Wednesday, April 30, 2014

A Traumatic Off Day

I swapped my off-day on Monday for today and has taken leave on Friday. Tomorrow being a public holiday basically means that I will be enjoying a super-long weekend. It has not started well though.

This afternoon I went to visit a sister-in-Christ's office in Jalan Eunos area. It has been a while since I visited them as I have been busy with work and all. I also wanted to see a photography session that she was doing with another friend. We had lunch together.

While on our way back to the office, which is near the Singapore Post Building, I noticed a man lying in the middle of the cross-junction. I saw his fallen motor-bike next to him. I knew it was an accident.

My instinct was to go and help him but for a moment, I hesitated because exactly a month ago, on 30 March 2014, I tried helping an injured cyclist but he did not pull through that accident. In my heart, I really could not bear to see another succumb to his injuries.

As much as I was struggling with that, I saw no one helping the man. I just gathered up the courage and went ahead.

I did not expect the accident to be a serious one but when I approached the injured Malay gentleman, I then realised the full extent of his injuries. I quickly shouted for the passers-by to call the ambulance as the man needed immediate medical help.

He basically sustained very deep cuts to his lips, tongue, nose and right eye-lid. I asked him to lay as still as possible and went on to check the other parts of his body for injuries. While doing that, he suddenly turned his head to the left and that was when his right eye-ball got slightly dislodged from the socket.

Immediately I had to immobilise him. I quickly knelt down and held his head in between my laps and used a thick stack of tissue papers provided by a passer-by to cover his injured eyes, basically to shield it from the intense afternoon sunlight. The man kept asking what would happen to his eye because he heard a comment made loudly by a passer-by on the severity of his injuries.

I had to keep assuring him that help is on the way and that he would be in good hands. He was in shock and was numbed to his injuries at that point of time. I whispered prayers of mercy on the gentleman and also asked God to quickly send the ambulance over.

It came not too long after and I let the medics take over. After they had immobilised the man with the proper equipment, I helped strapped him and carried him onto the stretcher-trolley with the help of a few passers-by.

I have yet to get an update on the injured man and I am still praying that God has mercy on him. May He save the man's eye and that he will recover fully. If you are reading this blog, please intercede with me for the SingPost dispatch rider.

I really do not know why I keep encountering one accident after another... so far most of them are really serious ones and I was unable to help much with their injuries. Just about 30 minutes ago, a friend of mine, who is a doctor, encouraged me to look at all these as opportunities to offer emotional and mental support to the injured because that is what they need while waiting for professional help to arrive. Well, as much as possible I do not want to encounter another mishap but if I do, I will take heed of my friend's encouragement and be there for the injured.

I guess if I were in their shoes, I would also want someone to be there for me.

I am tired and will try to sleep soon but before that I just want to share a painful lesson I was reminded of recently on relationship.

As it has not been a good month for me (as shared in my last blog), I have been quite emotional and just a few days ago while a dear friend tried to offer some advice, I kind of snapped at her. In doing so, I know it has strained our relationship and I am very troubled by it.

It takes many months and years to build a relationship but you only need one day of carelessness to strain or break a relationship. I have sought for forgiveness and I really hope for a reconciliation soon.

Let us cherish all the relationships we have with our family and friends. Let us also treat them with care. I hope this reminder for me has not come a little too late though.

That is all, I guess,

Good night.

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