,

possible fraudulent activity between patients and hospital staff.

So your wife deliberately tried to entrap me?

(scoffs) It worked at one of the other hospitals.

So the RSI doesn't exist?

Nup, which only proves our point.

Thousands of dollars being wasted

because you doctors are afraid of litigation.

So all the tests Helen's had, here and at other hospitals,

if PDA Insurance wasn't paying for them, who was?

Well, the newspaper.

(sighs) Look, I don't regret what I've done

or what I tried to do to improve the health system.

You can defend yourself all you like, Mr Fry,

but while you told every other hospital not to touch your wife,

her breast lump went undiagnosed.

See ya, Carl.

What possesses someone to eats nuts and bolts?

Pica.

It's an eating disorder.

People eat all sorts of things - wood, dirt, coal, you name it.

So it's a behavioural problem, then?

Does loneliness cause it?

Yeah, I suppose so.

But more often it's linked to an iron or zinc deficiency.

So it could be a medical problem, then?

Well, it's not conclusive, Dan.

But more often people at risk do have obsessive compulsive disorder.

Sounds behavioural to me.

Guys, did you bet on the diagnosis of a patient?

BOTH: What?

Jack, we were curious. We've never heard what Pica is before.

Yeah.

It's Latin for magpie,

a bird known for its large and indiscriminate appetite.

I had a thing for unusual diseases when I was at uni.

That is so weird.

No, not you.

Well, actually, Jack, you're pretty weird.

It's just that...

The guy's a mad birdwatcher

and he's got a condition that's named after a magpie.

I think that that's weird.

Hey, hey, hang on, Goldman.

What?

It's a little thing called 20 bucks.

Yeah, that you owe me. The guy has a perforated gut - medical.

Checkmate.

Which he got from eating nuts and bolts - behavioural.

Okay, we're both right, then.

Let's just...call it even.

I was righter than you.

LOUD SCREAM

What are you doing here? I thought you'd gone home.

Those are the parents. I have to talk to them.

Not a good idea. I have to tell them what happened.

You need to go home.

They should know who did this. No, they shouldn't, not now.

You don't understand! No, you don't understand.

They don't need you to do anything.

What they need is time alone with their son

so they can work through this and process it.

And that isn't something you can be a part of.

But...

..I just want to... tell them how sorry I am.

I know you do but right now they don't care.

There's nothing you can say to them that's gonna make them feel better.

Trust me, you don't need this either.

I think everyone needs a little bit of distance from this.

Is there someone I can call to pick you up?

No.

I will call you.

Thanks.

You alright?

(knocks softly at door) You alright?

Yeah, I'm just being pathetic.

And I'm starting to think that taking this job

was the worst decision I ever made.

Look, do you wanna go get a drink or something? We can talk about it.

That'd be nice.

I'm pretty good at debriefing sessions.

I really hate your policy about not getting involved with colleagues.

Just thought you should know that.