THE SJI-SJAB

To all those noobs out there, my one and only CCA is the SJI-SJAB. Less than one year ago, I assumed the leadership role of R&W1 (what a stupid name), since then things have not been working well due to previous.....

these years, sji-sjab could never achieve the "sji" standard

• we are often looked upon as nurses
• first aid isn't a highly respected thing among guys.
• Enrolment rate is very low
• discipline standard is dropping ever since the previous...

In fact, I personally feel that first aid skills are more important than lerning how to fire a bullet, tieing knots or doing baton drills. It is something that we can apply daily and will come in handy in times of a crisis.

In secondary 1, I had a "major" accident by falling off a bike into a canal. Even though I suffered minor bruises and abrasions, I was stunned at the speed in which the accident occurred and lay semi-conscious for a minute. Only later did I realise that my arms could not withstand the inertia of the fall, and my face had forcefully crashed into the concrete. Regaining consciousness, my entire shirt had been soaked in red gooey blood(mixture with saliva), within seconds, I was in a pool of blood. Fragments of broken teeth were floating around. My brother accompanying me was rooted to the gound too. A few passer-bys(maids) stopped to look, but NONE of them offered a helping hand, or at least a handphone. Finally, I took the initiative/the responsibility for my own life to get out of the canal. Trying to limp back to my house which was a long distance away,considering the state I was in, I left a trail of blood from my continuously bleeding mouth. Only one word rang in my head "doom".Unless a miracle occurred, I would die of haemorragic shock, the result of excessive bleeding. I did not care if i would ever look good again, all i wanted was to live.

It was then that a miracle did happened. My mum apparently drove out to find me, since it was time for dinner. Seeing help arriving restored confidence in my first aid skills. I actually went back to the canal to pick up the teeth fragments and PUT THEM BACK INTO MY MOUTH!! (can't believe i did that, yucks...thinking back...) Back home, i self administered first aid:

• Gauze paddings to reduce bleeding
• teeth fragments being put into a bag of milk
• cold compress to jaw to limit blood flow
• and leaving cold milk in my mouth all the way from home to hospital to prevent damage to tissues

Result: only 4 teeth damaged completely and no chance of repair

First aid is a life skill, learn it, don't lose it: my ex-first aid in-charge's saying. If any of you(sjab cadets) are reading this, that's the reason why i'm a first aid ic. and not footdrills or PT, even though i may take all roles at times.