Call the Midwife – Season 9, Episode 3

By starrymag | April 19, 2020

By: Ellie Dolan-Yates

 

 

 

Nurse Crane (Linda Bassett) is visiting the school to check that their vaccinations are up to date. She comes across two young boys Rahul (Ahaan Gupta) and Jalal (Gaavan Kharbanda) who tell Nurse Crane that they’re from Sylhet in East Pakistan. Nurse Crane is impressed by their English and they explain that their mother taught them. When Nurse Crane asks what their mother thinks of Poplar, they look at the floor. Outside Nurse Crane asks Miss Graham (Emilia Williams) about the boys’ mother. Miss Graham says their father brought them to school the first time, but since then they have come on their own.

 

Shelagh (Laura Main) visits Violet (Annabelle Apsion) at her shop. Shelagh asks if the council can provide any assistance with the incubator fundraiser she’s struggling with. Violet explains that there’s a fund in which the council match every pound raised. Shelagh says she’s asked Trixie (Helen George) to help with ideas and Violet says in that case, they should be doing a fashion show. As she stands in the middle of Violet’s haberdashery shop, Shelagh says it’s a lovely idea, but she’s not sure where they’d get all the clothes.

 

Trixie is sorting through her wardrobe. Valerie (Jennifer Kirby) is looking through a magazine and says it will be a month of paydays until she can afford the outfit she’s seen. Trixie pulls out a dress that Valerie hasn’t worn for a while. Frances (Ella Bruccoleri) suggests combining it with another outfit to make a new one. Trixie has a theme for the fashion show. Downstairs Sister Monica Joan (Judy Parfitt) tries to make conversation with Cyril (Zephryn Taitte), who is waiting for Lucille (Leonie Elliot). Cyril says he will leave Lucille’s flowers, but Monica Joan says she won’t be long. Lucille bumps into Cyril on his way out and apologizes. She asks him about the surprise as she was looking forward to it. He says he’ll think of something and kisses her on the cheek before leaving.

 

A ward Sister at St Cuthbert’s has taken ill and a midwife is needed. Sister Julienne suggests that Lucille would benefit from the experience. She asks Lucille to hand over her patients to Nurse Crane. Lucille hands Nurse Crane a rather long list and reminds her that it is she who drew it up. On her way out with Valerie, Lucille wonders how she is going to make time to see Cyril.

 

Nurse Crane heads to pay Rahul and Jalal a visit. When they reluctantly let her in she tries to pass off her shock at the smell as her “having a cold.” Mrs Mohammed (Salma Hoque) tells the boys they shouldn’t be answering the door to people. Nurse Crane tells the boys to go and play outside with their football, but nowhere near her car! Mrs Mohammed looks nervous as Miss Crane asks her to sit down. Nurse Crane says she’s worried about her having trouble getting to the toilet. She’s worried that Mrs Mohammed has an infection and wants her to go to the surgery. Mrs Mohammed tearfully tells her that the boys are clean and reveals that their father lives with friends now. Nurse Crane asks her if she’s been outside at all, but she tells Nurse Crane that she is “very dirty” and her husband says the smell is “very bad.” As she gets to her feet, Mrs Mohammed wets herself. She apologizes, but Nurse Crane tells her not to and to go and get a change of clothes. Nurse Crane offers to clean up before telling Mrs Mohammed that she’s not dirty, she’s unwell and there’s no shame in that.

 

Lucille isn’t having much luck with her first day at the hospital. One of her patients Connie (Hannah Onslow) isn’t happy that Lucille is in charge over her white pupil midwife. Lucille tells Connie that her magazines are all over the floor and her vases are a hazard. Later on Lucille tends to Shirley (Heather Forster) who is worried that she isn’t prepared for having a baby. She explains that her mother is coming to help her with it, but her mother also doesn’t have any experience with newborns as she adopted her when she was two years old. Lucille tells Shirley that she’s not letting anyone down, she’s learning.

 

Trixie is at Shelagh’s telling the girls about her idea for the fashion show – altering old clothes to bring them more up to date. She’s calling it “Style on a Shoestring.” Nurse Crane arrives as she needs to speak with Patrick (Stephen McGann). She notices the clothes and asks Shelagh if she has any boys’ clothes going spare for 8-10 year olds to keep the Mohammed boys warm. Shelagh points her to Timothy’s room (which must be chock full of clothes if they’ve been keeping them since he was eight years old!).  Nurse Crane explains Mrs Mohammed’s condition to Patrick. He says that it could be a UTI but sounds like something more sinister. Patrick says Mrs Mohammed needs to register at the surgery and he will go with Nurse Crane to visit her tomorrow.

 

Lucille is all dressed up for surprise date with Cyril, take-two. Cyril takes her to a cafe with Caribbean food, which makes Lucille feel at home. Cyril says that he’s missed her but working hard is the reason that they came to Poplar- not for the weather! Lucille tells Cyril about Connie clearly wanting a white midwife and Cyril tells her he’s proud of her for taking on a new challenge. Looking at Lucille lovingly, he says it’s making him be brave about something he wants to do. Yes, Cyril?! Oh…He wants to preach not propose. Lucille tells him that the Lord has given him a voice and will give him the courage.

 

Nurse Crane arrives at the Mohammed residence to hand over some clothes for the boys. Nurse Crane comforts Mrs Mohammed explaining that the doctor is coming to help. Patrick arrives and doesn’t do a good job of hiding the fact that the flat smells. Mrs Mohammed apologizes, but Nurse Crane tells her not to. Patrick asks Mrs Mohammed when she started to become ill and she says it was after the baby. Mrs Mohammed reveals that she had a baby girl three moths ago who sadly didn’t survive the four day labor and her husband blamed her. Patrick says that he needs to examine her as the infection could affect her kidneys, but Mrs Mohammed refuses any medicine or help.

 

Lucille is trying to put Shirley at ease. She isn’t ready to go home yet, but Lucille says that there is a constant need for beds on the postnatal ward. Shirley is worried that she won’t be able to cope. Later Lucille tries to help Connie who is still demeaning her and telling her to tidy up. Lucille does as she’s told and takes Connie’s magazines and flowers away. When Connie gets up to confront Lucille, it’s clear that she’s going into labor.

 

After speaking with Rahul and Jalal at the school, Nurse Crane arrives at Mr Mohammed’s (Shahnewaz Jake) house with the boys. She explains that his wife needs medical assistance and that he has a responsibility to help. The boys beg him to help and he reluctantly agrees. Mr Mohammed is explaining in Pakistani to his wife that she needs help, but he tells her that the flat smells disgusting. Noticing a change in Mr Mohammed’s tone of voice, Patrick asks him to just translate what he and Nurse Crane say. As Mr Mohammed translates Patrick and Nurse Crane’s words about Mrs Mohammed having no support he explains that he was ashamed. Mrs Mohammed agrees to let Nurse Crane examine her in private.

 

As Nurse Crane examines Mrs Mohammed she realizes that she’s been using newspaper along with her underwear. Nurse Crane describes what she is seeing to Patrick. Mrs Mohammed has broken skin and infected sores. After examining a bit further, Nurse Crane determines that Mrs Mohammed has a two to three inch wide opening close to the cervix and that her urine is very dark. Patrick says this is probably due to Mrs Mohammed not wanting to drink any fluids. Patrick tells Mrs Mohammed she has a fistula, an opening between the birth canal and bladder. He explains that surgery will repair the damage, but Mrs Mohammed doesn’t want to go to hospital unless Nurse Crane goes with her.

 

Connie isn’t happy that she’s got to go in a wheelchair to go and give birth. She’s even more unhappy when she gets stuck in a lift with only Lucille to deliver the baby. After banging on the door of the lift, Lucille catches a nurse’s attention and she goes to get help. The fire brigade arrive but the door is jammed! Connie asks Lucille not to leave her and Lucille reminds her that she can’t. Lucille delivers the baby while offering words of encouragement to Connie. After the baby is delivered, the lift is fixed. Typical. Connie apologizes to Lucille for lashing out at her. Cyril arrives at Nonnatus House, but Lucille isn’t there again. However, he doesn’t need to worry as he has Sister Monica Joan to watch T.V with whilst he waits.

 

The “Style on a Shoestring” team are making last minute preparations for the fashion show and Nurse Crane is assigned to pricing the items. Valerie suggests “everything for a shilling,” but Trixie thinks that’s way under-priced for her creations. Violet suggests three price tiers. She basically does Nurse Crane’s job and prices everything. Nurse Crane looks through the donated clothes to see if there’s anything she can make Mrs Mohammed a saree out of whilst she’s in hospital.

 

Lucille has made the East London Gazette for delivering Connie’s baby in a lift. Lucille suggests to Sister Julienne (Jenny Agutter) that a discharge letter from St Cuthbert’s for new mothers to be sent to their GP and Nonnatus House so that they can make sure that new mothers are getting the right support. Lucille says that she was grateful for the opportunity to work at St Cutbert’s but she is looking forward to being back at Nonnatus House.

 

After having her surgery Mrs Mohammed is made up with the sari that Nurse Crane has made her. Later Violet welcomes everyone to the fashion show and manages to plug her shop whilst she’s at it. There’s a full on catwalk going on and no one is taking it more seriously than  Trixie who appears in a daring, leg baring outfit that shocks Monica Joan and clears out the prudes from the audience. Cyril finally manages to catch up with Lucille and takes her back to the Caribbean cafe where she is congratulated by other diners who have read about her in the paper. Cyril tells her she’s an inspiration. Later, we see him practicing his preaching.