Take Care

The RTS award-winning documentary series continues from St George's hospital in south west London, which has one of the world's most advanced and busiest A&E departments. This programme focuses on caring and kindness, whether from staff, family or friends. 13-year-old cyclist Sam is rushed to A&E after coming off her bike at high speed during a race, landing on her head. She's complaining of pain down her spine and has been vomiting and in and out of consciousness since the accident. Mum Nancy was called by the race organisers. "I didn't take it too seriously to begin with, she falls off her bike regularly," says Nancy. "When I got to the site I saw how bad she was…when she looked at you there was no-one there." Doctors are concerned that Sam's symptoms could be the result of a significant brain injury and she's sent for a CT scan. While she waits for the results, Nancy talks about how Sam has become her carer since she suddenly became partially-sighted. 84-year-old Ursula arrives in resus. She's had a series of severe nose bleeds and paramedics are worried she's losing a large amount of blood. Ursula has been suffering prolonged episodes of bleeding for over a year. Ursula was born in Germany and lived through allied bombing of Hamburg during the war. She met her husband, a British soldier, on a fairground when he was stationed in Germany after the war. "I couldn't speak English. I told him to come up and meet my parents," says Ursula. "He said to my mum and dad he would like to marry me. They weren't very pleased with it. My grandfather went mad. He said 'You can't marry one of them!'." And Ursula talks about caring for her husband after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Meanwhile 76-year-old Margaret is brought to St George's after suffering what is suspected to have been a stroke during a routine hospital appointment at another hospital. She has lost sensation down one side of her body and also involuntary movement of her legs, which could be the result of damage to her brain. St George's is a specialist stroke centre and the doctors may be able to administer a clot-busting drug if they can act quickly enough. Margaret is kept company by best friend Barbara and they talk about their five decade friendship.