Nadia Montenegro was very busy during the launch of Mikaela Aesthetic Center held last March 16 at the CCP Complex Bay Terminal B on Roxas Blvd., Manila.

Either she was greeting guests with a warm hug and hello or asking them, "Kumain na kayo," or making sure that her youngest girl Ysha was doing fine.

When she finally had the time to chat with PEP (Philippine Entertainment), she mentioned that something is still wrong with her left eye and that she's set to have her third operation on March 19.

She explained the nitty-gritty of her two eye operations: "The January 6 surgery, they had to put a buckle, rubber buckle around my eyeball, [and] just make sure it won't get detached again. Because of that buckle, may mga fluids na pumasok, so now, naging patient ako since January 6.

"Ay, sabi ko, 'I'll try na lang the steroids oral, eye drops.' It's been how many months...Nabawasan, pero I still I can't see clearly. I can see only half, from eye level down.

"And even if I move it up, I still cannot see anything because may nakaharang na tubig."

But that's better than not being able to see at all.

The former Regal baby recalled her experience, "Last December 23, I was medically blind on the left side."

ON GRETCHEN. We asked about the controversies which surrounded her in 2008, and she said with cool detachment, "Wala, I've never seen any of them."

Last October, when we had our exlusive interview, a different Nadia faced us. She seemed fed up, almost flustered, and very frustrated. But this time, her casual retort, "Wala, move on lang."

She continued, "I don't know about Rose Flaminiano. I don't know about Cristy Fermin. With Gretchen [Barretto], we got to talk on the phone, but, it was like 30 seconds."

They already talked and patched things up?

Her answer was no. It was actually a mistake. She related, "I was calling Pops, and she [Gretchen] got the phone..."

What did she say?

"She said 'Hi,' to me," replied Nadia. "And then, she passed the phone."