The Doctor is in trouble this week with a case of DVT.
His relationship with Susan improving, Karl is keeping busy analysing the test results from the hospital medical trial, and it isn’t long before he discovers a strange anomaly. He believes the preliminary blood work for participant 18D has been misinterpreted and looks more likely to be evidence of a blood clot.
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Karl sets out to discover the participant’s identity so they can be informed of this potentially dangerous condition, but David is slow to get back to him, and Karl becomes convinced that it’s Shane, who’s been complaining of a pain in his wrist. If Shane has a blood clot, it could break off at any moment and cause a life-threatening pulmonary embolism. But before Karl can inform Shane that he needs to get to the hospital ASAP, David returns with the information Karl’s after: participant 18D isn’t Shane – it’s Karl!
Later, David explains to a shocked Karl about the latter’s probable DVT diagnosis – it’s likely he formed it on the flight to or from London. Karl doesn’t want to tell Susan until it’s confirmed with an ultrasound and MRI. David runs the tests and confirms Karl has a clot in his left thigh, putting Karl on blood thinners. Karl can’t bring himself to tell Susan, but the news causes him a sleepless night which Susan attributes to Ben and Holly having gone, as well as his job situation, troubles in their relationship, etc. At Elly’s prompting she decides to book Karl in for cooking lessons with Gary. This act of love makes it even harder for Karl to tell Susan what’s going on. However when Karl cuts himself while cooking, he tells Susan he needs to get to the hospital asap because he’s on blood thinners – he’s got DVT
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Karl receives advice from David: wind your lifestyle back. Susan, meanwhile, is reeling at the realisation that Karl has DVT and didn’t tell her. Karl apologises, but Susan understands, and is straight to practicalities: he’s on the couch until his medication settles. Karl, a bit dismissive, agrees, but when he gets up to answer the door, suffers a dizzy spell and realises that maybe his days of dynamism are slipping away. Sheila attempts some banter, but when morose Karl doesn’t bite back, she warns Susan that Karl needs to feel useful. Susan persuades Clive to let Karl take on a small research project and, though he’s ostensibly committed to a Gluggin rewatch, Karl takes it on. And then gets a bit obsessed with it, finding some statistical irregularities that prompt him to go to Clive and propose a thorough (and slightly pie in the sky) reshaping of the Erinsborough and then Australian health system. Clive dismisses him with advice to go home and rest, but Karl is invigorated. Susan sees the wonderful, enthusiastic man she loves, and so pledges to support him in his latest crusade – as long as he’s careful.
(Picture Channel 5)
These Episodes air from 9 April on Channel 5 at 1.45pm and 5.30pm.
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