Lung transplant patients share recovery experiences

Two Norwegian women who underwent lung transplants have described the difficult recovery process as Crown Princess Mette-Marit was discharged from Rikshospitalet on Tuesday, nearly a month after her own transplant surgery.

Maria Bjerke, 47, recalled waking with new lungs in autumn 2023 and struggling with breathing in the immediate aftermath. “I had to work hard just to inhale and exhale,” she told Dagbladet. She remembered sitting on the edge of her bed 15 minutes after surgery and standing shortly after, jokingly asking for panini and chips.

Bjerke described the early period as emotionally challenging, marked by grief rather than immediate joy. “I thought: ‘What have I survived for?'” she said. She also reflected on the donor whose lungs she received. “I kept thinking about the person who was no longer alive. It felt very sad.”

Over time, Bjerke adjusted to her “new normal,” regaining the ability to sing, swim, and cook for her family. “It’s the everyday things that become important,” she said. She advised others in similar situations to balance activity with rest, calling the recovery “hard work, especially at first.”

Eva Fjørtoft, 62, who received a transplant two and a half years ago, now leads an active life despite daily immunosuppressant medication and heightened infection risks. “I have a completely normal life like other healthy people,” she said. Last year, she ran five kilometers in a race and plans to improve her time this year.

Rikshospitalet’s lung department head, Are Holm, confirmed the Crown Princess’s condition is “good under the circumstances” following her discharge to Skaugum estate.

The Norwegian Association for Heart and Lung Patients notes that post-transplant life involves lifelong immunosuppressant treatment, which can cause side effects ranging from mild to complex. Infections, fluid in the lungs, and medication reactions are common complications.