Overcoming My Own Mind

Life is all about overcoming obstacles and I would like to share an obstacle I am currently trying to overcome and am at the verge of overcoming I think.

So back to what happened: in October 2021 we were on vacation in the UK and driving in the car when I suddenly felt unwell. Like seriously unwell. I had trouble breathing, my heart rate shot up to 150 while I was just sitting and my hands and face were tingling. I ended up in the hospital where I got diagnosed with pneumonia. Now I know pneumonia is a serious illness nobody wants, but if you would have told me it would take me the better part of 6 months to get better again I would not have believed you.

The first two weeks I was still ill, on antibiotics and short of breath. I couldn't do much during that time and I also got heart palpitations, which I had never had before. So I had to get my heart checked out, but turns out the old ticker was fine! After 2 weeks I went back to work. Now to get to work I cycle 11 km to get there and 11km back, suddenly now I would get a super high heart rate and chest pains when I cycled it. And I mean I would just cycle easily and my heart rate would be 170. Not ideal.

So back to the doctor, who checked me top to toe and who didn't find anything medically wrong and sent me to a psychosomatic physio, where it turned out my stint with pneumonia caused me to develop hyperventilation. It has been months now of training my breath and my mind that I am not dying, not getting a heart attack, but I just have to take some time and breathe!

It has been the longest process, I feel like my mind has to overcome my body. I really have to consciously tell myself that it is OK and breathe trough it. But the good news is I am heading the right way! So it took me about 2 months to be able to cycle normally again, without crazy heartbeats, but I am doing it! And currently I am in the Alps hiking up mountains and gaining confidence in my body again! I guess it just shows we can overcome massive mental hurdles. This is me being very happy in the mountains last week, celebrating I can do things again!