Nyligen fick bantamviktaren Irene Aldana ställa in sin planerade match mot Holly Holm på grund av COVID-19 och nu berättar hon om sin tid med sjukdomen.
Ursprungligen var tanken att Irene Aldana skulle ställas mot Holly Holm i huvudmatchen på UFC Fight Night 182 men mötet fick dock flyttas fram när det kom fram att Aldana testat positivt för COVID-19. Istället fick mötet mellan Derek Brunson och Edmen Shahbazyan ställas som huvudmatch på galan, som äger rum nu till helgen.
Var redo för match
Efter sin tid med sjukdomen har nu Aldana talat ut om upplevelserna i podcasten “Hablamos MMA”. Aldana berättar att hon kände sig helt redo för matchen mot Holm men att hon började känna symptom för COVID-19, vilket gjorde att hon testade sig.
Yeah, it’s a very sad thing. The truth is that I was very excited, and I was ready for that fight on August 1st, but unfortunately I started feeling the symptoms: headache, fever, body aches. I decided to take the test so I could make sure, and it turned out positive. We were in contact with the UFC, and we were waiting for a second test just to be sure, and the second test came back positive. Right now I’m focused on recovering, and I feel better, but not 100 percent. It seems I’m getting better, so right now just focused on the recovery so I can start training again.
Hade tur
När det väl stod klart att hon hade sjukdomen berättar Aldana att hon fick leva med kraftig huvudvärk, feber och yrsel. Hon berättar även att hon hade tur och inte behövde varken hjälp av respirator eller besök på sjukhus.
From what I can tell you personally, I had very bad headaches, fever of 38 degrees, I was sweating a lot because of the fever, dizziness. I felt very fatigued from very simple things like going up and down the stairs, chest congestion. I lost the sense of smell. I can say I had it good considering what other people have gone through. The fact that I didn’t need a respirator, I didn’t need to go to the hospital, it went well within the things that could’ve happened. There are many people that don’t believe in the virus and that believe that for being young and healthy nothing will happen to them. Yes, the chances are low, but something can happen, and the virus is highly contagious. It could’ve came from anywhere. You can get it at any point, so you have to take care of yourself and take care of those who are at a high risk.
Vidtog alla säkerhetsåtgärder
Aldana berättar även att hon iakttog alla säkerhetsåtgärder och trots detta fick sjukdomen. Hon hoppas kunna använda sin erfarenhet för att få folk att ta sjukdomen på allvar.
It’s very important, and I’m happy to use my experience and this platform to tell people. I was in the best shape of my life. I was ready for five rounds. I was training two, three times a day. My diet was on point. My nutritionists were sending me a very healthy and measured diet. I disinfected everything. I was only training at home. The truth is that I took all preventive measures and even then we caught it. So you can’t be too confident because you’re young and you take care of yourself or have no underlying conditions. I’m not diabetic or obese, which are some of the conditions of high risk, and even then I had a very rough time, and I still have some existing effects. I still have the virus in me, and I’m still battling with it. The fact that I’m an athlete, and I have a healthy diet, I didn’t need a respirator, I didn’t need to say goodbye to my family to go to a hospital, so it’s something we need to take seriously and not dismiss it.
Mötet mellan Aldana och Holm var ursprungligen tänkt att äga rum den 2:a augusti men när mötet blir av är i nuläget okänt.
