Corona suddenly came very close to Edith Bosch

Former World Champion and triple Olympic medallist Edith Bosch got surprised by the coronavirus a few weeks ago. Just like World Champion Loic Pietri she felt unwell and went through an experience that will need some time to get a place. On the other hand this life experience offered a lot of information and an opportunity to grow and develop. Edith Bosch shares her story and experiences.

More than 1.5 months ago, when there was already corona in the Netherlands, there didn't seem to be any danger to me. In all honesty, I thought it wasn't going to go that fast, and if someone was healthy and fit, it was me. I told myself that everyone could get it except me, of course. With that I created a kind of false safety for myself.

I am an entrepreneur and a coach. I have a company together with life coach Martijn Smit. We support people to see and feel that they are more than they think, can do more than they think and are therefore actually much bigger than they think. We do this through coaching, training, events and (social) projects. It takes a lot of time and love and the beauty of it is, it doesn't feel like work. Besides being an entrepreneur, I was on average 5 times a week at Crossfit Amsterdam, I walked 2.5 hours a day with my dog ​​Joep (a boxer of 2.5 years) and I had a busy social life with family and friends.

So nothing to worry about. Until 4 weeks ago I did not feel completely fit and decided not to train for a while. That week I regularly had stitches on my chest, back and between my shoulder blades. The pain was not constantly present but came and went. After almost a week without sports, the measures were tightened by the government and the gym was closed, I decided to run a bit with Joep. After 5 minutes, the stitches in my chest were so painful that I couldn't run. I felt that it was not quite well but I calmed myself. But the next day with normal sedentary work I continued to be in pain, also radiating to my jaws and chills on my back.

Hospital experience

A day later, after walking the dog, I no longer knew how to sit, stand or walk in pain, after a long doubt and several conversations with people I took the step to call the General practice center. I mean, me? To the hospital? Oh no? And then also the thought that I did not want to be a poser. That evening I was admitted to the emergency room and suddenly I was in the medical circuit. Me, who had not been ill for over 10 years and never goes to the doctor at all. A CT scan of my lungs showed an infection, but no reason to keep me in the hospital. I almost forgot to tell how sweet all the people in the hospital were.

From that moment on I had to stay at home in quarantine and at least I was not allowed to leave the house. Joep was taken care of and from that moment on I was home alone. A week of fever, coughing, colds, chills followed, and if I seemed to get better, another wave came. Groceries were delivered and I spent 24 hours getting better. That was also when I got scared. I had not been tested yet but I had a bad feeling. All I could do was take it easy, be sick and feel a fight in my body where I could only wait.

After 2 weeks I got short of breath and I was hospitalized again. There the result of the test was dubious, but that could also indicate that I was improving. My CT scans clearly showed that I did have corona. What I then saw, felt, heard and experienced in the hospital is intense. The most confrontational thing was when I found out that even a vital person like me can get a virus. A virus that can kill. In the end I went home after 1.5 days because I was stable. In the meantime I had been home alone for 3 weeks and at times I experienced that as very difficult. No contact with the outside world at all.

Pay attention to recover

Now, since a few days free from corona, it really starts. In summary, there are 3 things that will require attention in my recovery in the coming period:

1. To regain confidence in my body. With every cough, or pain shoots through my head again, oh no!

2. The realization that I am mortal. That I got a virus that can also kill.

3. To be patient. Mentally and emotionally processing what I have experienced and seen up close in recent weeks takes time.

But, apart from my experiences, this situation also offers opportunities for me. One is to look at my experience from a larger perspective. I have regularly asked myself the questions: WHY am I experiencing this? WHAT opportunity does this situation offer me? The answer is so clear. I have become aware that I felt resistance to allowing my fear. So how I deal with what I feel in the moment. When I fully and unconditionally admitted my fear from ownership, a lot of space came up. After all, it is my fear, it does not happen to me, I create it myself. My experience is that every situation offers information and opportunities to grow and develop.