A Conversation With Lorraine Ansell, Author Of The Surrender Agenda

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best arts and entertainment magazine UK“, Lorraine Ansell discusses The Surrender Agenda, her witty, honest memoir of living with Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, redefining “surrender” as powerful cooperation with her body’s reality rather than defeat, offering hope, awareness, and permission to anyone navigating chronic pain.

Lorraine Ansell is the author of The Surrender Agenda. Always in pain but always smiling, everything hurts and even her fingers whilst she types. Lorraine writes books, audio dramas, websites, blogs and much more. This is the first time that she has published a book about her own pain and how she lives her life in pain. As well as talking about her painful condition – Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome – which was diagnosed in 2022, Lorraine had a detached retina in 2023 and laser eye surgery three times to save her sight.

For readers discovering you for the first time, what is The Surrender Agenda about?

It’s a personal journey memoir about what happens when you discover your body has issues and how to learn to follow a different road map for living. In this case Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and several comorbidities like POTS and MCAS. It weaves chronic illness, identity, creativity, grief, humour and a sprinkling of stubborn hope into a story about learning to listen inward instead of constantly performing outward. It’s not about giving up, it’s about really listening and seeing the truth and discovering the power that such truth brings.

What does “surrender” mean to you?

For many decades I felt a clear push by society towards pushing myself and my body, ignoring its very loud signals. For me, surrender is cooperation with my reality. It is accepting the flow and not going against it. It is a deliberate intention to listen and pay attention to my needs. This isn’t about giving up. It’s about accepting and working with that acceptance to serve a rich, deep, connected, purposeful life.

Was writing it healing?

I hadn’t realised how much healing, processing and truth-telling was involved. Some days it was healing, some days revealing. Sometimes painful. I felt as if I had turned the spotlight on issues and really seen them for the first time. That can be gratifying and terrifying in equal measure.

What does a good day look like now?

A good day means accepting that no two days are ever the same. Every day is painful, but some days are lighter. A good day is gentle and soothing. It’s listening to myself. Eating when hungry before recording. Taking a nap if needed. Putting my legs up on the wall when I feel funny. Catching what my body wants instead of ignoring it.

What do you want readers to take away?

Awareness and permission. Awareness of chronic pain and permission to own their own pain. To listen to their body and their truth. To consider another way.

Chronic pain is misunderstood. What needs to change?

We need to stop treating pain as valid only when it’s visible, measurable or dramatic. Chronic pain is complex and requires time and work to be heard. Patients shouldn’t have to become full-time researchers just to be believed.

Find more from Lorraine Ansell now:

Kindle: https://amzn.to/4sj5vKW

Paperback: https://amzn.to/46ZB6c6

Audible: https://amzn.to/4qZQlsU

Apple Audiobook: https://apple.co/4shOhgY

https://www.lorraineansellauthor.com/