CCMC Experience

Sumilon Trip Everything was set. After months of planning (and saving LOL), me and my friends were finally going to Sumilon. We were all very excited.

At around 8:00 pm, Saturday, me and my mom went out on my motorbike to buy some chips and bottled water for my Sumilon trip. We drove down Salinas Drive and turned right on Archbishop Reyes. As we approached the Grand Convention Center, I saw a car with a flashing left turn signal on. So we reduced our speed from 40 and eventually stopped a few meters away from the vehicle.

The Accident We were waiting for the car to turn left when something suddenly bumped the motorbike from behind. I heard a loud smashing sound as I was thrown forward. When I got up, I immediately looked for my mom. She was thrown off the bike because of the impact. I was relieved when I saw that she was all right. Except for some scratches on her legs and some bruises on her arms and shoulders, she was okay. My legs were numb and I found out that I had some bruises and bumps on my right shin and a huge nasty burn behind my left leg.

 

The driver of the cab got down and checked if we were okay. He said that he was really sorry and he readily said that it was his fault. He offered to call CITOM to report the incident. He also called his boss to tell him what had happened. The driver of the car which turned left came to us to tell us that he was ready to testify that it wasn’t our fault should the investigation require some eye witnesses.

When the CITOM arrived, there were enough people to launch another people power at the ‘crime scene’. LOL. The police officer, who came with the traffic group, gave us the SOP. We have to head straight to the CCMC (Cebu City Medical Center) and have ourselves x-rayed and our wounds cleaned.

Our licenses and registrations were confiscated and the officers told us to proceed to the CITOM office. We went home to inform my dad about what happened.

CITOM Office Me and my parents went to the CITOM office around 9:30 in the evening. We waited for about an hour and a half. The cab driver arrived at around 11:00. While we were waiting, another case was being settled at the investigation desk. Based on what I heard, the man who reported the incident was the owner of a motorbike. His friend, a neighbor, borrowed his bike to buy something nearby. Later in the evening, he got a call about an accident. It turned out that his neighbor drove all the way to Inayawan (fiesta). The dude was so drunk that he drove straight to a pole on his way home. He was driving without license, too. He was taken to the CCMC because his face was riddled with bruises.

The owner of the bike was understandably furious. He asked the investigating officer to detain the drunk driver. The driver pleaded but the owner said that it was the best thing to do. He wanted to teach him a lesson. The investigating officer escorted the driver to the cell. While the officer was unlocking the cell, the drunk driver raced out the door, jumped down the stairs and sped past the security guard. The investigating officer ran after him. As well as the owner of the bike, three guys who accompanied the owner of the bike, my dad, me, and my mom. LOL. The driver was about to bolt out of the gates when the officer gave two warning shots. The dude dropped to the ground and asked to be released. The investigating officer was so angry and the dude went straight to the cell.

The officer was still fuming when he entertained us. He had to take a lozenge to stop his cough. LOL. When he was ready, he started asking the basic questions. Then, he asked us about our agreement. The cab driver will shoulder all CCMC expenses and the cab operator will pay for the busted taillights, mud guards, etc. The officer asked us if we wanted the driver’s license returned. My dad, who was once a cab driver, said that it was okay so that he could go back to work.

CCMC We came out of the CITOM office half past midnight. We went straight to the emergency room of the Cebu City Medical Center. One nurse was like the ‘receiving staff’ and she told us to complete a very small form. She then instructed us to take it to the Information Desk. There, the chatty man behind the counter told us about the rate of deaths at the hospital involving motorcycles. He joked about us getting a car instead. We just laughed. LOL.

We returned to the nurse and she asked questions about the people that needed medical attention. One of the first questions that she asked me was the place where the accident happened. She also asked for the license of the cab driver since it was a vehicular accident. She then told us to wait for our turn. We waited in a small corner.

I observed that there was only one doctor, and three nurses on duty. Including the ‘receiving staff’ nurse. It was a Saturday. I also observed that the guard helped complete the forms for those who couldn’t do it.

Five beds laid directly in front of the nurses’ desk where bloodied, possibly near-dead men fought for their lives. Just a few steps from the ‘emergency room’ were some beds with young kids. A minute later, an ERUF team wheeled in a drunk man who also drove a motorbike. His face was badly damaged and there was blood all over him. The man was conscious though and he made an effort to stand up. The nurses had to tell him to lie down. The man who cleaned his hand and arms so that the nurses could stick the IV in was obviously a janitor. He was wearing a ‘mims’ uniform. I think mims is a general services agency.

Next to that man’s bed was the bed of another man. I’m not sure what happened to him but he was only wearing his undies. His undies were almost dark red because of blood. At the far end of the line was a small steel table. Aparently, that was like the operating table where patients that require ’stitching’ are placed. One man was lying there because of his bleeding chin. Standing in line next to me is a driver from Barangay Guba. He went to the hospital with his pregnant wife. The man’s head was filled with ‘holes’ and his hair was sticky with blood.

I noticed that the patients were all carrying plastic bags. Inside the bags were syringes, a pack of tide, and some medicine. I’m not sure what they need a pack of detergent for. When we were called, the doctor gave us a list of things to buy. For me, a 3cc syringe and two anti-tetanus shots. For my mom, an ointment for her bruises. The doctor also told me that shot #2 costs 800 pesos and shot #1 costs 99. Priority is shot #1. But I have to return the next day for shot #200. I remembered that the cab driver only had 500 pesos with him. So I knew that we would have to spend our own money. I used my Sumilon ‘baon’ and we were able to buy everything on the list. I guess I’m just not meant to go to Sumilon, yet. Maybe the money that I set aside for the trip was really for that accident. LOL.

When we returned to the emergency room, a young guy came in with his crying girlfriend. The man’s back was bleeding (stab wound most probably) and he was only covering it with a small piece of rolled up cloth. The guys who escorted him all looked furious. They talked about revenge. Later, two men in handcuffs were escorted by police officers into the emergency room. While waiting for my turn, a man who was about to be ’stitched’ because of a big wound on his forehead walked out of the emergency room. The nurses told him to come back. I guess he couldn’t ’take the pain’. The nurses tried to convince him but he said that he was willing to sign a waiver. Indeed, he signed the waiver while his fuming wife looked on. She said that she already spent 320 pesos for the necessary ‘operating stuff’ and the packs were already opened so they could not be returned.

Finally, it was my turn. The nurse gave me two shots – one for each shoulder. It was over.

We left the emergency room at around 3 am. As we were leaving, the owner of the cab called and promised to settle everything the next day. True enough, he met my parents this morning and he paid for the new parts as well as the hospital bills.

Though we’re still in pain, we’re glad that the driver and his boss were very responsible. So thank you, guys. And thank God!