it started with a glass of water
Eirik knew something was wrong.
His girlfriend, Mari, had had a fever—and never fully came back. At first it was just fatigue. Then it got worse. In the end, a simple glass of water was enough to knock her out for hours.
They thought it was stress. The GP didn’t know. One specialist talked about burnout, another about mental health. No one understood.
And meanwhile Mari kept collapsing—and Eirik was left standing there, alone and powerless, in the middle of what would soon be given a name: ME.
❤️ a book for anyone who sees themselves in Eirik
Maybe you’ve stood beside someone who isn’t believed.
Maybe every day you try to hold everyday life, your family—and yourself—together.
Maybe you feel the same emptiness Eirik described:
“It felt like watching someone you love disappear—while no one else could see it.”
The book Caring and ME/CFS is made for you. It’s written with warmth, lived experience, and deep respect for everything you’re carrying—and it shows you how to move from powerlessness to mastery.
🧭 what you’ll find in the book
✅ understand the diagnosis—and PEM
You’ll learn what ME actually is, and what characterizes the illness: PEM (post-exertional malaise)—the delayed “crash” that makes even small activities trigger a major setback.
✅ pacing and energy balance
You’ll get practical advice on how to help your loved one plan activity and rest—and avoid running the body into the red.
✅ navigating health care
You’ll learn how to prepare for medical appointments, use a symptom log, and feel more confident when you need to be taken seriously.
✅ explaining ME to others
The book gives you ready-made phrases—short, clear, and easy to understand—so you don’t have to spend your energy on exhausting debates.
✅ handling emotions
Grief, frustration, loneliness, and longing are common for family and friends. You’ll get concrete tips for how to stand in it—and take care of yourself at the same time.
✅ sensory sensitivity and brain fog
You’ll get simple techniques for handling sensitivity to light, sound, and smells—and advice for communicating when words fall short.
you get more than a book—you get a companion
Caring and ME/CFS isn’t a book you put away.
It’s a practical guide. A place to find comfort when you don’t have it in you to Google anymore.
Support for when you don’t know what to say. A hand to hold—between the blows.
🎯 who is the book for?
This book is for you if you:
- are a partner, parent, sibling, or close friend of someone with ME
- feel worn out, unsure, frustrated, or alone
- want to understand the illness and PEM better
- want to find balance between caring for your loved one and caring for yourself
- need concrete steps to make everyday life work
🙋🏻 Eirik said it best
“I don’t know what the future holds. But I do know this:
It’s possible to love through illness.
It’s possible to find meaning, support, and warmth—in the middle of everything that’s hard.”
ready for support—and strength?
👉 Order Caring and ME/CFS now—and get all the resources you need to stand more steadily. For both yourself and the person you love.
A "Patient Diary" is included in every book
When you buy the book, you’ll also get access to our free ME/CFS email series – 8 lessons with simple tools and fresh insights you can start using right away.
This isn’t an in-depth academic book; it’s a tool for everyday life.
👉 Jørn Terje Hømandberg talks about the book in the video. Subtitles available.
