22.07.11 ACL Re-construction

After I got left ACL rupture on end of April and been to World Netball Championships 2011, finally I went for ACL re-con on 22.07.11.

22.07.11 (Day 1)
My op was scheduled at NUH, 3pm but it was delayed and I waited for almost 45 mins before I can go into the operating theatre. By the time I woke up was already 5 +pm and finally I'm wheeled back to the room; Joe & Fern were there. Janice too! Her niece, Sandra, was beside me. As usual, I needed a plastic bag very badly as the GA really made me nauseous; I vomitted the whole night.

23.07.11 (Day 2)
The scar and hamstring area were very sore and I ended up taking the painkillers and antibiotics given by the doc. The best thing was I managed to shower! Yeah!!!

24.07.11 (Day 3) 
The scar and hamstring area were very sore again....Did nothing and was lying on the chair the whole day.

25.07.11 (Day 4) 
Finally it's Monday. Joe came and fetched me to SSC for physio. I was welcomed by the warm smiles of physios.

• Flexion: 90+ degree, Extension: 3 degree (Not too bad)
• Did VMO squeezes: 3 sets of 20, VMO squeezes + raise leg: 3 sets of 20

26.07.11 (Day 5)
Self-rehab

• VMO squeezes: 5 sets of 20, VMO squeezes + raise leg: 3 sets of 20

27.07.11 (Day 6)
Physio again~~

• Flexion: 112 degree, Extension: 3 degree (Not too bad)
• Did VMO squeezes: 3 sets of 20, VMO squeezes + raise leg: 3 sets of 20
• Used reformer and did something like leg press (weightless): 3 sets of 15

28.07.11 (Day 7)
Path & Ling's wedding day. I helped out as 1 of her sisters for the whole day. The best part was there's Moscato wine! And I was restricted to 1 glass by Premie who forced me to do the pinky finger pact with her. When I finally reached home, my ACL knee was swollen; due to the wine and lots of walking. Oops! Down myself with anti-inflammatory.

29.07.11 (Day 8)
Went physio again and I confessed to Fizah that I had a glass of wine which caused my knee to swell up. -__-|||

• Flexion: 110 degree, Extension: 3 degree
• Did VMO squeezes: 3 sets of 20, VMO squeezes + raise leg: 3 sets of 20
• Used reformer : 5 sets of 15

30.07.11 (Day 9)
Seen Physio Sreya and the knee was still swollen...

• Flexion: 110 degree, Extension: 3 degree
• Did VMO squeezes: 3 sets of 20, VMO squeezes + raise leg: 3 sets of 20
• Used reformer : 5 sets of 15
• Bike cycle: to and fro only

31.07.11 (Day 10)
At home doing own VMO squeezes & ice ice ice...

01.08.11 (Day 11)
Physio Sreya again~~

• Flexion: 125 degree, Extension: 2 degree (amazing improvement)
• Used reformer : 5 sets of 15
• Bike cycle: full cycling

♣ NSL "Wipers" vs "Allowanas" ♣

Didn't play today as I'm still not cleared for my strength test which I kinda predicted. Was told that in order to drop to <10%, face="Trebuchet MS">
But the good news was, my hamstring was cleared!!! Right hamstring was slightly stronger than the left.

Game started smoothly & shooters were converting the shots & I was "convinced" that we might be able to win the game. Outcome wasn't what I expected.

Fatigue comes into play very soon which leads to poor performance, poor vision, poor options. Everyone do gets fatigue at a point, is just a matter of how one controls it.

Team game needs the unit to work together & perform.

I can only give advice, not solution.

Words came out from my mouth were bad omen...

"The girl's taping was quite similiar to ACL taping. Somemore put on knee brace. Does she have ACL?" I was referring to "Allowanas" GA.

And during the game, she got herself injured after trying to save the ball. She couldn't move at all, couldn't stand up properly, couldn't walk by herself. Hmm... familiar scene... I shall asked around about her condition & see if it's really ... Anyway she should take a break from netball...

Don't tell me I can foresee thing?

♣ Biodex test again ♣

In my previous post I wrote about my ACL leg getting stronger & therefore, I did biodex test again. Before I kicked off, Steve was so kind to me. He helped me releasing the tightness of my leg. Thanks!!!

Just for a change, I started with my ACL leg first instead of the good leg. It really felt good doing today than the previous time I did it.

Good news : I have 14% of deficit but the total work is 19%.

I have another 2 more weeks to pump the ACL leg again. Hopefully I can "graduate" from there.

Today is the happiest time I've ever been for the past 10 months.

♣ Muscles big big lah ♣

My right quad is getting bigger now, which is a good sign? 3 days of intensive weights program really fired the quad & that means I'll be gaining more mass. *Arghhh* I must control my diet now... No more chocolates...

On my way back home, I thought about the times when I had my ACL operation. Thanks to those who stayed by my side til I finished the op. I'm really grateful to you all though I tend to forget sometimes.

After looking through the namelists of the nsl teams, Fern told me to be careful of that crazy woman. She's playing!!! Will she go crazy again?

I envy the rest. I hope to do my best for myself,& nobody else.

♣ Tougher & tougher ♣

Suppose to blog yesterday but I was left with little time to do preparations for next training. Not mentally preparation but to prepare training & after shower clothings. I've been hitting the gym to pump my ACL leg since wednesday. It's getting stronger now, so let's hope that I can clear this time round.

Open squad did total of 19 sets of shuttle runs. I really can't imagine how will I survive that... I need to buck up...

It's getting nearer & nearer & I really hate it...

♣ blah blah blah ♣

Took 1/2 day to pray to this god called 虎爷;it means tiger god. People prayed to this god to wish that their work will go smoothly without nuisance around them, & I do it too. I want my work to go smoothly without nuisance around or rather say everything that evolves my life will go smoothly. Well~~~ if you aren't from Taoism, you won't know about all this.

Things aren't getting as simple as I thought nowadays... If you try to be funny, be prepare to get played back.

This is only the start & I felt sick about it already. How am I suppose to go through it for the next few years?

*shout* "I'm restless with insufficent rest... I want freedom back..."

♣ 1st national training of 2008 ♣

Before court work, we gathered for a meeting with Lisa to talk about training. I was shocked after looking through the paper she gave us. Trainings on Monday to Saturday!!! My goodness... my life~~~ When she said that Rashid will plan the conditioning session, I gave out a "shock" sound & she asked "Why?" I just shook my head & smiled back. Of all people, why choose him again... Oh no!!! Beep test runs again...

I just realised that I'm the OLDEST in this current national squad. *cry*

I won't be doing court work/ play games for the next 3 weeks until I do the test again & hopefully I can clear it. Fern said that people will start to question me like "Why can you play World Champs when you weren't cleared?" If you were in my shoes, will you go for it? Right now there's no major competition & I really want my leg to be fully recovered.

If anyone thinks it's easy to clear, then please have an ACL injury & go through it.
You won't understand how I feel as you only think for yourselves.
Can anyone imagine the soreness at the back of the knee & you can't even straighten the leg after all the trainings/games?

♣ Not passed! ♣

Did the biodex test today again & this is the 11th time I've done it. I don't think any athletes have done so much in their life before. Well~~~ this time I felt good doing it but the result wasn't that great.

Good news : ACL leg has grown stronger.
Bad news : Good leg also grown stronger.

Sigh~~~ In the end, I'm not cleared yet. Soooo frustrating!!!

NSL selection has changed the format & this time round Lisa, the natioal coach, will allocate national players into the teams. Arghhh~~ I don't want to play for xxx.

♣ Stronger than yesterday ♣

Went for weights at SSC in the evening & as usual, the gang was there. Felt that the "leg" have grown stronger as I could do heavier weights now. The good part was I'm able to increase the weights for my leg extension. *yeah*

I'm packed with trainings next week & I do hope it will not be so high intensity. My only rest day will be... Sunday...

Jia you ba~~~

♣ Buck up time ♣

Been staying in comfort zone for too long. Be it work, personal or sports, it's time to buck up & not let everything sail away.

Through thinking is not enough to make a success but through actions, they can. Imagine if you keep thinking that you will slim down 1 day without doing any single exercises & be a couch potato, will you really slim down? It's not hard trying, it's the start to do things that's hardest.

It's easy to let things fly past you but will you be able to catch them when you realise how much they mean to you?

Impressed that these stuffs came out from thoughts without thinking twice.

I'm going back for rehab tomorrow & will ache badly on sunday. I swear...

♣ Extra hard efforts ♣

Chin said that if I'm gonna try for this year squad, I got to work extra hard for my ACL leg. It's 8 months after operation & I'm still nowhere... Too slack? I guess so... I need to get my motivation back again...

♣ 3 quarters of court time ♣

Had a wonderful 3 quarters of court time just now. Played 2 quarters of GA & a quarter of GS. My runs were better this time round & couldn't felt the stiffness on the knee.

Mental breakdown after being knocked by Ling. I was shocked by the knock I guess... Started to tear...

I need to stay stronger this time round... No more tearing...

♣ 2 quarters of court time ♣

Just had 2 quarters of court time with the squad, played GS & GA. My movements were so stiff & not smooth when I'm playing GS. At GA, I could run freely without thoughts in my mind & the movements were better.

My conclusion : Got to warm up my right leg more than usual.

Today's video shoot was a joke. We were informed that the shoot would be at indoor court but they changed their minds & turned out to be at outdoor court. What a waste of time!!! They should have done the shooting at Kallang netball courts instead of Singapore Sports School.

Well... never mind...

Got new bodysuit for upcoming World Champs. It's blue in color. Yeah!!!

♣ It's so fun with them around ♣

Game in the morning was cancelled due to the rain & we did wet weather session indoor. Had a mini run throughs for the attacking end.

Had a powerful nap from 2 to 4.20pm which I didn't even wanna wake up to go for training. Was so glad that I increased my single leg press weights to 170kg. Though the right leg seems to grow stronger, it wasn't that strong as I thought on court. But it's ok... just got to pull it through the World Champs!!!

They were so funny today... Wondering what's happening & what caused them to laugh so much. 1 of them had her shorts torn while trying to do the barbell squats & created hilarious laughters in the gym.

This World Champs will be the last journey for us together as a team. Let's make it a memorable one!

♣ 1st training game after 5 months ♣

I was down for a quarter of training game with the squad. It's MARVELLOUS!!! Really felt so good playing on court though it's only just a quarter.

But I landed too hard on the ACL leg while doing the warm up drill & it hurts. *OUCH*

My shooting was 100% (I think) & really felt so different from previous trainings. Guess I'm possessed when I'm on court playing.

The sun was so hot in the afternoon & I was sunburnt during the video shoot at Singapore River Promenade. My face.... hands.... neck were so red... I got a "chao ta" forehead now.

♣ Added too much pressure ♣

Recently my shooting really sucks, it's not just a miss, it's 7 to 8 shots consecutively missed!!! What's wrong again?

Obviously Kate came over & asked me why. I told her that I was too focused on my movements that I forgot to switch into shooting mode. And partly because I really felt very bad throwing bad passes to them & I kept saying "Sorry" to them throughout the whole training.

Too much emotions in me, I got to get rid of it. But I guess it wasn't easy. Too much stuffs happening at home... How to concentrate?

♣ Stronger? ♣

Increased the weights for my program today & really worked me out.

Progression : I did 2 chin ups on my own. *applause*

This morning when we had the training, I couldn't catch Lix's passes. Came into conclusion that it must the missing carrot cake. I didn't have it for breakfast as it's sold out.

Tomorrow will be hydro at 8am. Gosh!!! So early... We'll be making the most hilarious joke in the pool tomorrow. All of us will be in our "ATTIRE" for the hydro. =)

K Lunch with some of them tomorrow!!!

♣ Saturday training ♣

Never expected to wait for the train for 12 minutes & ended up being late for training.

Chin had planned an "endurance circuit" for us.

1. Carry the 20kg bag on both sides of the shoulder & do 10 squats. After both sides were done, carry the bag & do 10 shoulder press.

2. Push the van for a distance.

3. Pull the slat with 50kg weights for a distance.

And we got to do 4 sets of that. Obviously I used a lot on my left quads as I couldn't feel any aching on the right quads.

It rained 15 to 20 mins later after the training ended.

Next saturday will be another session... And the hardest part is, we have to go for spin class in the afternoon.

♣ Basic again ♣

Shooters have another session but the rest got their active rest. Today we focused more on our basic landing & shooting because we shot very badly during yesterday's training.

Did a lot of jump ins to catch the ball. And the happiest part was I didn't even tape my knee as I didn't want to rely too much on the taping in preparations for the World Champs.

30% of my body wasn't aching but I'm sure after tomorrow's session, I will drop dead on the bed in the afternoon.

♣ Aching... ♣

Today is the 4th day of training & we were like "Oh my... aching...." I even wore my top & bottom skins to sleep in the afternoon. Ling asked, "Huh? You slept in air con room?" I replied "No... on the fan la..." Anyway my side was pouring & it felt cool...

Right now after the morning trainings, I will definitely do the soaking in hot colds. If not, I guess I'll be worst than aching.

Good training session tonight when I stopped hard after sprinting. Though it might felt weird, I think my leg was stronger than compared to last week.

Tomorrow is another shooters' session before I could get the full afternoon day off from netball.