BRINGING TOGETHER THE SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS OF LINCOLNSHIRE WITH NONE OF THE AWKWARD SH*T

My endo journey started in my teens before I even knew what endometriosis was.

I’d had years having my symptoms dismissed as period pains or cramps.

It took collapsing in the street and being rushed into emergency surgery with internal bleeding before I had a name for my "women's problems".

I was 19, scared, and I suddenly had to deal with having a condition that no one could cure.

And deal with it, I have.

After six surgeries, I've learned a thing or two about being in hospital, and the biggest thing I learned is it doesn’t get easier, you just get better at dealing with it.

Having to rely on other people for everything, and having no control over your environment can be so frustrating.

Even something as simple as having freezing cold feet in the middle of the night (every time I’m in hospital it’s the same), so the next time I went in for treatment, I took a pair of thick socks with me.

After the socks, it was lip balm and throat lozenges to help with the after-effects of having a tube down my throat.

A book to pass the time.

Earplugs and an eye mask so I could attempt to get even just a little sleep.

A dressing gown to feel warm and secure while lying in a room full of strangers.

Sanitary pads to help with the after-effects of surgery.

The list got longer and longer... And I knew that some of the things I needed, I could only get in maternity shops. As I was preparing for a hysterectomy, that was the very last place I wanted to be.

I decided I'd do something about it.

I launched Mrs B's Hive as a one-stop shop where you can get everything you need for your stay in hospital—and even a new bag to put it all in.

So whether you're living with endo, having a baby, or heading in for a big op, you can stock up on the little comforts that make being away from home so much more bearable. But we're a little more than that, too.

The Hive is made up of like-minded people dealing with the various conditions our bodies throw at us. Chronic health conditions don’t discriminate, and neither do we.

​We're a welcoming place, a safe space, and somewhere you can get support for whatever journey you're on, and however you identify.