Keith Embry

Keith Embry is a drug addict who got a severe infection in his heart from using dirty needles.

History
Keith came into the practice for an appointment with Pete. Pete wasn't in, but Dell took Keith to his office. When Pete came in, Keith was on the floor with a needle next to him, overdosing. Pete pushed narcan and called an ambulance. While they waited for the ambulance, Pete told Sam that Keith originally came to him for stress related to his job as a real estate agent. When the market crashed, he lost his job, his wife, and contracted hepatitis C when drug addiction consumed him. Pete kept treating him for free, but believed that Keith kept coming back because Pete gave him clean needles, not wanting him to die in the streets. Keith regained consciousness, but lashed out at the doctors and pushed Dell into a shelf before running away.

Dell believed that Pete should call the police and let them handle him, but Pete believed he could get Keith into a program, where he could get clean. Pete went out looking for him. He went to Keith's house, where his wife said she hadn't seen him in months. She was surprised that he was still seeing Pete and was upset that Pete was enabling Keith. She believed he was beyond help.

Keith was found down by the beach and taken to the hospital. He had an infection caused by sharing needles. Pete was upset to learn that because he had given Keith clean ones. Keith admitted that he traded the needles for more drugs. Keith said he wanted to do better and believed he could. Keith tried to leave, but Pete told him if he left, he would die.

Pete went to Violet to see if she'd sign off on a 51-50. After hearing about Keith's case, she said if he didn't want it for himself, he'd just leave after the hold was over.

Keith tried to leave the hospital, but Pete stopped him, saying that he needed Keith to get better and so did Ellen. Outside the door, police officers held Keith and Pete told him he'd be committed to the psychiatric ward. Ellen then told Pete Keith had to want it for it to work. Pete said he'd get there and he wasn't beyond hope.

Romantic
He is married to Ellen Embry, though she hadn't seen him for months prior to his hospitalization.

Career
He is a real estate agent. The stress from his job is why he initially came to see Pete.