Reef Doctors (2013) s01e01 Episode Script

Hey, Gus, Gus, 10m to the right! - Other right! - It's called starboard, Sam.
It's called starboard.
Ten, eight, six, four.
Come on, Gus! Move! Oh, can't get it! Left! Left! Ah! Where did you learn to drive? Yeah, yeah.
Give us a break.
If you fall in again, I'm not coming after you, Sam.
Oh.
Ah.
OK, Gus! Straight ahead! OK.
Got it.
Got her! Woo! Hello, beautiful.
Yes! OK, let's head down to the other reef.
Come on, Jack.
Up and at it.
Oh, get out of here, Mum.
It is a beautiful day outside and you've missed half of it already.
Says you.
It's not even seven yet.
Don't make me do it.
I don't attack you when you're asleep.
Mwah! Come on! Good morning.
I thought Livvy fired you.
Yeah.
That was yesterday.
He's back! - Oh, no! What has he done this time? - What hasn't he done? Whoa, Sam! Good cop, remember? Yeah.
Of course.
Good morning.
Hey, doc.
Jeremy.
Oh, right! OK, that is already mouldy around the edges.
What have you done? I'm sure he's been taking his antibiotics, haven't you, Jeremy? Mostly.
Mostly? That was not on the prescription.
You haven't been coming in to get it dressed either, have you? You haven't been swimming, by any chance? Oh, I knew it.
You little sod! I told you that is not supposed to get wet.
- Sam.
- I know, but he doesn't listen.
I should have prescribed a hearing aid for him as well.
Look, I was helping Toby in the boat and it was my birthday on Saturday.
You can't drink when you're on antibiotics so No, you don't drink, period.
You take them religiously and you contact me the minute there is a change in that wound.
Coral ulcers can become incredibly nasty.
Do I have to spell it out to him? If we don't get this under control, you could lose half your leg.
- It wasn't that deep.
- Well, it has become that deep.
I am not kidding.
You have to take this seriously.
You stay put.
And happy birthday.
So, how was that? That was pretty assertive, huh? Do you think we scared him enough? You were supposed to be the good cop.
At least it doesn't need debriding yet.
He would be a really good candidate for our tropical ulcer cream.
Excuse me.
Nell, could you please get onto Andrew and set up a conference call? Thanks.
What is she doing back here? Can you fire her again tomorrow when we're not so busy? Thanks.
Hey, Jack.
You missed a great swim this morning.
Guten morgen, Freya.
Stop.
Whose turn is it? Sam.
I'll do them later.
School or checking out who's online again? Ah! Posting comments.
You know the rule 'school starts at nine'? What's on the lesson plan today? Video record aspects of your life and family to upload for the class.
Freya Klein.
Fourth-year medical student here on rule of rotation, here to get remote-area experience, but she's our house guest and shouldn't really be doing the dishes when it's Mum's turn.
You should interview Sam, ask her why she catches dangerous animals.
To develop antivenin.
It's science geek stuff.
Science geek stuff that could cure cancer.
Why can't I interview you? 'Cause I have to work now.
Hey, Gus, let's see if these nice little microbes are right for our tropical ulcer cream.
Not Jeremy again? Yes.
And now he's a guinea pig for our trial.
And the interminable reports that go with it? Yep, so lift your game.
There won't be as many reports to write once we've made the grade.
And when will that be? When they realise how brilliant we are.
Come on.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Hey, don't upset her.
She's not upset.
Just keep her calm.
She is calm.
We don't want too much sensory overload.
See? I told you.
Put her back in.
Yeah.
So, what is the bet that Andrew is gonna want this batch? Well, you can tell him to wait in line.
The head of tropical medicine, he is the line.
Before we release her, let's tag her and see where she goes, yeah? You free in about 40 minutes? I'll try to tear myself away.
We'll dive the leeward reef first.
You'd better get a wriggle on, though, because I need Jeremy's swab results first.
Ta.
Patient's name is Jeremy Banks.
We've got a coral ulcer to the right shin.
Here, I'll show you.
Streps, staphs, marine vibrio species - it's teeming with them.
What are you using? Megadoses of amoxicillin.
Intramuscular? Well, we are now because Jeremy forgets to take his tablets.
Andrew, he is a perfect candidate for our tropical ulcer cream.
We'd better wait.
Can you try and contain your enthusiasm? Andrew, have you even read my latest data sheets? The efficacy of the results is Sam, no, at least not until I can find a sponsor for a randomised controlled trial.
Great.
And when will that be? RCTs are expensive.
It takes time to come up with a profitable And you have a hospital full of tropical ulcers.
Why aren't you testing it? Maybe we will, as soon as we get more venom, that you're supposed to be delivering.
It would really help if we could get hold of that equipment that you have been promising us for months.
How long does it take to send out a couple of replacement resus packs? They're coming in with Rick.
Hasn't he arrived yet? The boat's gone to pick him up.
Good.
He's got a lot of potential.
But? No buts.
Why am I sensing an ominous tone? OK, he's got a bit of an ego.
There is always a caveat with you, isn't there, Andrew? Look, we will send through a report on how the venom cream works with this as soon as we see the results.
Sam, no! Diplomacy's not your strong point, is it? So, Jeremy are you game? That guy in the conference call wasn't so keen.
Yeah, but we can ignore him.
Yeah, we usually do.
Sam used to be married to him.
It's Jack's dad.
Now he's my boss.
That's what we call irony.
Venom cream, crazy.
So, is it going to hurt? Cream won't.
This new antibiotic - that will.
Alright? Pants down, please.
Toby says he's 20 minutes away.
Alright.
Thanks for that.
Ouch! Thanks.
And he wants to know if we have any anti-nausea tablets.
What? Won't be long 'til you're back on terra firma, mate.
Really? What a pity.
I'm having such a wonderful time.
So, did you o bring something useful, like the resus pack? Prioritise.
Of course I have.
How about your passenger? Yeah, I got him too.
Mm-hm.
Hey, doc! Wasn't too flash when he got onboard either.
Probably a big send-off last night, I'd say.
Been throwing his little guts up ever since, haven't you, mate? Hi.
Where's your shirt? I threw up on it.
Alright.
Let's go.
Where's the resort? Boy, did you get suckered?! Oh, my luggage.
Thanks.
See you.
How are you feeling, doctor? Dying would be good.
Oh, well, everyone gets a little seasick on their first trip over.
You'll feel better once we get you hydrated.
You guys run a practice out of this place? Yeah, we've managed so far.
I'm Olivia Shaw, nurse practitioner and I run the clinic in my spare time.
Never want to be a doctor? I have a master of advanced clinical practice.
Ouch! Was that a smack? No, wouldn't dream of it.
Well, I guess if this blinder of a headache gets any worse, you could prescribe me a shot of pethidine.
Yeah, I could.
But I'm not going to.
Self-inflicted injuries don't count.
Big send-off, was it? Big enough.
Now I'm going to disappear into the Bermuda Triangle.
Examination table's all yours.
You'll be amazed at what sleep can cure.
I take it you're across the side effects? Yeah.
Good.
No allergies? No.
If you need any more water, it's in the fridge.
So, if we were to tag every sea snake that we find, then we could get a real handle on where they all are.
How many tags do we have? Not enough.
And our budget's not gonna cover that.
Well, yeah, let me worry about that.
Our priority is just to get as much venom as we can for Andrew.
Sam! Yeah? There's been an incident - a scuba diver with suspected decompression sickness.
Hello.
Dr Stewart speaking.
OK, how long ago? Yeah, alright.
When did the symptoms appear? Yeah, OK.
Look, just ask him some questions like name, age, date of birth, that sort of thing.
Just see if his answers are coherent.
Keep him calm and warm.
No, it is definitely too far by boat.
Bring him to the island and we will airlift him into the hospital from here.
Great.
We'll see you when you get here.
Bye.
That was a rapid ascent.
He surfaced way too quickly.
There were no recompression stops.
It certainly seems like the bends.
His symptom onset time was immediate.
It does not sound good.
OK, we will need the medivac chopper, the one with the portable decompression chamber.
Nell, get on to the mainland hospital and tell them that we are gonna need a straight transfer as soon as the chopper arrives.
Can you check our oxygen stocks, please? Freya, with me.
Sorry, where do I get the water from? In the fridge.
Nell, can you please stress that that might be urgent? Medivac 394, Medivac 394, this is Hope Island Clinic.
Hope Island Clinic.
Over.
OK, so, the chopper's Whoa! What? I'm hallucinating.
No, you're not.
There's snakes in your fridge.
Yeah.
They're chilling down to dormant.
It makes them easy for Sam to milk.
Snake milk? Look, your medication is having an adverse effect on your very empty stomach.
You need rest and water and you will be fine.
Before you clock off, can you drive him to wherever it is he's supposed to be staying? Why? You wouldn't let me drive yesterday.
I wouldn't want to get fired again.
Can you just get him out of here? Oh, um, and bring Sam's four-wheel drive back this time.
Need my bags.
Careful.
There's wine in there.
Are you even old enough to drive? You gonna tell me where you wanna go? It's some kind of beach bungalow.
Admin at uni gave me the details.
Hamish Stewart's place.
Dr Stewart, Sam's dad.
You mean I have to share? He's dead.
That'll be 23 bucks.
What? For driving, loading bags, unloading bags.
And I want a tip too.
I've only got $50, so That will do.
How about some change? Hey, doc, you're not going anywhere.
It's an island.
G'day.
Hey.
Looks like you lost something.
Yeah.
The house.
Hamish Stewart's old place.
We lost it in Larry.
Completely flattened.
By a cyclone? Great.
You must be Sam's new right-hand man.
Rick D'Allessandro.
Sonny Farrell.
Welcome to Hope Island.
You'll be rooming with us.
Er, Sonny, I think there's a mistake.
I'm a doctor.
I don't get a room.
I get a house.
You haven't done decompression sickness before? No.
It's nitrogen bubbles in the bloodstream? Mm-hm.
If he ascended too quickly, then his body can't eliminate the gases and the bubbles get lodged in his smaller arteries.
Now, we know that his symptoms are joint pain, muscle fatigue Disorientation, blackouts.
Exactly.
Alright, get him on IV fluids and oxygen.
And as soon as he's stabilised, I'm going to need some chest X-rays.
Is that his dive partner? He looks like he's in shock as well.
Can you take a look at him? Yeah.
OK, I'll get you to come with me to the consulting room.
No, no.
Adam.
Adam, calm down.
I'm just trying to help you.
Get it off me.
No.
I'm just trying to help you.
Adam, you can leave the mask alone.
We're just trying to get a clear picture of what's going on with you.
I just need some sleep.
Yeah, we'll let you get some rest after a few quick tests.
Can you open your eyes for me? That's it.
Something happened down there, didn't it? We saw a shark.
Came up too quick.
OK, you don't need to talk.
That oxygen is gonna make you feel a lot better.
Alright.
Do some nice, deep, slow breaths.
That's it.
Nice and slow.
Good! OK, calm your breathing right down.
That's it.
He's a bit shaken up, but no symptoms of DCS.
Oh, some good news.
Thanks.
Hey.
So, how bad is he? Can you get him to the mainland? If we can stabilise his symptoms, then we might be able to buy ourselves some time.
But, yeah, our priority is to get him to a decompression chamber as soon as we can.
How long? OK.
Yes, as soon as you know.
Thank you.
The decompression chamber is eight hours away.
Is there anywhere else we can take him? Townsville? We're just too far by boat.
Freya, have you got on to his next of kind? No, not yet.
You wanna keep trying? We'll reschedule those patients, huh? Could we fly him out in an ordinary helicopter? No, not at any elevation.
It will just make his symptoms worse.
Gus, have you got a minute? Have you done an in-water recompression before? No.
Sorry.
I wouldn't go there.
We don't have the equipment or the experience.
Toby would.
Well, he worked on oil rigs, didn't he? I take it that you've done a recompression dive before? A few times.
And your boat's got all the right equipment? It has.
Good, because he is in serious trouble if we don't give him immediate on-site treatment.
You obviously have no idea how dangerous in-water recompression is, do you? Can you do it? Sam, he'd need to be down there a bloody long time.
You need a team of divers to alternate so they can keep him on the bottom for hours.
Toby, if his symptoms get any worse, then he could end up with a damaged spinal cord, brain damage or dead.
I can't stand here watching and waiting for that to happen to him.
How bad is he? Not could have, what does he have? Paraesthesia.
He has stroke-like symptoms.
If we do this, we need to plan it.
Yeah.
And I need to be in charge.
I'll meet you at the boat in 10 minutes.
Who is actually in charge of me and my accommodation? You can come with me.
I need a doctor onboard while I'm down with Adam.
You'll take note of his vital stats as I call them up to you.
And when the other divers return to the boat, you look after them, you focus on oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis One minute, Sam.
You're not going down there.
I'll take first watch.
No, I'm sorry, but he's my patient.
He's my responsibility.
How much do you weigh? What's my weight got to do with anything? What are you going to do when he biffs you one and takes off? 'Cause he will.
So, you're a doctor now, are you? And you're OK to deal with anything that medically goes wrong down there? Come on! He's my patient.
I have to go with him.
It's a given.
Please.
Alright.
You can come down for as long as it takes to stabilise him.
20 minutes, tops.
That's it.
Thank you.
Alright, everybody, let's go.
Ready.
OK, Adam? Sam! Yeah, I've got him.
We'll descend to 40m.
Got it.
We'll take it slowly, Adam.
- How are you feeling? - OK.
OK, we're nearly at 40m.
Comms check.
Yeah, we copy, mate.
Can you hear me? Over.
Reading you loud and clear.
Tell Jeremy to stand by the compressor.
And monitor the oxygen mix to Adam.
Will do, mate.
Breathing's normal.
Pulse rate's a little high.
100 beats per minute.
Got that.
Adam, are you feeling OK? I've seen better days.
You're doing really well.
Time to stage up, Sam.
Off you go.
Already? He's stable.
You've been down here long enough.
Plus, you need time for the stops on the return.
I can stay a bit longer.
No arguments.
We made a deal.
Adam, I'm in radio range at all times, OK? OK.
Sam, stops at 10m and 5m.
Five minutes each.
Got it.
Clear.
I need to check you first.
No, later.
Sam! Oxygen toxicity.
What am I looking out for? Disorientation, breathing difficulties Sam, Sam.
Blurred vision - similar symptoms to DCS, which I don't have.
I'll decide that.
Deep breath.
Toby looks like he's a pro.
That's what the Navy's training's for.
Break the body down, keep using the head.
You won't find anyone tougher.
So why do you look so worried? You wouldn't find me going down that long, that deep, especially if I'd had decompression sickness before.
Adam! Come on, Adam! Toby.
Adam, stay with me.
I can't do this.
I can't.
I can't.
Toby, I'm sending Gus down.
Toby.
I've got to get out.
It's alright, mate.
You'll be alright.
You've gotta do this, mate.
Gus, are you there yet? Nearly.
Looks like Toby has his hands full.
Adam, I know it hurts, but you've got to keep calm.
We're just trying to help you.
It's OK, mate.
It's OK.
You're doing really well, Adam.
You OK? I'm alright.
It's alright.
I'm OK.
A bit of a panicky moment, but we're all good, Sam.
Hey, Adam, do you have any kids? Yeah.
I've got two.
You wanna tell me about them? What are their names? Ben.
Ben and Jim.
Do you want us to call them for you? We can patch them through.
No.
Wouldn't wanna worry them.
Understood, but the offer's there if you change your mind, OK? Thanks, doc.
Toby, time to stage up.
Thanks, mate.
Everything's under control here, Sam.
Toby's on his way up.
Right to go.
He's on his way up.
Toby, slow ascent.
Yeah, yeah.
I know the risks.
I don't need a full medical, thanks.
Is he going to be as difficult as you are? Not a chance.
Pass me the oxygen.
Bullshit.
You've had decompression sickness before, haven't you? I might have.
No, you will get up when we say that you are ready to get up.
Give him a full medical examination and don't let him out of your sight.
Sam's gone back down on the last dive.
- They're bringing him up now.
- Thanks, Rick.
I didn't think she could go down again.
No, it's OK if she's been out of the water long enough.
Everything's OK, Jack.
Has the helicopter been in touch? They're sending the medivac chopper instead, seeing as he's recompressing.
I'll give you another heads-up when we're coming in.
Pulse and respiration rates have dropped slightly.
He's not hypothermic, but we should warm him up.
Maybe grab some blankets, something warm to drink.
Yeah.
You two, stay where you are.
Thanks, Des.
Look into my eyes.
This is Medivac 1 to Medusa.
Over.
Medusa receiving.
We've got a visual on you.
We'll rendezvous at the clinic.
He's in.
See you.
Bye.
Thank you.
Thanks! Next time you do a recompression dive, just tell me.
You could give a kid a nervous breakdown.
Ah! How come no-one else is getting bitten? Don't worry about mosquitoes.
Sandflies you have to worry about.
Think I'm catching on here, Sonny.
Holiday island with no resort, doctors' residence without a house a kitchen with snakes in the fridge and a receptionist who's an extortionist and a boss who's crazy.
She's completely nuts.
Oh, well, we always take it easy on you the first day.
Hey.
Thank you.
Not as bad as you thought he was is he? Might be nice to have another pair of hands around the place.
I cope just fine.