The day everything went wrong!

What was supposed to be a short family excursion with my parents, sister & bro-in-law to the S.E.A  Aquarium at Resorts World Sentosa turned out to be a long nightmare. We reached the ticketing booth at 10+ and was greeted by a long queue. My sis & bro-in-law queued while we went shopping. Almost 45min later they called to say the Courts promotion for tickets at 15% off is not applicable to Public Holidays (it was Good Friday). I was so pissed! I had called up RWS customer service hotline prior to this day to verify if we could use the promotion. So I rushed back and made a big scene, almost screaming at the ticketing staff before they finally gave us discounted tickets.

It was almost 12 noon and we thought maybe it's better to eat first before no seats at the eateries. BIG MISTAKE. By the time we were done with our meal, we were shocked to see a long snaking queue outside the Aquarium when there weren't any before our lunch. We thought it'll take just 1-2hrs. We were so wrong. It took us 2hrs to get into the building, another 2 hrs to get into the Aquarium. Yes, a total of FOUR freaking hours!!! The first 2 hrs were the worst. Hot & humid outside the building. The next 2 were in the air-conditioned building but by then we were exhausted. Really regretted not postponing this excursion when we saw the queue. We never expected it will take this long!

I was too tired by the time we entered the Aquarium to fully appreciate it. Many photos snapped but yet to upload to the computer as I just don't want to be reminded of the stupid Aquarium!

We left at 7pm+ and was back at Vivocity for dinner at 8pm+. Long queues everywhere at all the eateries. We waited close to 45mins before we got a table. Left for home at 9pm+. But little did we expect home for that night was at KK hospital....

The Accident
It happened within 15mins of us exiting Vivocity's carpark. We were travelling straight along Keppel Rd with green light in our favor when this black car at the opposite lane turned right. He was probably shocked too and stopped in his tracks. Yes, this idiot stopped his stupid blackie right in the middle of the lanes of oncoming traffic, inviting cars to go bang him. It was too late for hubby to avoid a hit. The best he could do was swerve to the side to lessen the impact. All I remember was hearing his honks and seeing that blackie in front, the bang and our car spinning.

Smoke, smell, pain and cries. Poor Miyoko was screaming and crying. She was enjoying her milk and dozing off in her carseat just before it happened. I was beside her holding on to the bottle. My lower abdomen was painful. I couldn't and didn't dare to move. A kind motorist appeared at Miyoko's door and tried to get her out of the carseat. I was beside her crying in shock and worry over the little one inside. Hubby later came to unbelt and carry Miyoko out before helping me out of the car. 

I couldn't stop crying and hugged Miyoko real tight. She was actually very calm. Maybe she's in shock. Or maybe she's sleepy and tired. Soon the paramedics arrived and I was brought into the ambulance. Miyoko stayed with hubby as she seemed fine and was asleep on his shoulders. Before the doors of the ambulance closed, I remember telling hubby, "Don't forget AhKe's in the car. Take him out." This sounds silly, but I love my 25yr old AhKe like a real baby. I cannot let him stay inside the smashed up car and end up at the car workshop!

Blunders at KKH
Although the A&E doctor let me hear baby's heartbeat, I wasn't satisfied. I wanted to see him on screen to know he's fine. The doctor's reaction was "Oh, you want ultrasound ah? Ok, we'll get a senior doctor down." When the senior doctor came, the A&E doctor immediately wanted to do a cervix check without even telling me what she's going to do. Just proceeded to pull my undies. Hey, please give the patient some respect! After that another doctor said she'll do the scan and fumbled with the machine and needed the senior doctor to guide her. The senior doctor then told me he'll give me an injection and some hormone pills. I can stay for one night observation or leave now to see my own gynae but I've to sign an indemnity form for discharging now. I called my gynae who assured me baby will be fine and advised me to stay for a night. My parents came to help with the admission papers and my brother came to visit and fetch them home.

A nurse came by and gave me an injection before I was sent up to the ward. At the ward, a doctor came and intro himself before saying "You'll be doing the vaccuming." "Huh? What vacuum?" I was stunned. He continued "clearing your uterus?" Seeing my shocked reaction, he checked his file and asked if I'm "xxx". Then realised he got the wrong patient!! Hello? I'm in a single room. There's only 1 patient in here. Can't you check your file before popping into the wrong room and saying the wrong things?! I don't remember if he apologized but he mentioned he'll be back to draw my blood. Till now I still don't know why he drew my blood.

2 hrs later, a nurse came and said she's here to give me an injection. Injection again?? Didn't they just give me one 2 hrs ago? She seemed surprised and requested to check my injection site to verify. I showed and she checked her system. Pissed, I asked if there's any record. She said no record in the system and asked whether I had taken it at A&E. She said A&E are all written records, not in the system. I asked didn't my A&E records come up as well? She replied yes, she'll go check it and quickly left the room before I could shoot more questions. Why didn't she check A&E records before coming to jab patients? What if I didn't ask anything and let her jab again? This is really dangerous!

My sister & bro-in-law went to meet up with my hubby at the accident scene and brought Miyoko to KKH Children's A&E for check-up. She seemed fine after 2hrs observation and discharged. According to them she was very well-behaved. Maybe she knew something's wrong but didn't know how to react. When she saw me, she was all smiles. Hubby joined a while later after he was done sending the car to the workshop. By then it was 2am. Both of them stayed with me for the night.

The next day, I didn't dare to take the pills prescribed. I have zero confidence in KKH after what happened the night before. I didn't know I could be discharged until the pharmacist came to pass me medication and told me about it. I don't know who wrote what rubbish in my record, the pharmacist said it was stated in my records that I've been taking the hormone pills, so I should be aware of its side effects. What?!That's my first time taking it!! In the discharge summary, there was no mention of the injection I took at A&E. The nurse added it in after I asked.

In short, bad experience at KKH!

Right after I discharged, I went to see my gynae. Baby's fine. He saw the whole row of bruises at my lower abdomen and the big black one on my arm and prescribed me medication to help reduce the bruises. He said the injection & pills from KKH are fine and I was told to continue for a week. I'm so glad I've a good caring gynae!

1 month later
The events are still fresh in my mind. My bruises, rib & ankle pain are finally gone after 3 weeks. Abrasions from seatbelt at lower abdomen recovered but I've a little scar from it. Hubby's chest pains are gone. Our car was out of workshop last week. The first 2 weeks after the accident, Miyoko would cry whenever we put her into the carseat and I had to hold her hand throughout the ride. Now she's getting better. She'll reach her hand out for mine but wouldn't cry. She'll just whine a little if I didn't hold her hand.

I'm lucky I've a strong knit family who rushed down to assist us when the accident happened. Without my sis & bro-in-law, I wonder who could take care of Miyoko while I was at KKH and hubby at scene, fetch us home the next day, and look after her while I went for check-up at my own gynae's clinic? Without my parents & brother, who could help me with admission and give me emotional support while I was alone at A&E?

And we are very lucky we had GuanYinMa watching over us.

Please belt up!
We can't emphasize enough the importance of seat belt and carseat after this accident. No doubt the seat belt caused my bruises and pains. But without it, it could have been worse. I felt the impact of being flung forward but held back by the belt. If there's no belt, I probably would have hit the seat in front with more serious injuries, or worse, flung out somewhere. Without the belt, my hubby probably would have serious injuries too. The most important of all is the carseat which cushioned Miyoko from the impact. We are lucky the hit was at front right side of the car and not near where she's seated. Nevertheless she would have experienced being flung but held back by the belt, but being rear-facing meant the carseat absorbed most of the impact.

If she had been sitting on my lap like what many parents do, the whole row of bruises and abrasions which was on my lower abdomen would have been on her. She would have become my airbag. On her fragile body, it might be more than just superficial bruises. If she was sitting on my lap without the belt, she might have flown out of my hands. If she had been sitting in the front passenger seat with airbag installed, the chest pain my hubby suffered for 3 weeks would be on her face/head/whole body. It might not be just a nagging pain he experiences each time he coughs, but head concussion/broken neck or ribs on her fragile frame.

The Traffic Police don't set penalties just for the sake of it. It's really for our safety. However, many drivers disregard it, thinking "I'm a safe driver / It's just a short distance / My child doesn't like it". Many drivers and passengers still don't belt up and many babies & kids aren't belted up in proper carseat/booster in the right seat. Well, I hope they don't meet a reckless driver like we did.