Journal of IiME Volume 3 Issue 1 www.investinme.org SEVERE ME – A NORWEGIAN EXPERIENCE H Haarraalldd aanndd KKjjeerr ss tt ii KKrr ii ssnneerr The Krisner family from Norway whom we intoduced on the Conference 2006 DVD in a TV programme (available from the Invest in ME web site) and in a follow up article has since experienced considerable changes. Katrrine, who has been ill since 1999, has become miraculously better in the past year. In 2003 she woke up from a coma like condition only to become seriously ill again in 2006. At that time she was left bedbound for 2 more years in total darkness, being tube fed and without any ability to communicate at all. Her condition was plagued with severe symptoms, and we fought to keep her alive. In December 2007 she was prescribed broad spectrum antibiotics due to an infection. After 2 ½ months on this medication, she suddenly responded in February last year. She started to speak slowly. Light and sound sensitivities became a little bit better also. She told afterwards how she had gradually felt getting better, but had no means of communicating it. After further blood tests we carried on with the treatment, but now with three different antibiotics at the same time. After two more months, at times with debilitating side effects, Invest in ME (Charity Nr. 1114035) The Krisner Family and ME in Norway In 2006 we were introduced to the Krisner family from Norway whose three children were severely ill with ME. All three siblings Frode, Katrine and Bjørnar lived normal lives before their sickness. Bjørnar was a journalist and TV presenter. In 2006 they agreed to appear on a Norwegian TV programme to highlight the plight of severely ill ME patients. Doctors could not explain why all three siblings had the illness. They did not know whether it was genetic or if there were other factors which forced three young people to live several years in the darkness and confined to bed. At the time of the program the three siblings were 29, 26 and 20 years old. Frode became sick when he was 7 years old, Katrine when she was 20 and Bjørnar became really sick when he was 26. No one could predict if the siblings would ever get better nor say what can be done to return them to a normal life. Page 32/76
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