"The Spinal Ward Influence"

"The Spinal Ward Influence"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

Since I started my Pre-Residency here at the Philippine Orthopedic Center I have began noticing certain changes in the way I drive. I have been assigned to the Spinal Ward for close to a month now and talking to all the patients have really changed my perspective about Driving , Speed and Disability. 

The majority of the cases in the Spinal Ward are Spinal fractures resulting from Motor Vehicle Accidents. Being hit by a Motorcycle or Car is one thing because accidents happen all the time and often times it is not the patients fault , it is an external force beyond their control that gave them the injury. 

However there are dozens of cases of Drunk Driving , Inexperienced Drivers or Sometimes plain old bad luck that points to one culprit. Motorcycles. This leads to one conclusion. Never Ride Motorcycles. Even with a helmet and protective gear on there is no guarantee that you would not splatter yourself along with a few others on a concrete divider somewhere. 

Even a simple fall from a motorbike could lead to an awful spinal cord injury. Imagine falling from the height of a motorcycle  , you hit your back on the concrete. You suddenly do not feel both of your legs and are no longer able to stand up. A scary thought for some  , scarier still is the thought that you could never walk again or even if you could walk it would take you years and countless hours of Physical Rehabilitation.And this is just because you did not want to listen.

I am sure that in the long hours of lying on their backs our patients look back again and again in their minds and remember the reason why they are here. Someone told me that not a moment goes by that he does not think of his accident.If he could reverse time and prevent what is happening to him right now. He would.

If only they did not drive so recklessly that night , if only he said no to the offered Inuman , only if he went home early like his wife told him to. They look back at what their life was like but are faced by the grim reality that this is their life now. Lying back on a bed until they are able to at least support themselves with their Upper extremities. 

What changed in me during all this time is that I am now more giving and forgiving regarding our brothers and sisters who ride motorbikes or scooters. Valenzuela City where I live and Edsa which I ply to get home is simply full of darting Bikes that weave in and out of traffic , effectively cutting the lanes for cars, buses and other bikes.  I usually get mad and do defensive driving(AKA I don't let anything pass). However after seeing the patients at the spinal ward , I just let the bikes pass now. Better to be patient than see them as a patient later.

I am careful not to hit a single one because wherever I am in the Philippines the patient that I would injure would be admitted to no where else but here at POC. The motorist that you hit today will be your patient later. 

I swore to myself that I would never give any person such an awful reality.No one deserves it and surely no one deserves it from me. 

I continue to pray that though these bikes continue to swerve at me that God will give me the patience and visual acuity not to hit any of them.In my book it is ok to treat them when they come in. It is not ok if I caused the injuries myself.

I cross my fingers whenever I go anywhere.My luck is still holding out.