About me
I'm Laurene Agnew, a wife and mum from Bangor in Northern Ireland. I've lived with endometriosis for more than twenty years, and these days I use what I've learned to help other people feel a little less alone.
My story
For a long time I was frightened of my own body. The pain was unpredictable, and for years I didn't have a name for what was happening or the words to explain it to anyone else. [Add a few lines on the road to diagnosis: when symptoms started, how long it took, and what finally changed.]
Over the years I've had nine surgeries and spent many nights on hospital wards. Often the hardest part was the waiting: waiting for answers, for referrals, and for someone to really listen. In the end I had to travel abroad to get the specialist care I needed.
I learned a lot along the way that I wish I'd known at the start. I didn't know, for example, that a hysterectomy isn't a cure for endometriosis, or that it's always okay to ask more questions and ask for a second opinion.
That's what I share now. I'm not a doctor and I don't give medical advice, but I can offer the honest experience of someone who has been through the system, and I hope it makes the path a little easier for whoever comes next.
Life after surgery
A year on from lying in a hospital bed, I found I could lift Jess, our 42kg dog, which I'd never have believed at the time. Since then I've run my first event, for Women's Aid, and stepped into the ring at an all-female kickboxing event in Kilkenny.
Everyone's recovery looks different, and mine certainly hasn't been a straight line. I share these moments because I know how much it would have meant to me to see that things could get better.
Why "Far From Mint Condition"?
It's a little joke about having endometriosis and five organs removed. Humour has helped me through a lot, so it felt right to use it for the name of my Instagram page, which is where all of this started.
What matters to me
- That women's pain is believed and taken seriously from the very first appointment.
- That young people learn about endometriosis early, because it can begin in childhood.
- That everyone feels able to ask questions and understand the options open to them.
- That women keep lifting each other up.
Would you like me to speak at your event?
You can find out more about the talks I offer, or send me a message directly.