Bionic Bertha: May 2011

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