So because it was a long weekend, we decided to go to Power Plant Mall. We were quite excited and went early – to avoid the rush and also to have lunch at Marudori. I was very happy because there was no traffic and we were able to get our favorite parking spot.
As I was alighting, I heard Panget tell Connor ‘You’re not supposed stay beside the door!’ I turned around and saw that Connor was outside the car with a frown on his face clutching the back of his head. Panget said that Connor was hit in the head by the car door, when Shobe opened it. I got really confused because – how? I mean, I couldn’t understand it. I was helping Yaya take out Shobe’s stroller from the back while Panget was checking in on Connor, Connor was still frowning, and I noticed some tears in his eyes. I wondered, was the impact that bad that he cried? So I asked Connor to come to me to check the back of his head. I looked and it seemed nothing, but when I saw the blood on his hands, I became alarmed and saw that there was a small cut and it was bleeding – not profusely, but there was blood. What happened was, when Connor got out the car, he closed his door while Shobe was still inside, Connor assumed that Shobe will go out with Yaya on the other side. Connor then squatted down while waiting for everyone to get out of the car – then BOOM, Shobe opens the door and the edge of the door hit the back of his head.
We then headed to the mall entrance to ask the guard if there was a clinic anywhere – I told the guard that Connor hit his head and that we needed to have it checked. The guard said that there was Hi-Precision upstairs, I honestly didn’t think of it as a proper clinic because I knew it was a diagnostic center. It was a good thing that near the entrance, there was a Mercury store beside it. I started scouring the shelves for hydrogen peroxide, betadine and a gauze. While checking out the selection – Panget called me from the entrance and motioned me to go out already. I was confused, but I followed. I asked Panget where we were going, and he said that the guard is leading us to the mall’s first aid room. Okay, I never knew there was one – I mean, I sort of expected there had to be one – BUT I didn’t occur to me to ask to be led to that place. It was located on the Lower Ground level behind the doors of the elevator. It was a small room that had a bed, wheel chairs, a stretcher and a person from Lifeline.
We were asked what happened and the guy from Lifeline inspected Connor’s bump. He said that he needed to clean it up, and he’ll put a bandage on it. I thought that Connor might need stitches, but the guy said that he didn’t as it was a shallow cut only. Connor was quite shaken, to be honest. He was asked how painful the bump felt, to rank the pain from 1 (lowest) to 10 (most painful). I was honestly surprised with his reply, he said it was only 3.
The guy from Lifeline proceeded to address the matter. He slipped an Oximeter on Connor’s finger and inspected the injury further. He then proceeded to wear rubber gloves and then cleaned the wound with betadine. One observation though, the room was not well lit – so the guy had a hard time checking on the wound, I helped him out by holding out a small flashlight for him to use. As he was applying the betadine solution – two ladies came in and said that they were from the Mall’s admin. At first, I thought they were also injured, it was only a few minutes later that I realized that they came to observe and check on us.
After cleaning the wound thoroughly and applying a cream on the wound, the guy from Lifeline out a gauze on the wound. Since it was at the back of Connor’s head – the guy from Lifeline had to tape the gauze to his hair. It honestly looked odd, but what can we do, diba? That is where he was injured, and it had to be covered for protection. Connor really looked shaken and bothered, but he said that the pain was not so bad’
We thanked the guy from Lifeline, he advised us to observe Connor for dizziness or anything out of the ordinary. He also said that it’s a small wound, just make sure to clean and dress it again when we get home. At this point, I was already impressed – by the guard who led us here, by the guy from Lifeline and by the 2 ladies who were part of the Mall admin.
The two ladies as for my contact number and details – I gave it because I knew it was part of protocol and they will eventually need to follow-up and check in on Connor. They offered Connor some ice cream but he declined, I think he was embarrassed by the situation, I secretly wished he said yes! I told the ladies that credit goes to the security guard for his fast thinking, because if it were not from him – we would just have left and gone home. I was also impressed that the mall had a first aid room, the Lifeline guy, and these two ladies from the admin that came to ask how we were and made us feel more calm.
My take away from this situation is that:
- I am glad that we went to Power Plant Mall
- I am very appreciative of the Mall’s guard for his fast thinking and action on the matter
(His name is Angelito Dela Cruz – he was truly an Angel to us!) - I am happy that the Mall has a first aid room and they were prepared for this situation. The room is clean and well equipped, I just hope that they can add more lights to assist the Lifeline personnel better)
- The two mall admin staff were very nice and reassuring (they just sent me a text message this morning asking how Connor is!)
So after lunch, the kids went to Uniqlo to buy themselves a bucket hat, it was really for Connor to cover his bandage but Kailee got one too. Thanks Panget! Hahaha..
Connor was up and running after lunch, that’s when we knew he was okay na. When we got home, we saw that the wound was smaller that we expected, Praise the Lord! It didn’t need to be bandaged, but we tried – only to laugh because with my expertise, Connor looked like a character from a horror movie with his head bandaged up. Kailee even suggested we go full zombie (gauze wrapping around the face!)
So lesson learned – malls have a first aid station.
I think the only difference will be IF the guards onsite will assist you or if the first aid station is competent enough to help you. Power Plant Mall’s guards and first aid staff are COMPETENT, HELPFUL and OBSERVANT – and that says so much about the administration of the mall.
Thank you Power Plant Mall!
