Surfin’ Mike suffers fracture

A worried President Arroyo did not allow First Gentleman Jose Miguel Arroyo to brush aside her insistence that he see a doctor following a spell of dizziness and vomiting on Monday.

On "orders" of the President, the First Gentleman reluctantly underwent extensive check-up at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City on Monday. Mr. Arroyo was diagnosed to be suffering from the effects of a hairline fracture of the ribs — the result of a surfing accident.

Mr. Arroyo had joined the President last Sept. 25 in surfing off Siargao island in Surigao del Norte to kick off the seventh International Surfing Competition.

The President said her husband had aimed for the biggest waves while she settled for the spot where the surf was milder. The First Couple had surfed in the past but were both out of practice. To prepare for surfing, the President took up aerobics for about a week.

As the First Gentleman tried to mount his surfboard, it was tossed by big waves. The board slammed against Mr. Arroyo’chest. His arm cushioned the impact but he started feeling intermittent pain shortly afterward.

Reached by The STAR yesterday, Mr. Arroyo said the President became worried after he complained of difficulty in sleeping and breathing.

"It’s very painful every time I cough," he said.

After the accident, he said doctors at the Presidential Security Group (PSG) took X-rays of his chest but failed to find any fracture.

The day after the accident, Mr. Arroyo said he felt dizzy and vomited as he was about to join the President for scuba diving in Coron, Palawan near a Japanese war vessel wreckage.

Her husband’s dizziness and vomiting prompted the President to cut short her scuba diving.

The hairline fracture of the ribs was only discovered after the First Gentleman underwent a CT scan at St. Luke’s.

On Monday, Mrs. Arroyo stayed overnight with her husband at the hospital. She took the opportunity to have a check-up because she herself was suffering from severe colds and sore throat.

Doctors told Mr. Arroyo he would have to stay longer at the hospital to enable them to complete a battery of tests.

A hot compress eases the pain of his fractured ribs, he said.

The 56-year-old Mr. Arroyo admitted that he had to lose weight as this hampered his ability to surf, an activity he and Mrs. Arroyo enjoyed doing together during their younger and leaner years.

Mr. Arroyo said he was 40 pounds overweight for his 5’7" frame. He weighs 240 pounds.

"I really have to lose weight," he said.

He said he had started a 10-day physical workout at the PSG gym before his hospitalization.