Bionic Bertha: 2011

Friday, October 28, 2011

My long trip to Lima.

Lima, the only coastal capital city in south America was the venue for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation's two day International Seminar on SME Policies and Practices to Promote the use of ICT.

It took me more than a day to arrive in Lima.
From Manila, I boarded a plane to Tokyo on Sunday, 8am. In Tokyo, I deplaned then after almost an hour reboarded the plane to New York. 17 hours of total flying time so far.

I arrive in New York's JFK airport at 3pm, Sunday. My flight to Lima isn't until 12:30am of Monday, so I claim my bags, clear US Customs then take the Airtrain to terminal 4. There I check in my luggage with LAN Airlines, get my boarding pass and head towards Manhattan.

I took the Subway from the Jamaica station to Lexington ave, since I was meeting a friend at 50th st and 2nd ave. I get there by 6pm. We have dinner at the Smith restaurant and kill time till it's time to catch a cab back to the airport. I leave at 10 pm to get to JFK at 10:35.

TSA security check, then I wait by the gate . Get informed that our flight is delayed to 10:25 am. We're sent to nearby hotel for the night.

The next day, all goes smoothly and I board the flight to Lima. After 7 hours, I arrive in South America.

Local time was 6pm, Monday October 25. Finally.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Pet peeve

I don't like it when the person behind me at a queue sticks too close to me. I need my personal space. The line won't move faster if you push me forward.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Things I love: Travel edition

See the full gallery on Posterous

I like being comfortable while traveling. Ate Sheila and I went to HongKong last week wearing our trusty Vibram Five Fingers shoes. I love it because we breeze through security checks! It's great for walking around and it's so light it packs in a suitcase real well too!

I'm wearing the classic in silver and Ate Sheila is wearing the KSO in black. Both available on http://Vibramfivefingers.Shopinas.com

Check them out!

Bertha

NBA Fit at Air21

See the full gallery on Posterous

The NBA Fit team, with Coach Erik Spoelstra, graced our company's quarterly morning program. They facilitated warmup, reaction time, agility and shooting drills among employees.

It was really a treat to host the event and meet Coach Spo and the rest of the NBA Fit Team. They're spreading the good news of exercise, proper diet and wise choices among the youth.

The Miami Heat Team has their healthy meals prepared by their chef. I'm curious to see how NBA players eat. I wonder how much food the average sports team consumes on a monthly basis.

Bertha

The Shopinas.com Clickers

We've been blessed with having a team in the Philippine basketball association.

Here I am with Team Manager Jovie, Coaches Franz and Cholo, Ate Sheila, and my dad/boss, ADL.

The season starts in October, I can't wait!

Bertha

Sunday, July 31, 2011

Sheila Lina photo- makeup by me!

Ate Sheila will be featured in a Go Negosyo book, so I did her makeup for her Photoshoot.

I used Temptu airbrush foundation in 04, Makeup Designory eyeshadow and eyeliner, NARS orgasm blush and laguna bronzer.

Doesn't she look nice and fresh? Ü

Genya Tonkotsu Ramen

I tried the Shoyu tonkotsu ramen with Tamago and garlic. I still prefer Ukkokei's ramen better. The noodles at Genya aren't as chewy.

The spicy fried chicken and the beansprouts appetiser were good though, so it's still a good place to eat if you're in the mood for Japanese and you're in the Macapagal area.

I like that parking is available and free!

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Salpicao at Cerveseria, Greenbelt

I really enjoy beef salpicao. It's one of my favourite dishes since it's cooked with a lot of garlic. I usually order it when I see it on a menu, so when I first ate at Cerveseria that's what I picked.

The tenderloin they used was good, cooked just right to keep the softness of the meat. The salpicao had nice big cloves of garlic in it and was seasoned just right.

I'm glad this opened so that I'll have a yummy salpicao option really near the apartment.

The decor is well put together, with the old hardbound books and candlewax dripped chandeliers. Another thing I appreciated was that the drinking water had some lime in it. Nice and refreshing!

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Wall slides

p61.mov Watch on Posterous

This is what wall slides look like. I have to do 50 of these each therapy session. This exercise is for my knee to reach the full range of motion. It used to be really painful but now it's getting easier. The goal is for my left knee to be able bend as far as my right. I'm almost there!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Therapy Week Three

After three weeks of rehab, this is how my routine is. My knee is getting stronger but my lag is still present. My left leg is noticeably skinnier than my right.

Ice
Patellar mobilization
Heel slides
Wall slides 50 reps, max 110 degrees ROM
Leg press with two black theratubes
NAP -40 mins
Leg curls 5lbs wt
Balance board- one legged balancing, reach left foot 15 reps
Bands with ankle straps on both legs- 50 reps
- bent knee raises
- straight leg front raises
- side leg raises
- back leg raises
- diagonal back leg raises
Step ups
-diagonal- 150 reps
-straight- 100 reps
Wall squats 20 secs hold
- 60 degrees 10 reps
- 90 degrees 15 reps
Single leg wall squats 20 secs hold, 10 reps
prone hangs 4lbs wt

I'm at work now attending strategic analysis training. Then I'm off to the beach with my friends for a mini break. I can't swim yet so I'm confined to sunbathing.

ACL rehab is long and repetitive and boring so it really helps to have a therapist you like talking to. Most PTs are happy, positive people. It's part of their JD. They have to be firm when making patients do the hard exercises.

I played scrabble dash while doing prone hangs with Raissa today. It's a good way to pass the time and distract me from the pain.

Will write more on other non-acl topics soon, like my latest makeup tool discovery, restaurants I've tried recently and pictures from my last trip.

I have other interests aside from my ACL injury and I just have to try to make this 6 months pass as quickly as possible.

Love,
Bertha

Monday, June 6, 2011

I Lost 10lbs in one month since surgery

I've just finished my third week of therapy, and it's been more than a month since my surgery.

I still have lag- that's what you call the bend in affected knee. It still takes long to complete heel slides and I haven't progressed to wall slides successfully yet. On the bright side, I am walking faster!

I've lost weight since getting injured, around 10 lbs. How? Avoiding carbs and being on an alcohol detox. I'm now down to 95-96 lbs which was my target weight for so long. I could never hit it until now so that's one good thing to come out of this injury
Here's what I do during my rehab session
2:33-2:48 ice
2:48-2:49 patellar mob
2:49-3:00 stretch
3:00 -4:00 Heel slides 50x110 degrees final reach 114 degrees
4:02- 4:04 hip flexion 50 reps with rubber tubing
4:04 single calf raises 30 reps with tubing 4:05 wall squats60 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold
4:11 single wall squats 50 reps
4:13-4:16 hamstring curls black tubing 150 reps
4:17- 4:29 leg press with rubber tubing 4:30-4:35 wall squats 90 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold
4:36-4:46 step ups 150 reps
4:47- 4:49 single leg balancing on baps board 1 min and 1 minute with eyes closed
4:50-5:10 prone hangs with 2lbs wt
5:10- 5:25 ice

Friday, June 3, 2011

Wheelchair bound in Universal Studios Singapore

One major perk from getting your ACL fixed is having a reason to borrow a wheelchair at a theme park. This is me three weeks after surgery at the Universal Studios Singapore. It would've been too difficult to be walking around the park all day and standing in line for rides, so we rented a wheelchair for $15 SGD.

It's a great investment, since it allowed me special access to the front of all the rides/attractions in the park.. They let guests in wheelchair go through a special queue straight to the front!

Yay! The only bad thing about the surgery here in Universal Studios was that I couldn't ride the Battlestar Galactica roller coasters. My 8 year old niece rode it for the first time and I was really jealous. I love loopy roller coasters.

Must visit theme parks in wheelchairs more often,

Bertha

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Magnum Gold

See the full gallery on Posterous

I tried this here in Singapore and I'm glad it's not available in Manila because it's pretty yummy!!!

Had one at Universal Studios and it was the perfect snack.

Still limping,

Bertha

Friday, May 27, 2011

Singapore Day 1: Long Beach Seafood Dinner!

Mom, Dad, Ate Sheila and I flew PAL to SG, arrived at Changi Airport at 11 am, took a cab to our serviced apartment and got there by noon.

See the full gallery on Posterous

Lunch at Marche. Walk around 313@Somerset, check into hotel.

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Nap before a huge dinner at Long Beach at the East Parkway Seafood Center.[[posterous-content:pid___3]][[posterous-content:pid___4]][[posterous-content:pid___5]]

Bamboo Clams, Pepper Crab, Chili Crab, Fried Bread dipped in chili crab gravy.

Yum!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Second week of therapy: Day by day recap

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MONDAY May 16

3:00 Arrive at therapy

3:00-3:15 Ice

3:15-3:18 Patellar Mobilization 50 reps

3:18- 3:50 Heel Slides 50 x 90 degrees – ending with 100 degrees

3:50- Quad setting with electrical stimulation- 20 seconds 10 reps

3:57- 4:03 Co contractions 20 seconds 10 reps

4:03- 4:08 – Co contractions with ball squeezing 20 seconds 10 reps

4:10-4:11 Hip Flexion 50 reps

4:11- 4:13 double leg Calf raises 30

4:13-4:17 Bathroom break

4:17- 4:19 Hamstring curls 50 reps 5 lbs weight

4:20- 4:30 Prone hangs for the first time! **

4:30-4:40 Prone Hangs last five minutes with 2 lbs wt

4:45-5:00 ice

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TUESDAY May 17

10:14-10:30 Ice

10:30-10-32 Patellar mobilisation

10:32-10:45 heel slides 50x90 degrees final reach100

10:45-11:03 co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball

11:05 -1106 double calf raises 30 reps

11:06-11:08 hip flexion 5 lbs 50 reps

11:09-11:11 hamstring curls 5 lbs 50 reps

11:13-11:28 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt

11:30 -11:45 ice

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WEDNESDAY May 18

10:02-10:18 ice

10:18-10:19 patellar mobilisation

10:19-10:30 heel slides 50x90 degrees final reach100

10:32-10:45 heel slides 50x90 degrees final reach100

10:45-10:48 co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball

10:48-10:49 hip flex 50 reps 5 lbs

10:49-10:51 double calf raises 30 reps

10:52-10:55 hamstring curls 5 lbs 100 reps

10:55-11:10 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt

11:10-11:25 ice

*** I started driving again! YAY!!!

THURSDAY- BREAK

FRIDAY- May 20

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2:50- 3:08 ice

3:08-3:09 patellar mobilisation

3:09-3:16 heel slides 50x90 degrees final reach 105 degrees

3:18-3:32- co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball

3:34- 3:35 hip flex 50 reps with rubber tubing

3:35- 3:36 double calf raises 30 reps

3:37- 3:54 wall squats 30 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold, 60 degrees **

3:57-4:00 hamstring curls black tubing 100 reps ***

4:02- 4:22 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt

4:23- ice

SATURDAY- MAY 21

10:08-10:21 ice

10:22-10:23 patellar mobilisation

10:24-10:44 WALL slides 50x90 degrees final reach 100 degrees

10:52-11:02 seated co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball

11:03-11:04 single calf raises 30 reps ***

11:05 -11:18 wall squats 30 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold, 60 degrees

11:18-11:19 single foot balancing ***

11: 20- 11:24 step ups 50 reps ***

11:25- 11:27 hip flex 50 reps with rubber tubing

11:28-11:30 hamstring curls black tubing 100 reps***

11:31-11:51 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt

11:51-12:06 ice

*** First time for exercise/additional difficulty added!

As for walking around, I still limp and can't walk full speed, but I'm definitely a lot faster than last week. I also started driving on Wednesday. I can comfortably sit down with my knees bent at 90 degrees.

This week marks me being alcohol free for one whole month. ACL patients are discouraged/ banned from drinking alcohol since it makes our knees swell. So far I've been really good about not sneaking a drink in since I'm determined to get this knee rehabilitated as soon as possible. BUT.... I miss drinking- a nice cold beer, a glass of wine with steak or champagne when toasting at an event, some scotch with friends.

It's ACL therapy plus alcohol detox.

I'm writing this from the Mabuhay lounge while waiting for my flight to SG, and my ACL knee hurts from the cold. :( For this trip, I'm using my Vibram FiveFingers as my travel shoe and it's great. I didn't remove if for the security check, I just said I was wearing socks.

Excited for Singapore, hoping that walking won't be so difficult. I want to shop during this trip!

Love,

Bertha

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Wall slides for therapy Saturday

I've graduated from normal heel slides to wall slides. It looks like this! Yay!

This was what I did yesterday:
Therapy Friday
2:50- 3:08ice
3:08-3:09 patellar mobilisation
3:09-3:16 heel slides 50x90 degrees final reach 105 degrees
3:18-3:32- co-contractions with electric stimulation on vmo and rectus femoris 20 seconds x 10 reps, bent and with ball
3:34- 3:35 hip flex 50 reps with rubber tubing
3:35- 3:36 double calf raises 30 reps
3:37- 3:54 wall squats 30 degrees 10 reps 20 secs hold, then 60 degrees, 10 reps 20 secs hold
3:57-4:00 hamstring curls black tubing 100 reps
4:02- 4:22 prone hangs with 2 lbs wt
4:23- 4:38 ice

Friday, May 20, 2011

I wish: I could teleport to the beach right now!

Heading off to Singapore with the family next week!

I'll be absent from therapy for a week because I'm off to Singapore for a family holiday!

I'm still limping a bit so I hope the rest of my family walks slightly slower for my sake.

I was at the Football Philippines Magazine launch last night, bumped into the my team captain Marielle and updated her on my progress in therapy and how my surgery went. She asked if I'll be ready to play in October in time to prepare for the SEA Games, and I said I'll see. I took a long time recovering from my first ACL, and I liked how relaxed my pace was. I'm not sure if I have the time or energy for uber competitive play anymore.

I'll post another update specifically on how therapy has progressed this week. This is just a quick post to test out Posterous.

Bertha

Top 10 Reasons Why this Injury is a Blessing in Disguise

Happy Easter everyone! After the Nega list (Negative), here's the silver lining to my dark ACL cloud.
1. I will now have ACL surgery scars on both knees.
2. I get to ride around in a wheelchair if I don't want to walk, like today in S&R.

: My Lolo pushing my wheelchair around S&R

3. I will be forced to go to the gym for rehab.
4. It encourages me to stay home and rest instead of going out and drinking.
5. I will have more time to do makeup jobs. I scheduled my surgery to accommodate this airbrush makeup class I want to attend.
6. It's forcing me to look beyond football for athletic activities. I'm thinking of trying triathlon since it's all forward and no lateral movements. First I have to learn how to swim. My mom wants to run marathons. I hope to be running with her when I recover.
7. It's making me to look on the brighter side of things. That's why I'm writing all of this. It's going to serve as my therapy journal.
8. It's a sign for me to try new things.
9. Everyone sees me injured and instantly feels better about themselves. Admit it. :) Schadenfreude!
10. I'm hoping it'll make my legs shrink a bit so I can fit into my old jeans.
On a side note, I was watching TV earlier and saw this guy Masazumi Soejima win the Boston Marathon's wheelchair division. I researched and discovered another Japanese won the women's division. After seeing him win I immediately felt so inspired and lucky that I still have both my legs. I'm injured but I'll recover to run marathons with my mom. :)
I'll give myself a 5 minute time limit to feel bad then after that I have to snap out of it. No wallowing!
Justin and I saw Limitless in Greenbelt today with his officemates and as I hobbled out of the ladies room feeling sorry for myself I saw this lady missing eyebrows and wearing a headscarf. She must have cancer, and again I was reminded of how easy it is to recover from my injury. This doesn't require medication aside from post-surgery painkillers. I am very very blessed.
One thing my sister Sheila and I worry about is how my knees will be when I'm forty. She says I should probably ask my doctor if I should be taking glucosamine or those other joint supplements.
I've always wanted to write more, put my ideas out there and finally with my ACL recovery as the main topic I'll get to do that. I'm not the best writer, I think in bullet points, blame all the reports for the business classes, so bear with the style.
Love,
(out of her immobiliser since it's hot)
Bertha

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

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.

Monday, April 18, 2011

At St. Lukes Medical Center

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, which I named Airiel.

Pax,

Bertha

Sunday, April 17, 2011

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