Indholdsfortegnelse for 15-Feb-2018 i Chat

I’m looking to raise money for private surgery Huffing, puffing, panting...nothing at all helped. It was 2009 and I was having my first child, a little boy. I knew it would hurt, but not this much. I was in agony! My baby was in an awkward position and couldn’t get out, so a midwife had given me an episiotomy, where an incision is made into the perineum. Finally, he arrived safely. Healthy, weighing 7lb 14oz, he was perfect. I’d love to say that as soon as I laid eyes on my little boy I forgot the pain of labour. But for me, that wasn’t the case... Over the next few months, I suffered bleeding. ‘I think it’s fairly normal for new mums,’ I told my mum Deborah. But then, over…

He was banned from the supermarket and library I met Laurie when I was 21 and joined the advertising agency where he worked. We had an instant connection. The ultimate gentleman, Laurie, 27, had a sense of humour that lit up the room. Lively and sociable, he was popular and had lots of friends. I fell hard for this handsome, witty guy. And in 1972, we married. Two years on, we had Sophie, then Neil four years after that. Family life was so happy, and Laurie was at the centre of it. Ever the extrovert, he loved taking part in amateur dramatics. ‘Come on, Jill, help me learn my lines,’ he’d grin as the kids chuckled. It was wonderful watching our family grow. All too soon, in 2005, we were…

Pale concerns Q People always say I look pale. I feel fine. Should I worry? Tam, 41 A Most likely you just have a pale complexion! But if this is a recent change, or your eyelids, fingernails and lips also look pale, or you have symptoms such as tiredness and shortness of breath, ask your doctor for a blood test to check for anaemia - a lack of red cells in your blood. Knuckle crunch Q My husband cracks his knuckles several times a day and I hate it! Surely it can't be good for him? Pauline, 55 A The cracking sound probably results from bubbles forming in fluid inside your husband's knuckle joints as he stretches his fingers. Overdoing it could cause a minor sprain with a little pain…

There’s a blue lion sitting on my living-room shelf. It’s wearing my stepdad Allan’s favourite check shirt. It watches over me. I snuggle it when I’m sad. I made it after Allan, 83, passed away in June 2014. I was 13 when my mum Esther, now 74, first introduced me to Allan. I hated him at first, this strange new man in our lives. But he never gave up on me, was always kind and loving. ‘Come see your Daddy Allan!’ he’d say when I was upset, and he’d give me a big hug. He won me round, and all my worries disappeared with him around. We went on to form a bond that lasted long after my childhood had ended. I visited him nearly every week. We’d laugh and…

Squeezing down the plane aisle, me and my mum Jilly, 57, spotted our seats. ‘Can I have the window?’ Mum asked. I certainly wasn’t complaining – there was a gorgeous bloke in our same row who I’d get to sit next to. Result! It was July 2015, and I’d been living in Sydney, Australia, for six years. Mum had just been to visit, and now I was heading back to Manchester with her to see family. ‘Hi, I’m Lisa,’ I smiled, sitting down next to the sexy stranger. We got chatting. His name was Stephen and he’d been on holiday. We soon found we’d grown up around 20 miles apart. ‘I can’t believe it!’ I gasped. After that, we didn’t pause for breath. It’s a long, nine-hour flight, but the…

As we live in the idyllic countryside of northern Scotland, we live a pretty busy, but very quiet life. Working seven days a week running our own business can be quite exhausting – so we’ve found that relaxation is a big priority to us when it comes to how we spend the evenings. We’re both totally in love with the job – in fact, me and my partner Peter, 69, both thrive off it. You’ll usually find us either watching the telly or reading a good novel in the evenings. Then, back in June 2014, while I was looking online, I discovered Chat Mag Bingo. I noticed that the site had got a lot of different games to choose from – and not just bingo, but also some huge jackpots…

Feed the birds  Instead of binning my unused tealight holder, I attached some string and filled it with birdseed. The birds in my garden love their new feeder. Happy days! Beverly Steer, Beer Grow with coffee Put coffee beans around your house plants. As they decompose, they release nitrogen that enables growth. My plants have never looked so healthy! Jane Whitaker, Margate Spotless sink To get a super-shiny stainless steel sink, sprinkle flour on it, then wipe off with a dry cloth. Sparkling! Deborah Robinson, Warley Blank jars Use nail-polish remover to get jam-jar labels off, and then wash them thoroughly so you can have your own blank jars! Lee Hall, Sittingbourne DIY dinky peg bag I wanted a small clothes-peg bag, but couldn't find any nice ones in the…

I won the show – and even the whole series! Host Matthew Kelly gave me a big grin. ‘Faye, tell us who you’re going to be?’ he asked me. ‘Tonight, Matthew, I’m going to be...Olivia Newton John,’ I announced, smiling at him. Smoke billowed around me, and I turned and waved. I walked into the mist as schoolgirl Faye Dempsey and reappeared as Olivia Newton-John – Sandy in Grease. With my blonde hair in a 50s flick and dressed in my yellow cardie, I belted out Hopelessly Devoted to You. It felt amazing! It was 1997, and I was competing on ITV’s Stars in Their Eyes. I was 14 and living my dream. I’d always loved performing – and now, here I was on telly! Even better, I won my…

The 13-year-old was in the wrong place at the wrong time THE CRIME On 22 July 2000, Christopher McCulloch, 13, and Blaine Talmo, 14, were battered to death in a school playground. Sickeningly, the murderer was just a child himself... THE STORY A school playground is usually somewhere boys and girls have fun, playing football, standing around, chatting and laughing. But at Valley View Elementary School in Glendale, California, one hot evening in July 2000, the playground would turn into something resembling a horror film – as two shocking murders played out… It all started when two teenage boys at the school decided they wanted to dabble in smoking cannabis. Michael Demirdjian, 14, and his friend had heard that a 19-year-old could get them some weed. A meeting between the…

Aries 21 March - 20 April You ask a daring question, as you’re interested and want to know more - but people think that you’re making a genuine bid for whatever’s on offer, or perhaps even a proposal. Is that what you actually wanted? Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May In a job where your finer qualities aren’t appreciated? Well, you’re about to start a new position where everyone worships you! However, that can be just as bad - try to find somewhere between the two. Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June You’re working with someone you don’t like much - but you have to admit, you’re a brilliant team. Maybe it’s because you don’t chat to each…

My eyelids flickered open. I’d been unconscious in hospital for 12 hours Hearing muffled voices through the walls of my house, my whole body trembled. My neighbours were at it again, talking about how much they hated me. It was August last year – and, for months, my neighbours had been causing me so much grief. They seemed to have it in for me, for absolutely no reason at all. And I often heard them talking loudly about me through the thin walls. It brought on terrible anxiety and I didn’t feel safe in my own home anymore. I even went to the police several times, desperate for help. ‘I think my neighbours want to hurt me,’ I cried, explaining how vile they had been, the things I’d heard them…

He tried to blame the garage that sold him the car... My daughter Shelby grabbed her jacket and threw her arms around me. ‘Won’t be long, Mum,’ she smiled. ‘Don’t worry about me.’ ‘I promise,’ I agreed. Yet it was easier said than done. It was March last year, and Shelby was my only daughter out of four children. She had severe epilepsy, so I was protective. I worried if she was out too long, just in case she’d suffered a seizure. But I knew I was lucky because, though Shelby was 19, she never stayed out late. That night, her friend was picking her up. ‘We’re going out for pizza,’ she said. The pizza place was local, so I knew she was safe. Later that evening, I sent Shelby…

Tying my hair up in a ponytail, my hand brushed the side of my neck. That’s when I felt it. A lump the size of a cricket ball. ‘What is that?’ I gulped, looking in the mirror. The lump was painless and hard. My thick brown hair fell to my waist and I mostly wore it down. That must have been why I hadn’t seen the lump before. Calling my partner Mark, 24, into the room, I showed him. ‘You need to get it checked out,’ he said. I tried not to worry, but all I could think about was cancer. I visited my GP who said it might just be built-up fluid. But I was referred to Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for tests. There was a three-week wait…

MUA Luxe Blush Trio in Bashful, £5, Superdrug Brush the blushers over the apples of your cheeks, then use the highlighter shade on your brow and cheekbones. B. Radiance Powder in Peachy, £8.99, Superdrug Apply these five shades separately or swirl them together for a radiant glow. Barry M Blusher Palette, £5.99, Boots Use the shimmering shades for night and the matte for a more muted, daytime look. Nip + Fab Blusher Palette, £7.15, feelunique.com Try these highly pigmented blushers alone or blended into a custom colour.…

As a mum, you know your body, the baby growing inside of you. And every instinct in me was screaming that something was different about this pregnancy. ‘I just want to have this scan,’ I worried to my then-husband. It was 1999 and we had four children between us from previous marriages. This was our first together. My first two pregnancies had been a dream. Yet, this time, I’d had bleeding, terrible sickness. My heart raced as the sonographer scanned my belly. ‘There’s two heartbeats,’ she smiled. ‘It’s identical girls.’ ‘Twins!’ I gasped, stunned. Thankfully, we could see the two girls were growing well. From then on, I was treated as high-risk, scanned regularly. Yet I was still in pain and bleeding, then at 18-weeks, I went for another scan.…

Serves: 4 Prep: 10 mins Cook: 15 mins Cost per serving: 52p 1 To make the sauce, put 100g salted caramel in a small saucepan with 25ml apple juice and stir together over a low heat for 2-3 mins, until smooth. Set aside. 2 In a large bowl, stir together 140g self-raising flour, 3tbsp caster sugar, 1tsp baking powder, 1 egg and 3tbsp melted butter. Once combined, add in 125ml milk and stir until you have a smooth batter. 3 Heat a large, nonstick frying pan over a high heat and wipe out the pan with a little butter or oil. Ladle some of the batter mixture into the pan and reduce the heat to medium. Cook until the underside of the pancake is golden, then flip with a fish…

Serves: 4 Prep: 25 mins Cook: 10 mins Cost per serving: 68p 1 Cut 250g chicken breast into thin strips and tenderise a little with a mallet or the blunt edge of a cleaver. Rub the chicken with 2tsp sesame oil and set aside for 15 mins. 2 Heat 2tbsp oil and fry 2 sliced garlic cloves and a 2.5cm piece of ginger (finely sliced) until light brown, then add the chicken. Stir for 2 mins and add 2tbsp soy sauce and a pinch of black pepper. 3 Stir for 1 min to allow the seasoning to be thoroughly absorbed by the chicken. 4 Add 2tbsp water and stir for 2 mins. Serve with steamed long-grain rice or noodles, with coriander to garnish.…

Heartbreaking story How sad to read about Adam, who died because he needed a heart transplant and didn't live to see the little boy he adored grow up (23 November issue). I really hope that this story will encourage readers to become organ donors so that more lives can be saved and tragedies like Adam's occur less often. Colleen Brunton, Enfield Well grounded Recently, I asked my grandson Connor, 6, if he’d like a new mountain bike for his birthday. He looked at me with concern and said, ‘Oh, no, Grandma. I don’t want to ride up any mountains!’ Irene Emerson, Grimsby Fees too high Can it be it any wonder that university applications have fallen as tuition fees rise to over £9,000 a year? This increased debt burden is…

Pregnancy didn’t cross my mind – it was impossible Scans showed my girl thriving, my boy lifeless I winced in agony as pain clamped around my middle. ‘I can’t take this any more,’ I groaned to my partner Paul, 49. It was early 2015 and, for years, I’d endured gynaecological problems. I suffered with heavy bleeding, painful cramps. I’d tried the coil, medication, but nothing worked. ‘I feel like I’m bleeding to death!’ I gasped. But then I had an endometrial ablation, a procedure where the lining of the womb is burnt, hoping to end my health issues. ‘You can’t have any more kids,’ the doctor said. ‘That’s fine!’ I chuckled. I already had three boys – Bradley, then 15, Henry, 12, and Finley, 8 – so it didn’t bother…

He asked for the footage of his attack to be turned off, because it made him feel sick I stared at my reflection in horror. ‘I look like the Elephant Man,’ I choked. I’d been so badly beaten, I barely recognised myself. My eyes bulged with deep purple bruises, my cheeks were swollen and puffy. I had no recollection of the vile attack, but was no less traumatised than if I had. I felt violated, like part of me had been stripped away. ‘At least he’s been caught,’ I sobbed. My only relief. I was told that, during questioning, officers forced Jeremy to watch the harrowing footage of his attack. Only, he couldn’t stomach it. He asked officers to turn it off – because it made him feel sick. ‘Coward,’…

GUILTY In March 2011, six years after first being jailed for killing her husband, Nancy Kissel was convicted of murder for a second time. The verdict triggered an automatic life sentence. In a statement issued through their lawyers, Robert Kissel’s family said they believed ‘justice had been done’. In 2014, Nancy lost another appeal against her conviction. Her children were being raised by her sister-in-law in Seattle. In 2016, Nancy spoke of her remorse and requested to be moved to a US prison. And, in court in 2017, Nancy Kissel challenged the decision to refuse her application for conditional release or a fixed sentence. The two judges presiding have reserved judgment – meaning they will deliver a decision at a later time, usually in a written form.…

Sainsbury's Stonebaked Margherita Pizza, 10in 250g, £3.50 A good, basic pizza that's perfect for feeding the littl'uns - plus it's lower in fat and cals than other supermarket versions. Asda Extra Special Buffalo Mozzarella & Sunblush Tomato, 12in Pizza, £3.50 An impressive treat with a thin and crunchy crust, lots of tomato and well seasoned. If you like a crispy base, then this is a must! Morrisons The Best Margherita Pizza, 495g £4 A real winner - better than a takeaway, we reckon! Crispy crust, tasty tomato sauce and plenty of cheese. NEW Itsu Vegetable Fusion Gyoza, £3, Tesco Impress the family with your Japanese cooking skills! These tasty treats can be cooked from frozen in just 3-6 min.…

On the walls around me were posters of beaming smiles and dire warnings. Sweets will decay your teeth! one boomed in large letters. Sugar is bad for you! another said. All true, of course. I should know, working as a dental assistant. But if sugar was bad for my teeth, oh, did it feel good for the soul! I was 22 and a size-18. Sugar wasn’t the only culprit. Me and my fella Jim, then 26, were fiends for a takeaway. And when I say fiends, I mean we had them most nights. I’d met Jim a year earlier, in 1994. Loved up, we’d spend our nights cradling tinfoil trays as well as each other. Fast forward 10 years – and, by the time I gave birth to our son…

I’ve always believed in life after death and it helped me through the grief of losing my dad John. He passed away 20 years ago after a blood-clot problem. I speak to him daily and his picture is my phone screensaver so I’m always thinking of him. Most of my time is taken up in my holistic and mystic gift shop, selling flower remedies dreamcatchers, essential oils, crystals, among many items. Running a business can be exhausting so when I get home, I like nothing more than playing a game of bingo. I joined Chat Mag Bingo after reading stories in the magazine about people’s wins. My favourite is the slot game Tiki Temple, it’s exciting watching all the jungle symbols spin on the reels and, of course, there’s four…

Sitting down for a work meeting, pain erupted up my right leg. Ouch! I’d hit it on the table leg, banging my ankle. Rubbing it better, I was shocked to feel a small, hard lump on my ankle bone. What’s that? I wondered. It was October 2016, and I’d never noticed it before. But, over the next week, it started getting bigger. It was red, looked angry. Plus I started to notice a mole that’d always been there had now begun to change. It was getting lumpy and darker. It’d started to throb, too. So I took a picture of it. What do you think of this? I typed and sent it to a friend who was a nurse. Get it checked out! she responded immediately. Worried, I remembered an…