When Heather was first brought to the hospital on GENERAL HOSPITAL, many viewers assumed it was some new plan of hers to find a way to slip out of police custody and go on another rampage. But as Robert announced that Heather was going to be locked up in San Quentin to prevent any future escapes, it was revealed that the prisoner/patient was suffering from cobalt poisoning!
Dr. Enoch explained that the cobalt poisoning was coming from Heather’s old hip replacement and the condition can cause psychological symptoms as well as physical. Wear and tear of some cobalt/chromium metal hip implants can release metal particles into the hip socket and the bloodstream, causing cobalt toxicity.
Usually, cobalt toxicity will manifest with physical symptoms like cardiomyopathy, deafness, nerve problems, tinnitus, and vision problems. However, there can also be psychological symptoms, including dementia and depression.
Back in 2000, the primetime series GREY’S ANATOMY did a cobalt toxicity storyline when it was revealed that a leaky hip replacement was causing the character of Richard Webber to suffer from cognitive decline. After replacing his hip replacement and removing the toxins from his body, Richard began to recover and return to normal.
Some longtime GH fans have complained that the character of Heather Webber had degenerated into a murderous psychopath over the years, and this cobalt toxicity diagnosis would appear to be how the new headwriting team is attempting to course-correct and return the character to something more redeemable. Usually on soaps, it’s more common for brain tumors to be the cause of psychopathic behavior (such as with Heather’s son, Franco Baldwin), so at least this is a more creative explanation.
Keep watching to see if Heather returns to a more level-headed psychological status, and share your own opinion about the character in our online poll below! Love GH? Be sure to join our We Love General Hospital Facebook group to chat about all the latest storylines and juicy gossip!
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