Greenock mum hails 'miracle' after fertility struggle

Lorna McMillan was in a 'pit of despair', believing she would never fall pregnant when she learned that her dearest wish had finally come true.

Now she and long-term partner Shawn have shared an emotional moment together in waving little Hope off on her first day at St Patrick's Primary.

Lorna, 39 - who has struggled with mental health and attempted to end her own life - says that she has alternative therapy reflexology to thank for the turnaround in her fortunes.

She fell pregnant with Hope, who is now aged four, while undergoing a block of the treatments - which involves applying pressure to various parts of the body - at West College Scotland.

Lorna had previously spent entire days in bed literally pulling her own hair out. 

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She told the Tele: “In 2017 I was in a pit of despair, I got there through years of struggling with my mental health, anxiety and depression and social anxiety which had all been building for years.

“I felt like I had achieved nothing, like I was a complete waste of a life.

“I was lying in my bed, I wasn’t eating, I wasn’t sleeping either even though I was in bed all the time.

“I would just lie there and pull my hair out, I had a big bald patch all over the back of my head.

“My hair was like tumbleweed on the floor there was that much of it.

“I had completely removed myself from life, it was wee things like when you bumped into people, they’d ask how I was getting on and if I had any children.

“I felt like a complete waste and that’s ridiculous because everyone’s got a purpose.

“Now I feel as if I had to go through all of that to get to this point to get this message out and hopefully help someone else.”

The turning point for Lorna came when her sister urged her to come along to a health and wellbeing course she was attending at West College Scotland. 

Lorna says she ‘instantly clicked’ with the course’s content.

She added: “Sometimes was daft wee things to calm yourself down or ease stomach pains, but they really helped get me there every week.

“I got the chance to have a six-week block of reflexology at the college and after two of the sessions I conceived.

“Shawn and me had been together for 19 years and we had been trying for a baby for 13 of those years.

“As soon as I fell pregnant, I felt a sense of calm.

“Everything isn’t perfect now but I’ve got a future, I think it gave me my life back.

“I’m convinced reflexology is the only reason I’ve got Hope.”

Five years on from falling pregnant with Hope, Lorna says her life has changed for the better.

She is still going through the process of finding out the exact cause of her fertility issues but says that the course of reflexology was a huge help in dealing with her struggle.

She said: “I think this could help our NHS, I think with the strain on training nurses and waiting lists reflexology could help treat symptoms while people wait for diagnosis.

“I’m not saying it’ll change everyone’s life – although it has changed mine – but it’s a nice wee massage or something like that, there’s no downside to it.

“When I was getting reflexology at the college, they were always very strong about me checking with my doctor about the treatments. They never say to exclusively go for reflexology.

“It just takes the people who know what they’re doing to work together, and this could really help.”

Lorna and her family shared a special moment a few weeks ago when they waved Hope off for her first day at St Patrick’s Primary.

Lorna added: “I’d given up on ever having a family of my own, I never thought we were going to be taking her to school.

“The past couple of weeks have been like a dream, it was really emotional taking her to the school gates on the first day.

“Hope's my wee miracle, I feel blessed to have her.

“We called her Hope because that’s what she gave me."