I feel, I long, I am afraid, just like you. Yet my illness means that everything else is secondary. What is most important is to investigate, intervene, make plans, overcome… there is no time for anything else, no space. The same applies to privacy. To be a patient means to be labelled, a topic for both small and deep talk. A visible illness or handicap drastically moves the boundaries. It excuses the curiosity of those around you. It changes the optics.

We want to thank you for your support and compassion – they are invaluable. Yet giving somebody the freedom to determine their own boundary between the private and the public is the foundation of mental health, something essential for the healing process.

I have decided not to share the details of my state of health. Do you understand me? I want to keep my name, to feel, to long, and to be afraid, for as long as possible.

What helps me mentally cope with the disease?

Calmness. The recognition of my own limits. The ability to accept them and not get frustrated by them.

What makes me happy?

Calmness, sleep, my dog, a forest, the sea, cooking, flowers, a massage, singing, a book, art, friends, food. Putting all these together.

How can somebody else make me happy?

Through the joy of sharing something we both enjoy. By making me laugh. By making me cry.

What do people say that is guaranteed to annoy me?

“When you think you can’t, try harder.”