Hailing from Scotland, a mother from Glasgow has unveiled her astounding odyssey, chronicling an arduous journey spanning over a quarter-century of IVF treatments and an expenditure nearing £100,000. Helen Dalglish and her husband embarked on their quest to conceive at the tender age of 28, only to be confronted with the harsh reality of their “unexplained infertility,” prompting them to turn to IVF as a potential solution.
In their relentless pursuit of parenthood, the couple explored a gamut of intrauterine insemination procedures and self-funded IVF treatments, traversing both the National Health Service (NHS) and private avenues. Regrettably, their concerted efforts proved fruitless, leaving 54-year-old Helen to reflect upon the emotional, physical, and financial toll extracted by the trying chapters of their fertility saga.
“There were moments when we took breaks for a year or two,” she reveals, her voice laden with the weight of years. “Since they said it was unexplained, we tried yoga, meditation, and alternative health, hoping that forgetting about it might lead to a spontaneous pregnancy.”
Tragically, even after enduring four unsuccessful intrauterine insemination procedures and persevering through more than two decades of IVF disappointments, Helen was repeatedly confronted with the devastating sting of failure, likening each setback to a profound sense of mourning, as she confides in Daily Mail.
“Each failure left me absolutely devastated. It felt like mourning,” she confides, her voice tinged with sorrow. “I would be down for a couple of weeks, but then I would gather myself and think, ‘If you want this baby, you have to stay strong.'”
Through the arduous journey, Helen discovered that her tilted womb presented an additional obstacle, hampering the success of prior embryo transfers. Moreover, she endured the heartbreak of three miscarriages and the loss of ten resilient embryos from donor eggs. At one juncture, plagued by doubts, she teetered on the precipice of surrender. However, a confluence of events, including the passing of her father and a poignant conversation with her mother, rekindled her flickering flame of determination.
“My father was seriously ill before he passed away, and my mom suggested that I try another treatment,” Helen recollects, her voice tinged with both sorrow and resolve. “Before my dad passed, he asked my mom, ‘What can I send you from heaven?’ She replied, ‘Please send her a baby.'”
“In the end, that extra push came from my dad.” Her decision, against the odds, proved to be transformative. While the initial attempt at Dunya Fertility Centre in Kyrenia met with disappointment, Helen experienced the incredible miracle of pregnancy on the second endeavor.
“When we found out, both of us burst into tears and screamed. I believe my dad had something to do with it,” she exclaims, her voice brimming with awe. “It felt like 25 years of grief escaping and catching me off guard.”
Today, Helen radiates with pride as she embraces the title of a mother, her heart swelling with joy and gratitude. Her precious daughter, Daisy Grace, embodies calmness, contentment, and the long-awaited blessing she had yearned for.
“I was reaching the deadline at 53. I believe you can’t pursue treatment beyond 55,” Helen elucidates, her voice teeming with gratitude. “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the staff, doctors, and everyone at the clinic.” Daisy Grace, a cherished gift, has rendered the entire 25-year wait priceless, transcending every moment of Helen’s enduring journey.
