Crown Princess Mette-Marit diagnosed with chronic lung disease: October 2018

[ladongas]

Perhaps her much-remarked-upon fear of flying is related to this. Shortness of breath while flying could indeed make one fearful.

 

[Dman]

My thoughts and prayers are with the Crown Princess of Norway and her family. I hope all treatments are successful and may she feel better.

 

[principessa]

How long can she live with it?
Well, if she is VERY lucky: About 10-15 years, and since it's been discovered at an early stage, we really have to hope for the best.
But the average survival rate is unfortunately just 3-5 years (discovered early or not).

And think about Ingrid & Sverre, having to go through this, while a whole nation is watching.

Don't forget Marius!

 

[Biri]

Fact that Marius is already of age, doesn't mean it's not a drama also for him.
As for eventual lung transplant - if it's necessary - how is it regulated in Norway?

 

[Hans-Rickard]

The first thing i thought after reading it in the swedish media yesterday was -

"Dear Lord in heaven, please be kind to this Wonderful woman, her husband and her children. Don't let Crown Prince Haakon have to do what his grandfather had to do in 1957 - become King alone. Be kind to Mette Marit and let her have many more good years together her husband and 3 beautiful children. Amen"

I guess we can only hope and pray that she will be one of those who will break the expectations and live much longer than what everyone thought ? My father had a kidney transplant in 1975 (shortly after they began doing it in Sweden). He lived for 34 more years on the same kidney and died from an another illness. Just trying to show that as long as there is life, there is always hope !

 

[wyevale]

This is very distressing, for ALL who love or value the Crown Princess.. may she, her husband, children and wider family find the strength they need in the coming years..

 

[kathia_sophia]

So so so sad news. My heart is with Mette-Marit and her family, specially her children. It is heartbreaking.

I know how hard it can be to hear such news and go along with all the process. My father was diagnosed with bladder cancer, but it was discovered at the early stages, so with treatments and two operations he survived it. It's been 7/8 years and he is still with us. So I have hopes for Mette-Marit since it was discovered on time. Never lose hope! Miracles do happen!

 

[Tilia C.]

This is really shocking news. Besides putting up a brave face, it must have been very hard for Mette-Marit an Haakon to go public with this diagnosis. But now that it's in the open, it will much easier to explain why Mette-Marit is taking on only few engagements or even has to cancel some. I really hope that good medical care and all the rest she might need will help her live for many more good years.


As for the children, I fear that Ingrid Alexandra will be affected the most. She might have to take on the role as first lady much earlier than she normally would have. Even with her mother still being around, Mette-Marit will be able to take on fewer and fewer engagements over the years. It must be pretty daunting for her.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Kataryn: According to Norwegian medical-experts (on this field), this is a pretty grim diagnosis, but it's been discovered at an early stage. - And that's very positive, so let's hope for the best. ?

Principessa/Biri: I was thinking about Ingrid & Sverre (as two 14/12-years-old members of the RF), having to go through this, while a whole nation is watching.
That doesn't mean I didn't think about Marius, Haakon or other members of the family. ?

So, calm yourselves down!

And when it comes to Lung-transplantations in Norway, take a read here: Lung transplantation - Oslo University Hospital.

 

[Barbara21]

I read it today in Estonian news and I am still shocked.
I naturally hope she will be cured. Good things happen and hopefully she can live a long life.

 

[fortimo]

Here is the TV-program, where the CP-couple said, that the Crownprincess has lung disease:

https://www.nrk.no/norge/kronprinsesse-mette-marit_-_-dagsformen-vil-variere-i-perioder-1.14263076

 

[Empress Merel]

Man, this is shocking news. A woman so young shouldn't have to go through this. I hope she can give this diagnosis a place in her mind and continue to do good things with the years that are still ahead of her.

I especially feel for the children. I too have a mother with a chronic lung disease and I can't tell you the amount of times she had to go hospital or an ambulance had to come in emergency. It's scary sh*t.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

I was shocked when I read this news; it's so sad that Mette-Marit has had this disease at such a young age, though on the other end of the spectrum it must be comforting somewhat to have an official diagnosis. I have a long-term (invisible) disability which I've had for most of my childhood though was only officially diagnosed with it last year, so I can understand how relieved, on some levels, Mette-Marit and the family must be feeling right now.
I do feel awful for the children, Haakon, and Norway as a whole though, at what I can imagine is a very scary and unpredictable time for them. I hope Mette-Marit pulls through with the best of care, which we can be reassured that she will get.
Does anyone know if there is an address in Oslo where we can send messages of support that will go directly to a secretary or member of the RF?

 

[Mademoiselle Lilo]

shocked saddened and some how speechless by the news,
i hop she got the best care and treateements that she will have many years ahead of her.

 

[marian]

Does anyone know if there is an address in Oslo where we can send messages of support that will go directly to a secretary or member of the RF?[/QUOTE]

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[marian]

Better in English
Contact information - kongehuset.no

 

[Susan D]

If Crown Princess Mette-Marit cannot do her duties, Princess Ingrid Alexandra will have to start her public role earlier than otherwise. I wish Princess Mette-Marit good health.

 

[HereditaryPrincess]

Thank you for those who sent links to addresses. I'll be sure to check them out.

 

[camelot23ca]

If Crown Princess Mette-Marit cannot do her duties, Princess Ingrid Alexandra will have to start her public role earlier than otherwise. I wish Princess Mette-Marit good health.

Ingrid Alexandra has been taking part in public events with her parents since she was small so I have no doubt that, when the time comes, she’ll fulfill her role beautifully. That being said, she’s still a very young girl and IMO her main focus should be her education until she’s finished university, (obviously with an increasing number of royal events added in the older she gets). Especially since the actual heir to the throne, Haakon, is perfectly healthy and can handle his obligations by himself if need be.

And again, the press release said MM appears to have an atypical, slowly progressing form of lung fibrosis. There’s no way to spin this as good news, but it’s quite possible with close monitoring and excellent overall care she’ll do better than expected.

 

[Hendrik-Jan77]

Ingrid Alexandra has been taking part in public events with her parents since she was small so I have no doubt that, when the time comes, she’ll fulfill her role beautifully. That being said, she’s still a very young girl and IMO her main focus should be her education until she’s finished university, (obviously with an increasing number of royal events added in the older she gets). Especially since the actual heir to the throne, Haakon, is perfectly healthy and can handle his obligations by himself if need be.



And again, the press release said MM appears to have an atypical, slowly progressing form of lung fibrosis. There’s no way to spin this as good news, but it’s quite possible with close monitoring and excellent overall care she’ll do better than expected.

And there is also Princess Martha Louise who will also be there for her brother and sister-in-law. She will probably take on some public duties when Mette Marit is not in that position and while her niece is still young.

 

[MARG]

For me, this answers one or two questions. People have been very harsh on Mette-Marit when it comes to her workload which I thought was odd because she comes across as a loving wife and mother and being lazy is at total odds with her persona.

As stated, there is no good way to spin this except perhaps she will be afforded a greater degree of kindness and the Norwegian people will take her to their hearts and surround her with love and respect for the work she has been doing and celebrate that which she can still manage.

For a woman of her age, it must have been really so hard to struggle along with this "invisible" illness for so long before receiving such a devastating diagnosis. Sharing it with the nation cannot have been easy speaking of what is a slow death. I am sure she will receive the very best treatment that the world has to offer and it will perhaps allow her to see all her children grow to adulthood.

 

[ladongas]

Are there any Norwegian hospitals with a lung transplant program?

 

[An Ard Ri]

Like so many here I was both shocked and saddened by the news.

 

[WillVictoria]

Are there any Norwegian hospitals with a lung transplant program?

https://organdonasjon.no/faq-kategori/5-needs-and-waiting-list/?lang=en

Going based on this Norweigan website advocating for people to become organ donors there are about 500 people on the waiting lists for various organs. Not all of them need lungs, but lungs are the 4th most in demand organ after kidneys, livers, and hearts.

One potential issue is Mette Marit will have to "wait her turn" as there would probably be a scandal if the Crown Princess "jumped the line" over other equally needy patients. The issue is you never know how fast the line will go and, given she has a slow-progressing disease and is recently diagnosed, she might be towards the back.

 

[ROYAL NORWAY]

Are there any Norwegian hospitals with a lung transplant program?

Yes, Rikshospitalet (The National Hospital) in Oslo, which is one of four main campuses of Oslo University Hospital. - But the number is limited by the availability of useful lungs from donors, and just about 30 transplantations take place each year.

Posted some information about it in post 39 BTW.

But according to medical-experts that Norwegian-television has spoken to, they ''don't see this as a very likely alternative for her,'' especially not if the disease has attacked other organs in her body (something her doctors don't know yet).

 

[carlota]

Yes, Rikshospitalet (The National Hospital) in Oslo, which is one of four main campuses of Oslo University Hospital. - But the number is limited by the availability of useful lungs from donors, and just about 30 transplantations take place each year.

Posted some information about it in post 39 BTW.

But according to medical-experts that Norwegian-television has spoken to, they ''don't see this as a very likely alternative for her,'' especially not if the disease has attacked other organs in her body (something her doctors don't know yet).

how can the disease attack other organs exactly?

this is why i am a registered organ donor and think more people should consider organ donation.

yes, my guess is that 'jumping the line', even if she is the crown princess will be extremely bad PR, although surely in private hospitals queues are shorter, so a transplant could perhaps be quicker to take place? i am uneducated with respect to whether private hospitals even do transplants in norway, my initial guess is that only public hospitals would get organs anyway.

 

[Tarlita]

Very sad news for the Crown Princess and all her family. It will be hard at times for the Crown Prince to look stoic in the face of difficult times ahead.
The whole family must be very shocked by this diagnosis.
I wish her well in the difficult times ahead. Hopefully medical science can find a way to slow this down.
Other royal families must be shocked too.

 

[Countessmeout]

how can the disease attack other organs exactly?

this is why i am a registered organ donor and think more people should consider organ donation.

yes, my guess is that 'jumping the line', even if she is the crown princess will be extremely bad PR, although surely in private hospitals queues are shorter, so a transplant could perhaps be quicker to take place? i am uneducated with respect to whether private hospitals even do transplants in norway, my initial guess is that only public hospitals would get organs anyway.

It's not a matter of hospital but of organs. No matter where you have the surgery. There is only so many organs and there is a waiting list. Norway seems to have a shortage. Private health wouldn't help get get organs first.

As for other organs it would mainly be the heart. The right side of the heart can be damaged with time as it has to pump harder to get oxygen to areas.

 

[carlota]

It's now matter of hospital but of organs. No matter where you have the surgery. There is only so many Urbana and there is a waiting list. Norway seems to have a shortage. Private health wouldn't help get get organs first.

As for other organs it wpuld mainly be the heart. The right side of the heart can be damaged with time as it has to pump harder to get oxygen to areas.

that makes sense. yes, i guess statistics aren't much consolation given there are only 30 lung transplants a year.

my guess is also that there may be a waiting list, but not all organs are compatible with everyone so transplants may not follow a strict order, who knows, maybe she is lucky finding a good donor.

 

[marian]

I think maybe her sister and her brothers can help her. Or not?