Parent reflects on managing anxiety after daughter’s injury during Philippines holiday
A family trip to Cebu Island turned into a medical emergency when a seven-year-old girl required stitches, teaching her mother the limits of anticipatory fear.
Lucille Wong, a contributor to The Guardian’s parenting column “Sharing the load,” has shared her experience of managing anticipatory anxiety during a family holiday in Cebu Island, Philippines. The narrative centres on a medical emergency involving her seven-year-old daughter, who sustained a deep forehead gash after falling from a bed at a family resort.
Wong describes how worry became a constant presence during the trip, with fears ranging from stray dogs and street food to earthquakes. The Philippines’ location on active faultlines provided visible reminders of seismic risks, including cracked roads and semi-collapsed buildings. Wong noted that since the family’s visit, an earthquake in the southern Philippines killed at least 61 people, though this event was separate from the family’s direct experience.
The crisis unfolded in the middle of the night when the family heard a thump followed by screams. They discovered their daughter had fallen from her bed, resulting in blood on the bed and floor. A deep gash across her forehead was identified, prompting immediate action from both parents. Resort staff assisted initially, arranging transport after the first medical facility reported that the only available doctor was occupied with emergency surgery for at least two hours.
The family was moved to a second facility where staff cleaned the wound but lacked the necessary wound glue. Consequently, they proceeded to a larger teaching hospital in the Central Business District (CBD). The procedure took place around 3am, requiring four stitches, antibiotics, painkillers, and a tetanus shot. Wong’s partner held the injured child while she managed their sleeping son, focusing on the immediate steps required rather than potential long-term outcomes.
The family returned to the resort at 6am, where a nurse assisted with wound cleaning later that day. Two months post-trip, the daughter’s wound has healed beautifully. She primarily recalls positive aspects of the holiday, such as snorkelling with turtles, rather than the incident. Wong concluded that while she still prepares for emergencies, the experience taught her to focus on immediate actions, boosting her confidence in her ability to cope.