Eric Berkvens and his wife were part of the first corona wave. Just back from a winter sports holiday in Austria, they were really hit hard, but they recovered quickly. After a second infection, Eric continued to have complaints for a longer period of time. He soon felt that building up with the physiotherapist did more harm than good and opted for a more gradual recovery. “In the beginning, I could barely walk a hundred metres, but after nine months I could already walk six kilometres. At that time, I was at about 80% of what I was before the second infection.”
Eye-opener
“But the real misery only started after a booster vaccination against COVID-19, in November 2023. That's when I got really, really sick. We couldn't figure out what it was. Until my wife read in the NRC that you can also have long-term complaints after such a vaccination. Then we did the math and the penny dropped. Then you run into that proverbial wall. My GP wanted to think along, but didn't know what to do about it either. I had to look for myself.”
Half a word is enough
It was at this stage that Eric's wife discovered C-support. "That meant a lot to me. I felt truly seen and found recognition for my complaints. There was always plenty of time and attention and my regular contact person understood me with just a few words. C-support also helped me in the process with my employer and the insurance doctor and provided information to create understanding with them. Unfortunately, I lost my job anyway, but the mental support in particular did me a world of good. I also shared the information from C-support with my GP. He was happy with that. Also to know that he can turn to C-support as a professional for advice."
Guasha
Physical therapy and occupational therapy did not work for Eric. Then he came across cupping through someone else. This is an old Chinese treatment method in which cups create a vacuum on the skin, which stimulates blood circulation, among other things. “That already helped me quite a bit, but the therapist did not have a contract with my health insurer, so it cost a lot of money. Now I go to a physical therapist for guasha, another massage technique from traditional Chinese medicine. My back is treated with oil and a scraper to free the energy channels. That really helps me. After a series of ten weekly treatments, I now go every three weeks. Then I really feel that it is necessary again.”
To each his own quest
Eric wants to share what works for him, but realizes that this does not mean that it will work for someone else. “I always say that, very emphatically. This disease has so many manifestations that everyone goes through their own quest. Although we hope of course that the lessons from the centers of expertise can provide more direction in this. I personally enjoyed seeing new possibilities. That is also why I am telling my story now. Who knows, other patients may benefit from it.”
Irritable
After a difficult period, Eric is doing a lot better now. “I walk a lot now, every day with the dog and I clearly have more energy. At the end of the day I am still tired and I really go to bed on time these days. But I no longer fall asleep at half past seven and then sleep for eleven hours straight. What I still suffer from is my sensitivity to stimuli. That is also getting better, but I can still react very irritated to a simple question from my wife. And it can also suddenly become too much for me when I am at a birthday party. I have even had to pull over once because it was getting too busy for me. Then you really panic for a moment. Very strange, because I worked in the field and drove 60.000 kilometers a year.”
Listen to your body
When something like this happens to Eric, he now simply gives in to it. “Because if I have learned one thing from this, it is to listen to my body very well. I really don't go beyond my limits anymore. And people who know me know that it is not meant personally when I suddenly quit.” The fact that he can do more again also does his self-confidence and his social life good. He is around people more again. “I am now at about 80% of what I was before I got sick. It probably won't get much better. But if this is my new 100%, then I still have a fantastic life.”
This story is based on the personal experiences and perceptions of the patient in question. We at C-support like to share this because we know how patients can inspire each other and because professionals also can learn from those personal experiences. The content of this story can no advice is taken from C-support.
