RFDS Episode 3 Spoilers – Chaya lets slip a shocking secret

On this week’s RFDS: Royal Flying Doctor Service, the team face the family of Joe Galanis, the victim of Eliza’s gut-wrenching decision, as hidden truths threaten several lives.

Explosive risks

As Pete (Stephen Peacocke) and Eliza (Emma Hamilton) navigate their new working relationship, the pair are called out to a property to tend to Arthur Martin (Steve Rodgers).

Arthur is a long-standing and well-respected councillor in the community, with an election on the horizon.

When Pete and Eliza arrive, they are met by his doting wife Linda (Genevieve Mooy), who is also well known in the community for her time on the Country Women’s Association.

After meeting Lind, they find Arthur, who assures them that he’s fine and doesn’t need medical assistance – but a jolt of pain makes it obvious that he’s not being honest with them.

When it emerges that he has severe abdominal pain, which, coupled with a pre-existing condition, could mean he has internal bleeding, Eliza doesn’t want to take any risks and prepares him for their flight to Broken Hill.

Whilst on board, Eliza twigs that there’s something that Arthur isn’t being honest about. As she conducts an ultrasound on the area, she notices that there’s an obstruction, and it’s in a dangerous position.

With the threat of death very real, Arthur makes a startling confession: he slipped whilst getting out of the shower and landed on a cylinder of propane gas.

Eliza’s mortified as the reality of the situation sinks in. Radioing the pilot, she explains that they need to be on alert as there is an explosive foreign object lodged inside the patient’s rectum.

Linda senses that something isn’t right, but is comforted when Eliza explains that Arthur has some trapped gas. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take long for Linda to figure that they are hiding the truth, and with Arthur’s blessing, Eliza reveals the gravity of the situation. Whilst at first Linda finds it hilarious, shock soon takes over… and then anger.

“Are you a homosexual?” she asks her embarrassed husband.

As the couple discuss the situation that they find themselves in, Eliza is faced with the concern that if Arthur were taken to Broken Hill hospital, news of the incident might get out, and his chances of re-election could be tarnished.

Linda also explains her fears of the effect this could have on their children, one of whom is a banker; the other, a teacher.

Taking their concerns on board, Eliza decides to divert to Dubbo to save Arthur the potential humiliation of news getting out. However, when he takes a turn and the situation changes, she’s forced into another uncomfortable position.

What will Eliza choose?

Wayne to the rescue

On a day off, Wayne (Rob Collins) decides to go visit Aunty Sally (Paula Nazarski), a relative and local elder in the community.

Taking baby Kalthi (Amaela Rigney & Layla Bartlett) with him, he finds himself reconnecting with local physician Naomi Tallis (Laila Thaker).

The reunion is cut short, however, when she’s called to help a young local, Hayden (Dallas Brady), who’s complaining of chest pains.

When Naomi doesn’t return, Wayne gets worried and decides to follow up with her. Tracking her down, he finds her tending to an unconscious Hayden, believing that he’s got oedema.

As Wayne assesses Hayden, it becomes clear that he has an infection around his heart, and no sooner does he make the diagnosis than Hayden goes into cardiac arrest.

The pair work to save Hayden, and realise that he’s got a cardiac tamponade – fluid around the heart resulting in his heart not being able to beat due to the pressure.

Asking Naomi for a large bore cannula, Wayne decides to drain the fluid from the chest cavity there and then.

Will Wayne be able to save the young man?

Mira’s first day blues

Following on from this week’s efforts, where Mira was forced to talk Pete through how to land a plane, she’s back behind the throttle next week.

With time having passed since the bus crash which saw Joe Galanis (Luke Furlan) pass away, whilst his sister Poppy (Luca Sardelis) was forced to undergo a lower leg amputation, Chaya (Emma Harvie) and Taylor (Sofia Nolan) are headed to the Galanis property to check in on the family.

Upon arrival, they are met with Anna (Elen Carapetis), who is happy to see them. As Taylor heads out to find Poppy, Chaya sits down with Anna and outlines a series of support structures that can be used to assist with the recovery and grief process.

However, Anna is firm in her beliefs: there is only one thing she wants, and that’s an apology from Eliza, who ultimately chose to send Owen (Brendan Rock), the driver of the bus, on the plane to hospital rather than her son.

Meanwhile, Taylor finds Poppy, but it soon becomes clear that the young athlete is struggling with her prosthesis.

Determined to still try out for professional competitions, Poppy falls, and when it becomes clear that her amputation site is infected, it calls for a flight to hospital.

Unfortunately, Mira is shocked to find she has flattened the plane’s battery. It’s out of service!

With a small chance that she might be able to get the plane up during a hot start – not recommended as a way of starting a plane due to the risk of engine damage – Mira is given the go-ahead to have a crack.

Will she be able to get the plane up?

Chaya makes a slip of the tongue

With Leonie (Justine Clarke) and Graham (Rodney Afif) away following the events of the previous week, Leonie’s presence is still being felt as the revelation she made at the end of this week’s hour weighs heavily on the team at RFDS.

It’s confirmed that the discovery will remain a secret until the trial, but whilst with the Galanis family, Chaya makes a slip of the tongue that leads to Anna learning the horrific truth.

And when she comes face to face with Eliza, she’s in the firing line…

RFDS airs Wednesdays at 7:30pm on 7 and 7Plus.

---