I’m a bit like Pippi Longstocking. “I’ve never tried this before, so I’m sure I can do it!”. I grew up on a farm and am used to hard work. I never cared about gender roles, I was just as strong as the boys and could do everything they could do (apart from the obvious). I got my own horse when I was 9 years and did all the work that came with it myself. Played football from when I was 10 and worked in the barn and on the farm with what needed to be done.

Then I got mononucleosis in ’92. I tried to take it easy for a few months. When I got signal to “go ahead”, I started up again with everything I used to do.. Exercised to get my strength back. My grade in gymnastics would worsen if I didn’t keep things up. Since then it happened over and over again.. I pushed myself and got ill, again and again, until 2000.. When I remained lying down on the sofa or bed for large parts of the day.

After a lot of back and forth over several years, the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration advised me to try LP. They even paid for the course for me.. I believe this was approximately in 2006.

The course was held in Oslo and proceeded as described by several others here. I followed the lectures and did the exercises. I also did them at home, but have to admit I didn’t blindly obey everything. I listened to the things I found useful, but fortunately I had relatives with me who were supportive of the course, but who also after having participated and followed me both before and afterwards, were supportive that this might not be quite right to follow strictly after all.

I didn’t improve… but I didn’t deteriorate either (because I didn’t completely overrun the signals from my body). I still often crash because I’m not able to pace well enough in my everyday life.

I got much more out of a stay at Skogli (a rehabilitation centre) almost 2 years ago, compared with LP. Although I didn’t find a miracle cure in any of the places. After Skogli I actually got a bit worse for a while, but this was to be expected, and now things have stabilised to a mild degree over the past year.

I don’t do ME, and I try to make the best of the days I have with the techniques and patience, joy, frustration and degree of fatigue I have that day. Then others may think what they want. (At least I’m strong enough to think that right now). I have been lucky after all. I am not usually bed bound. I have support from others. I’ll be ok <3