Greenock mum's fighting spirit saw her battle back from the brink of death

Bridie Mackinnon has been through an ordeal over the past three years but the 65-year-old has remained remarkably resilient, determined to stay strong for her family.

Over the last three years, Bridie, of Finch Road, has suffered very poor health.

She has had pneumonia numerous times and was left fighting for her life after developing sepsis - a serious complication of an infection which can lead to multiple organ failure and death.

Bridie said: "It was back on Valentine's Day in 2017, I started getting shortness of breath.

"When I phoned the doctor's to get an appointment, the receptionist told me to phone an ambulance.

"I was rushed to hospital and there were so many doctors and nurses round my bed including the heart and respiratory specialists.

"I was put in the high dependency ward."

Her daughter Shari, who lives in Holmscroft Street, said it was extremely frightening to see her mum so ill.

She said: "We didn’t think at one point that she would pull through and we were told to expect the worst and asked to decide if she was to have a 'Do Not Resuscitate' instruction on her file."

Doctors discovered that Bridie was suffering from sepsis, pneumonia, a chest infection and flu.

Bridie said: "I thought my time was up.

"They wanted to put me into an induced coma because my heart was going to fast and they were worried I might have a cardiac arrest."

Shari said that herself, her dad John and her brother John, all tried to remain strong but were terrified.

She said: "It was horrible.

"They said they might put my mum into an induced coma if they couldn't get her breathing right.

"Her blood pressure was too low.

"My mum was scared in case she was put in a coma and would not come back out of it."

Thankfully, the medical team got Bridie's condition under control using high flow oxygen therapy

Bridie said: "The doctors and nurses were wonderful."

Bridie was kept in hospital for two weeks before she was allowed home.

She added: "They said I had dodged a bullet."

But Bridie was still not out the woods as she suffered another life threatening condition nine months later.

Shari said: "My mum has also had a blood clot which travelled down her leg and went to her big toe, and this resulted in her toe being amputated."

Bridie said she was left bedbound after the procedure.

She said: "The nurses would phone up half an hour before they came in so I could take a morphine tablet so they could dress the wound.

"The pain was like nothing I have ever suffered in my life.

"I was in bed for a long time."

Bridie has also suffered countless other health problems over the past few years and is now having more tests done after suffering from another bout of pneumonia last year.

On top of all this, Bridie also faced heartbreak after losing her precious mum Mary last year.

But despite everything that has been thrown at her, Bridie has shown remarkable courage.

Bridie's bravery has inspired her daughter to nominate her for The Tele's 'Mum in a Million' competition.

Shari said: "My mum has been through the wringer and back again.

"She's so strong considering everything that she's been through.

"Even though she has had her own issues she’s always been there for my brother and I and her two grandchildren.

"I know how precious mums are with nearly losing mine and every mum deserves this prize but this prize would be a great pick me up for mine and will hopefully boost her on to keep fighting for herself and her family.

"She has come back out the other side and is my rock and best friend.

"I don't think I would've got through half of the stuff I have been through in the past three years without her being there."

Modest Bridie, who dotes on her family, says she is taken aback to be nominated in our competition.

She said: "I've just done what any other mother would do for their family."