24 Hours in A&E

S08:E13 - Altered States

79-year-old Carole is rushed to A&E with signs of a stroke. She’s confused and undergoes tests and a CT scan so that doctors can assess what’s happened and how best to treat her. Neurologist Dr Mahinda decides to give Carole a ‘clot-busting’ drug, but it only has a one in eight chance of success. Carole and her husband Ted have been married for sixty years, but Ted talks about how things got off on the wrong foot when they first met as 14-year-olds. 77-year-old David comes to St George’s with his wife Kathy. He’s had Type 1 diabetes since he was 15. Recently his toes have become infected - two have already been removed and a third is affected. Specialist Nurse Helen checks the circulation in David’s foot. The medical team are concerned that, because of his diabetes, a lack of blood flow to his foot could result in infection and, ultimately, amputation. David and Kathy are very careful about his diet and Kathy even had to give up baking. Meanwhile 33-year-old Yvette is in minors with abrasions to her eye after having false eyelashes fitted at a salon. But it won’t stop her going back.