MAR 06-6

INDEXING TITLE: JPINGUL’S Medical Anecdotal Report [6-06]

TITLE: Ready, Get Set, and …

PERIOD OF MEDICAL OBSERVATION: June 20, 2006

Narration:

I was duty at the ER, when an infant was brought in by his mother because of a fall.  Although the patient was awake and playing at the time of consult, the parents were apprehensive because of repeated episodes of vomiting. 

The parents told me that they were busy with house chores when they heard a loud thump, which was followed by a cry from their child.  The height of the fall was about 3 feet, and the child hit a concrete pavement.

Upon examination, I noted that the child sustained a hematoma on the right temporal area.  Radiographs of the skull showed no fractures. 

Since the child had 3 episodes of vomiting, I told the parents that we would observe their child for a few hours, and in the mean time, while they were waiting, I invited them to participate with the hospital’s (the nation’s) earthquake drill.

The parents listened to the instructions attentively, and when the siren sounded, the mother even got under one of the ER beds with her child, funny that the father was there only for moral support and did not feel the need to dodge for cover. 

When everyone evacuated the ER, the parents also cooperated, without any complaints.  At the parking lot, I thanked them for having participated in the earthquake drill.

Back inside the ER, after a few hours, the vomiting subsided.  I advised the parents to continue observation of their child at home for 24 hours and to watch out for symptoms of increased intracranial pressure.  I gave them a head injury slip, prescription for pain, and they were discharged.

INSIGHTS: (discovery, stimulus, REINFORCEMENT), (physical, psychosocial, ETHICAL)

A disaster happens when a hazard hits a vulnerable community. The community's vulnerability rests on its lack of capacity to withstand the effects of disaster. The very first thing to consider therefore is how to deliver the vast majority of Filipinos from their vulnerabilities, from their lack of capacities to withstand disasters.

The people may be prepared because they have an alarm system and could know when disaster comes so they could flee and save their lives, then what?  After which, they are to start from scratch once more in restoring their livelihood and normal way of life, only to wait for the next disaster to come.

It would take vision to be disaster proof, building a home or a building on a strong foundation, securing all assets, maintaining whatever livelihood one has, in such a way that after the disaster, everything is back to the way it was  before.  And the only thing to do after the disaster, is to keep on progressing.  But is this possible?

This is not the case, for a poor country like the Philippines…

She goes back in time in terms of progress, about 5 to 10 years. And in an earthquake, 30% of facilities and services can be destroyed. 

Imagine a worst case scenario: an earthquake magnitude - 7.0, epicenter - Marikina fault line.  Imagine our city…

without electricity (power lines fall down),  no water (pipelines break-up),  no cellphones (no power then no signal),  no transportation (roads open up, bridges collapse),  we have to be contended with what we have left.

Can we be truly prepared for an earthquake or a massive disaster?  Physically, in my opinion, we can only prepare so much, but be disaster-proof, we can not.  So the true preparation will have to come from within oneself. 

To be prepared mentally to accept and make the most of whatever the situation may present,  to find hope in seemingly helpless situations, to find meaning in hardship / trails,

to love in the midst of emptiness and survival, and to find joy when there is gloom, everywhere.

Are we ready?