It could be an episode of the TV series Grey’s Anatomy. The love story ofnurse Christoph Cottignie (34) and doctor Ine Van Oeteren (32) also begins inthe hospital. During his night shift, he musters up all his courage to write aletter to that graceful young doctor who is doing an internship in hisdepartment.
Gert Reynders and Raymond Rutten
Yesterday at 03:00
It is October 2018. Christoph Cottignie has been working at the Sint-Vincentius hospital in Antwerp for eight years. Recently, a young femaledoctor in training from the distant Lanklaar (Dilsen-Stokkem) has been walkingaround in his department. She immediately catches the attention of the youngmale nurse. “I had already tried to find her on Facebook in vain. She couldnot be found on other social media either,” says Christoph. “I also didn’tdare to speak to her when I passed her in the corridor of the hospital. Ifound that quite embarrassing with all those colleagues around.”
“Then I have it old school done with a letter. During my night shift I crawledinto my pen. After several drafts and formulations, I finally dared to put mynote under her keyboard. In very careful terms I asked her in that letter ifshe would like to go for a drink with me in the city. I soon regretted it.’Oops, what have I done now’, that’s how it popped into my head.”
Christoph did not immediately receive an answer to his letter. So the doubtsonly increased. But two days later the redeeming message came. “I would liketo have a drink with you,” Ine wrote. It sounded like music to Christoph’sears. “We agreed a few weeks later. On our first date we went to a cozyItalian restaurant. It clicked immediately. We turned out to have a lot of thesame interests. We both had a cat as a pet. Conversational enough. After thatdinner we went for a cocktail at the Groenplaats in Antwerp. It was alreadyquite late when we got back to the hospital where her bike was still standing.It was cold and wet. After some insistence, I was allowed to take her home bycar.”
Ine and Christoph on their wedding day. — © raru
Bottle of cava
Christoph and Ine agreed to meet again a week later. But a second date was notlong in coming. “It’s my birthday on November 11,” says Christoph. “A birthdayparty with the family was planned on that day. I had told Ine that I wouldcome to her after that party. But that party turned out pretty well. At acertain moment I left anyway and I brought a piece of cake and a bottle ofcava for Ine. That was not the best idea, because Ine turned out not to likecava at all.”
Fortunately, that blunder did not stand in the way of the fledgling love. Thetwo never left each other. When Ine received an offer to work at the ZOL inGenk, Christoph did not hesitate for a moment. He quit his job at Sint-Vincentius Hospital, left his familiar home in Hove in Antwerp and followedhis love to Limburg. “Not such a big risk, because nurses are looking for themeverywhere,” he says. They both now work at the ZOL in Genk: Christoph as anintensive care nurse and Ine as a cardiologist in training. “I moved toHasselt in July last year. Normally we would get married on July 1, 2023, butfor family reasons we brought that date forward to November 12, 2022. One dayafter my birthday,” Christoph nods.
Whether he likes the move from the metropolis of Antwerp to green Limburg?“Certainly, I had absolutely no problem following Ine to Limburg. It was noproblem to find a job as a nurse here. I have fantastic colleagues in the ZOL.I also really like life in Limburg outside of work. The people are veryfriendly. Here everyone says hello to each other.”