MYLENE Paat had just gone through what she described as the ‘most major injury’ to have come her way in 12 years since her Adamson days.
The 31-year-old told reporters for the first time that her once-undisclosed injury was a supraspinatus tendinitis diagnosis on her left shoulder.
In Layman’s terms, Paat underwent surgery on her damaged and overused rotator cuff that took over a year to full heal.
READ: Akari locals carry fight in another five-set win over Chery Tiggo
Her last PVL game was back in the 2024 PVL Reinforced Conference knockout quarterfinals on Aug. 27 in a five-set loss to PLDT.
Since then, the 2022 Reinforced Conference MVP had to juggle the physical and mental toll of dealing with a prolonged injury layoff. And it was a road far from easy.
“Kapag ganito kasing galing ka sa injury, at ito rin kasi ‘yung pinaka-major na injury na naranasan ko, sobrang laking itinulong din nito para sa’kin para mas maging more tough ‘yung pag-iisip ko,” Paat said.
“‘Yung patience kasi sa nangyari sa’kin and sa ginawa ko, sobrang haba nu’n. Ina-apply ko rin ‘yun hanggang sa nakabalik ako, patience lang talaga na hindi ko man makuha ng isang beses, pangalawa, pangatlo, makukuha ko rin ‘yun,” she added in the midst of losing her first two games back with the Crossovers.
Also allowing Paat to take flight again with ease was the tireless support of her husband and Kazakh volleyball player Sergey Rezanov.
To have that support system from someone who directly understands the challenges of recovering from injuries in volleyball gave Paat a reassuring presence both in person and from afar.
“Few months ago kasi, nandito siya ng mga three months. Habang nagre-recover ako, tinutulungan niya ko,” Paat said.
“Kahit video call lang, sinasabihan niya ko na ‘it’s time for you to do your range of motions.’ Gina-guide niya ko lagi na ‘wag tamarin kasi ito ka na. Lagi niya kong pinapayuhan na kung back to zero ka, embrace mo lang lahat ng ‘yan.
“Siya ‘yung isa sa pinaka-tumulong sa’kin na maka-recover at magpursiging makabalik agad.”
One gear higher
In her first two games back, Paat normed a meager seven points — far from her usual staggering numbers.
She even played in every set of Chery Tiggo EV’s 11-25, 25-22, 27-29, 25-17, 7-15 loss to Akari on Tuesday and even started in Sets 2 to 4.
But as she’d know best in her years in the sport, slow and steady wins the race.
“Hindi ko in-expect na mabababad ako ng ganun katagal kanina. Iniisip ko lang na kapag naipasok ako, magpe-perform ako,” Paat said.
“Sobrang saya ko na pinagkakatiwalaan ako ng coaches ko even though hindi pa ako ganun ka-100 percent dahil one year ako mahigit na nagre-recover. Actually mag-aanniversary na ako sa operation ko.
“Marami rin kasi akong pinagdaanan pero hindi ako nawawala mismo din sa loob ng training. Nag-training sila pero nasa gilid ako nagre-recover kaya alam ko pa rin ‘yung mga nangyayari sa team ko.
“Up and downs talaga, or downs, downs, downs pero ngayon medyo umaangat na kaya sobrang thankful lang ako.”
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