shock

Received a call from mom at 6pm that my brother met with an accident and was admitted to the emergency ward of Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH). Immediately packed my bag, informed my branch manager and colleagues to leave urgently. My mom had been there since 12 noon and had yet to see my brother.

They only allowed one person to visit the patient at a time. My brother's girlfriend was the earliest to reach there and she had a tag to go in to visit my brother. Then my dad went. Then my brother's colleague came and they went in. When my dad and the colleague came out, the security cut off their tags and refused to allow anyone else to go in. My poor worried mom was waiting outside was refused by the guard to go into the emergency ward.

Since the only person who still had the tag on was my brother's girlfriend, she went to ask for the form to transfer my brother to the normal ward. However, the hospital staff stupidly refused to let her have the form as only the family members can take the form. But the problem is they refused to let my parents go in. How to get the form? Such is the kind of service we get from TTSH. Think the staff ought to bring their brains to work.

This went on ding-dong-ing to and fro for more than 6 hours!!! Such is the efficiency of the hospital that when I arrived, my dad was still waiting for the staff to do the paperwork. After the paperwork was done in half an hour, we had to wait for another 3 hours before my brother was transferred to the normal ward.

When my brother's ex-colleague Jason asked the receptionist counter of the hospital, they directed him to the normal ward and Jason went there to only find an empty bed. He had to make several calls to get to us. He went one big round to find us waiting outside the emergency ward. He waited with us for about an hour and had to go off for another appointment without seeing my brother.

The reason the hospital gave us was that they had not cleared the assigned bed. Why would any hospital take 3 hours to clear one bed? Simply ridiculous. To think that my brother was admitted at 10am this morning, his surgery completed around noon, he was only transferred to the normal ward at 9pm. How many hours is that?

***

My poor brother could not even recall how the accident happened or whether any vehicle hit his motorbike. By the time he regained his consciousness, he was already in the hospital. He had 6 stitches on his jaw, right hand with all bloodstained-fingers, left elbow, left shoulder, both knee caps bandaged.

His shirt and pants was tattered with blood stains, handed to us in a plastic bag by the hospital. His black leather shoes were badly scratched and torn. His favourite Kenji Yumamoto designer bag was full of blood stains. The face of his watch smashed.

We pieced the information together and imagined the impact. He must have flew off, hit his chin, supported the body weight with his hand and knees, spun off with the left shoulders torn upon abrasion with the ground, knocked out by the impact. This is the most serious accident that happened to my brother in his years of riding a bike.

I thank God he's alive and still breathing. He's still under observation in the hospital. He just went through a brain scan and X-ray to make sure he did not sustain any head injuries. I prayed for the Lord's healing hands upon my brother and prayed that there is no internal injuries, no injury to the spine or hip bone. Thank God there was no vomitting and he was still able to move his limbs.

I would like to thank all who have prayed for my brother and family. And especially to those who offered to visit my brother in the hospital. Really appreciate all your love and prayers.

I will keep you guys updated. Am going to the hospital again right after this post.

God bless everyone with safe journey on the road. Be extra careful when you drive or cross the road. Human beings are like glass, looks sturdy on the outside, but needs to be handled with care, for we are simply fragile.