Top 10 reasons why this injury is a bummer.

1. This is not the first time it happened. I tore my right acl in February 5, 2006. It took me around 9 months to start playing football again.

2. I tore it during a leisurely Sunday pick-up game with friends. Not in some high level competitive game.

3. I tore it trying to get the ball back from another ACL friend who happens to be my ex boyfriend. What is karma.

4. My half-marathon plans are now postponed until after I recover.

5. I can’t run after my nephew, dance in my bathroom, swim, go to the beach, jump on my bed.

6. I can’t play football again. I was trying out for the women’s national team again but now that’s out.

7. It’s the hottest summer ever, and wearing an immobiliser is like having a stiff whole leg warmer. Not fun.

8. I will spend the first week after surgery in pain.

9. My dad is telling me to stop playing football for food.

10. The chances of me gaining weight and getting fat just increased dramatically. Hello Diet.

20110423-120012.jpg

Before I can rant…. Thank You!

Justin with my immobiliser

When an athlete gets injured, they get really sad, irritable, unreasonable, annoyed, weepy and needy.

So I consider myself lucky to have such a supportive, funny, understanding and patient boyfriend, always there to cheer me up. It’s only been less than a week since I got injured and Justin’s been great.

I’m also writing about this whole experience so that I don’t have to keep on whining and complaining to him. I can do it here.

Justin, as my first reader, THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart and my torn ligament. I know you’ll be there to cheer me on and tell me I’m not fat. Sorry in advance for any additional bitchy-ness that you’ll experience from me because of this.

In case my family is reading this, THANK YOU.  I know you guys are the most supportive parents and sisters ever.  I just hope that you bear with me being not as enthusiastic for the next month or so.  Thank you for taking care of me and my hospital bills. I love you!

Erin, thank you for always answering my calls no matter how late/early I ring you.

Sam Peña, thanks for lending me your immobiliser while I was waiting for Gold to return mine. I’ll keep it for now and alternate using yours and mine. It’s so hot I want to make sure I wash it every other day. I’ll return it once I’m done. 🙂

Gold, thanks for returning my old immobiliser yesterday.

Andoni, thank you for introducing me to the wonderful world of the ACL injury way back when you tore your ACL in 2003 and for being there last Sunday. Goodluck with your knee too.

Dr Canlas, thank you for fixing my right ACL five years ago.  I’m sorry I didn’t make sure I never saw you again.  I promise I’ll do therapy as religiously as I can.

I was feeling a lot worse yesterday, really pissed off and mad at what happened.  Then I realize how lucky I still am and how stupid it would be to waste my time feeling horrible.

It’s Good Friday today, Jesus suffered so much.  I shouldn’t complain at all.

Love and a torn ligament,
Bertha

Welcome Letter to an fellow ACL Patient:

I wrote this in October 2009 for a golfer friend who tore his ACL. It was supposed to encourage him and cheer him up.  I’m reposting this to remind me to stay positive, and remember that I’ve done it before and I’ll just have to do it again.

Dear Miko,
First of all, welcome to the elite group of athletes known as the ACL club. We all have the scars to prove that we are members of this exclusive society. ☺ smile. You are not alone. A lot of athletes, including Tiger Woods, have recovered successfully from this injury. I also know of some athletes who tear both ACLs and manage to make their way back into fighting form.

Next, I’ll be honest with you. When I tore my ACL, the months that followed were the darkest, saddest, most depressing times of my life. Prior to the injury, my life was
pretty free from personal tragedy. So to distract you from your pain, let me share mine.

Like you, I started in my sport really young. In grade 6, I competed in tournaments. In my freshman and junior years of highschool I traveled to Europe to play football. I spent my last summer before entering college training twice a day 6 days a week and made it to the national team. Football defined me, it dictated who I was. I went to UP with no intention of playing, but ended up joining the team anyway. My rookie year in UP was pretty good. We reached the championships against DLSU but lost in penalties. I didn’t convert my penalty kick, so I felt responsible.

The next year, we were in the running for the top two spots in the UAAP when I got injured. I still remember the girl I collided with, how I was carried off the field and how it felt as if something was really wrong. Prior to this injury, I’ve fractured a collarbone and sprained a toe, but that’s all.

The PT that checked on me couldn’t say what was wrong. I couldn’t walk by myself, or stand on both legs. My family took me to Asian for an X-ray but that didn’t show anything. I saw a sports doctor the next day and he ordered an MRI. I’m not sure if you had one too, but that machine makes me so claustrophobic. I wish that I wore earplugs too. Anyway, when I got my results it showed that I had a complete ACL tear and a grade II MCL sprain.

It didn’t hit me so much at first. I called my teammates and texted my coaches. They seemed bummed. I saw Dr. Canlas and scheduled my surgery. One thing that really helped me was the fact that I’ve sort of gone through the injury, when an exboyfriend of mine tore his.

Okay, here’s one tip. The first night after your surgery will be the worst night of your life. Unless they do it differently in the States. After you get through the first night, the pain will subside and you can give yourself a pat on the back for surviving. Make sure someone sleeps with you in the room for the first night because you’ll need help going to the bathroom… or since you’re a guy, pee in a bottle na lang or something. Haha.. Seriously, I fainted during my bathroom run in the middle of the night. I was lucky someone was there to carry me back to bed.

Try to relax after surgery because a few days after surgery you’ll start character building… I mean therapy. ACL rehab isn’t the most fun activity in the world, but it sure builds character. This whole experience is one big test that I’m sure you’ll ace.

I spent a total of 9 months in rehab. I could’ve been done in 6, but I took breaks in between and was pasaway.

Anyway. Here’s a list of things you can’t do after the surgery.

1. Participation in any kind of sports.
2. Kicking
3. Swimming
4. Pivoting on the affected knee
5. Twisting of the affected knee
6. Flexing and extending the knee vigorously
7. Locking the knee
8. Alcohol intake. (I didn’t follow this. Which is probably why I took so long in rehab)

Here are things that you have to be cleared by your doctor or PT.

1. Running
2. Jumping
3. Jogging
4. Hopping
5. Shooting on the basketball court
6. Sitting “de-quatro”
7. Placing a pillow under the knee when sleeping
8. Physiologic knee extensions at the last 15 degrees
9. Kneeling on affected knee
10. Supporting the knee on the proximal part of the lower leg
11. Using liniments or heat
12. Ascending and descending stairs alternately
13. Using the stationary bike.

I know it’s a lot of limitations, but trust me it’s for the best.

Try your best to have fun in therapy. Bring a book/ DS/PSP for the times you have to ice your knee. Buy those reusable gel ice packs. Write about your everyday progress. Know that you will have bad days in therapy, and when they happen, watch a movie, let that day go, and look forward to the next one. Your recovery period will feel like forever while you’re still going through it, but once you finish it will seem like it flew by fast.

Take this break from golf as a sign from God to try new things. Discover your other skills and talents and become more well rounded. Don’t wallow in your misery. I’ve done that and it’s not fun.

The MRI experience

MRI Machine at the Asian Hospital

After seeing Dr. Canlas at St. Lukes in Quezon City, I scheduled an MRI appointment for my ACL knee at the Asian Hospital.

Here’s how the machine looks like from the outside. I wanted to take photos up close but the technician told me that my camera might get damaged inside, so here’s all I have.

After removing all my jewelry, I laid down on the bed. The technician put padding around the knee to ensure it wouldn’t move, fixed a blanket on top of me then gave me some earplugs.

The machine started and pretty soon it was really noisy! Imagine lots of little hammers hammering on metal.

Thirty to forty minutes (and a quick nap) later, I was let out of the MRI machine. I kinda wish it took longer. I wanted to nap a bit more.

>Oops, I did it again!

>This is reposting my blog entry from Multiply dated February 10, 2006

ACL Tear and Grade II MCL sprain

definition of terms
1. anterior cruciate ligament injury – extreme stretching or tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee. A tear may be partial or complete.


2. The knee is essentially a modified hinge joint located where the end of the femur (thigh bone) meets the top of the tibia (shin bone). There are four main ligaments connecting these two bones:


medial collateral ligament(MCL) — runs along the inner part of the knee and prevents the knee from bending inward.
lateral collateral ligament (LCL) — runs along the outer part of the knee and prevents the knee from bending outward.
anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) — lies in the middle of the knee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur, and provides rotational stability to the knee.
posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) — works in concert with the ACL. It prevents the tibia from sliding backwards under the femur.
The ACL and PCL cross each other inside the knee forming an “X.” This is why they are called the “cruciate” (cross-like) ligaments.


ACL injuries are often associated with other injuries. The “unhappy triad” is a classic example, in which the ACL is torn at the same time as the MCL and the medial meniscus (one of the shock-absorbing cartilages in the knee).


3. MCL injuries are graded on a scale of I to III. A grade I injury is a small tear within the ligament, and a grade III injury is a complete tear of the MCL.


4. ACL tears may be due to contact or non-contact injuries. A blow to the side of the knee, such as may occur during a football tackle, may result in an ACL tear.


Alternatively, coming to a quick stop, combined with a direction change while running, pivoting, landing from a jump, or overextending the knee joint, can cause injury to the ACL.


I tore my ACL last Sunday during the UP vs UST game. It ended in a 0-0 tie. As far as I know, I was running towards an attacker who was approaching our defensive third and as I reached her, I tried to position myself so i could gain possession of the ball. She was going in one direction and i was going another way, and we collided and then I heard a “CCCRRRRRUUUNNNCCCCHH” sound. Something like knuckles being cracked. I fell and then couldn’t stand up anymore.


After the game, my family brought me to the ER of Asian Hospital. They did an xray and saw nothing wrong. The next day i saw the Air21 team doctor, Dr. Rafanan who instructed me to get an MRI. Tuesday afternoon, I patiently waited for 30 mins to get scanned, and then had to lie still for another 30 minutes in the noisy MRI machine. I tried sleeping but it was just too loud. The results would be out the next day.


By Wednesday, I could walk without crutches and without wearing an immobilizer. That night, the Air21 team celebrated their 3rd place finish in the PBA San Mig Coffee conference in Gateway. My whole family and the Air21 basketball team were there in Superbowl of China for dinner. At that time, my family knew what the results were, but they just wanted me to finish eating before they told me. So Dr. Rafanan ended up telling me about my injury and the do’s and dont’s. Don’t go running or jumping. Surgery is a must do. Do drink your medicine.


I texted my teammates and friends after i found out. I sort of knew what this injury is all about since Andoni tore his ACL in our senior year of high school.


Today, I was welcomed into the ACL club by coach karen, louise, kae, vicki and carlo. Its weird because I never really thought it would happen to me. The ACL injury isn’t a new thing in my sphere of consciousness but somehow it’s just different when its me who is experiencing it.


We drew our game against DLSU, 0-0. So far we still can get into the finals. Yay!


So now i just have to find a surgeon and get my knee fixed. 

At St. Lukes Medical Center

Waiting on my wheelchair

>I’m writing this from the waiting area of the Rehabilitation Center of the St. Lukes Medical Center in Quezon City.

I got hurt my left knee playing football at the Alabang Country Club yesterday, so I’m waiting to see my orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Canlas.  He  fixed my right ACL 5 years ago when I tore it during a football game and I’m hoping that this time it’s not that serious but I feel like the same injury happened again but on my left foot.

I can’t walk properly and hardly slept last night because of the pain but after I drank Ponstan this morning, the pain has subsided.

I’m wearing a long shirtdress and clogs, very comfortable to walk in despite the injured knee. The dress makes it easy to use the bathroom, thank God.

Loving my new MacBook Air.

Pax,

Bertha

>Why I have to write more/ Book me as a makeup artist!

>I’ve realized recently how valuable it is to write and constantly practice expressing myself through writing.  When I was in still studying, I had to write papers on a regular basis on whatever topics were assigned.

Blogging was never something I was able to stick with because I was always worried of what people would think of what I wrote.  I’m deciding to just go with saying what I think anyway since life is too short  to worry about little mistakes in punctuation when your goal is self-expression.

I’ve have to oversee our company’s blog anyway so I have to contribute posts as well in the future.

I admire people who can be so transparent and vocal on the internet, since their ideas are out there for people to see and be influenced by.

This will be my makeup blog. I’ll start with makeup posts since it’s fairly easy to write about things that are right in front of me.

Future posts will include:

My makeup box with lights setup.
Brush Roll
Whats in my kit
Temptu system

I’m a trained and certified beauty makeup artist. I studied at the Makeup Designory in SoHo, New York City but I haven’t made a career out of it since I’m also working for my family business.

I’d want to do more makeup professionally, so if you’re looking for a makeup artist in Alabang/Makati   to make you look awesome for an event or photo/video shoot, text me at 09178124429 or email me at berthalina@gmail.com

Ibis Myeongdong, Seoul, South Korea

Seoul. July 21-24, 2010

I first saw this hotel when I went to Korea a couple of years back and noticed how awesome the location is.

Ibis hotels are affiliated with the Accor group (Sofitel) and they both have the same lobby scent.

location map can be seen here: https://ibis.ambatel.com/FrontSite/ibis/myeongdong/zHotel/EN/location01.aspx

It’s in front of Zara,  Lotte Young Plaza, Lotte World, and is right smack in Myeongdong.  I seriously doubt that i’ll have to take the subway to anywhere during this trip. There’s an H&M and a Forever21, plus ALand, which sells MMMG items since the MMMG store moved and is still under construction.

Mom and I, plus our Korean friends had dinner, but since we were too hungry, we didn’t take the usual snapshots.  Mom had ginseng chicken and I had bibimbap. We order exactly the same thing at our neighborhood Korean restaurant in Alabang, but now we’re eating it in context.

What my webcam sees

My mom and I are sharing the twin room.