Innehållsförteckning för 19-May-2016 från Pick Me Up!

What A Weekend! I spent the weekend in lovely Brussels. We were treated to fab weather and great food! I even had a cheeky waffle or two. Yum! What An Experience! I recently had the chance to see my fave band of all time, A-ha, play at the 02 in London. I’m still reeling from how amazing it was. We had front-row seats, too! What A Winner! (Or Not) I went bowling the other day for the first time in ages. Turns out I’m not as good as I remember. I came dead last, much to my dismay! What A Look! I came across some pics of me and my sister, and I can’t get over the ridiculous clothes! Socks, sandals and a knitted cardi – I think my big…

‘He dragged me inside and threw me onto the couch’ Jake Worsley. He was quite slight, always wore tracksuits - which I find really hot. We’d been chatting for a few weeks on Facebook, but we had a few friends in common, too. Everyone told me what a nice guy he was. And so, over the summer of 2013, we began dating. At first, it was nothing serious. We’d just hang out and have fun, go on shopping trips - Jake was very conscious of his appearance. And then, in March 2014, I fell pregnant. It was a huge shock. I was only 16, and Jake was just a year older. ‘We’re too young,’ he insisted. I knew he was right. We had no money, no house. How on earth…

Luxury For Less Aldi’s Lacura Caviar is a luxury range that helps reduce signs of ageing. Prices range from just £6.99 to £7.99. But they’re only available for a limited time Household Hero Don’t you hate peering at the side to read the measurements on your jug? This Oxo Good Grips Angled Measuring Jug lets you measure from above. Even better, it’s now just £5.49 (normally £6.99) at Lakeland until 30 June. Holiday Must-Have If you’re off on holiday soon, you might want to make sure you’ve got a tube of this in your bag! Enterosgel helps to prevent or reduce tummy bugs and is now £10.24 per tube (normally £12.80) at Boots until 24 May. Soak Up The Sun Make the most of the sunshine in your garden this…

Shaun says, ‘When I got in touch with Carmel in 2014, she was beautiful – but much too thin. It was hard work helping her to beat the bulimia and we had lots of arguments about it, but it needed to be done. ‘I stopped eating chocolate or anything that she wasn’t allowed when I was with her, and I’d gorge it when I was at work as a delivery driver! ‘Now, I’m just happy to see her looking healthier, and I’m pleased that she’s well enough to be put on the transplant list.’…

Pyloric stenosis 1 The condition affects young babies. True False 2 Symptoms include projectile vomiting and your baby not doing many poos. True False 3 The best treatment is giving your baby a gentle stomach massage. True False 4 Some babies simply grow out of it. 1 TRUE Pyloric stenosis is the narrowing of the passage between the stomach and bowel, and usually develops around six weeks after birth. It affects more baby boys than girls. 2 TRUE The narrowing of the passage stops food reaching the bowel. Your baby may also become dehydrated – which is dangerous in young babies – and fail to gain weight. 3 FALSE The condition is usually treated in an operation to widen the passage so that milk and food can pass into the…

‘Eddie and I had to do everything for our poor girl’ It was last New Year’s Eve. My hubby Eddy, 50, had just arrived back from walking our 4-year-old lurcher Spooky Boo. But when I saw them, I knew something was wrong. All 6st of Spooky Boo was bundled up in Eddy’s arms, panting and trembling. ‘What happened to her?’ I gasped. Eddy explained how she’d tried to spring forward and slipped on the wet grass. Her legs had gone the wrong way, and her body twisted. She let out an almighty yelp as she awkwardly hit the ground. ‘She couldn’t pick herself up,’ Eddy explained to me gravely. ‘So I carried her.’ It was heartbreaking to see our girl like this, completely unable to move her lower half. The…

Alexandra Malten, 62, Sydenham Relaxing on the sun lounger, I soaked up the afternoon rays. ‘Heaven!’ I said to my friend Steve, 69. It was November last year and we were enjoying an all-expenses-paid trip to Tenerife. We’d spent the week in a luxurious, all-inclusive five-star hotel. It was incredible! We’d had cocktails on the beach, fancy meals, refreshing dips in the pool... ‘Thanks for inviting me,’ Steve smiled. But it was all thanks to Pick Me Up! Bingo really. I’d won the trip after playing a few of my favourite games online. I joined Pick Me Up! Bingo in 2012. I knew lots of people who played bingo online and I wanted to try it. Just a bit of fun, I thought. I loved Bejeweled Bingo. My favourites were…

Forea Luna Play deep-cleansing device, £29, feelunique.com You’d be forgiven for not knowing what this little gadget is for at first glance, but it’s actually a vibrating facial-cleansing tool. Our Jess gave it a go, using her normal cleanser and gentle, circular strokes, and found that, although it felt a little weird to begin with, it worked really well. ‘Cheers’ Champagne Flute Baby Bottle, £12.95, www.prezzybox.com They might have 18 years to wait before they can crack open a bottle of fizz for themselves, but with this novelty champers flute, your tot can be ready to raise a glass at parties now! Occles, £22, www.occles.co These snazzy, eyeshade goggles were dreamed up by a couple on holiday, as they struggled to protect their eyes…

The Secret Of My Success NAME: Sandy Byrne, 53, from West Kingsdown, Kent. VITAL STATISTICS: I was a sporty child, destined to become a professional swimmer. Then at 14, I broke both arms and the weight started to go on. After having kids, I got into the habit of filling up on snacks. I ended up weighing 15st 9lb, a size-22/24. MY MOTIVATION: I’d tried every diet, but they all felt too restrictive, so I’d give up - and end up putting on even more weight. MY ACTION PLAN: In April, I joined Slimming World. I was so nervous, but I was made welcome. And, after that first week, I didn’t look back! I can still eat all my favourite foods and lose weight by cooking them ‘the Slimming World…

I was born with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome, a rare congenital condition, which causes varicose veins, pain, fatigue, internal bleeding and deadly blood clots. Despite this, as a kid I’d done tap, ballet and ballroom. But, at 14, I was fitted with a stoma bag and increasing pain in my right leg meant I had to quit dancing. I still need my stoma, and as walking short distances tires me out, I use a wheelchair . Two years ago, I saw on YouTube, ballroom dancers performing in wheelchairs. I researched classes online and, last January, I went alone to one, but I needed a partner. Through a Facebook appeal, a college friend and keen dancer Lauren Mather, 28, volunteered. Then, last June, Lauren took a burlesque course, and in November she planned…

1 Keep tyres inflated  Low tyre pressures increase the drag on your car, so it uses more fuel to get itmoving.Check pressures are correct once a month. 2 Tidy your car!  The lighter it is, the less effort it takes to accelerate, so clear junkfrom the boot! 3 Remove roof rack  The RAC say a roof rack affects fuel consumption by 10 per cent, so, when you don’t need it, take it off. 4 Turn off the aircon  It usesso much fuel,so while it’s tempting to leave it on, you’llsave money if you open the windows instead. 5 Make fewer trips  When an engine is cold, it uses more fuel for about the first five miles, so rather than doing two or three short trips, try…

‘Alfie’s tiny body couldn’t generate its own heat’ It was February 2014, and I was 25 weeks pregnant. One night, I woke up for the loo and noticed I’d started bleeding. My partner Stewart, 39, was at work, but he raced home to take me to hospital. At the Maternity Assessment Unit, we got terrifying news. ‘Your cervix is dilated,’ they said. ‘You’re in labour.’ ‘I’m only 25 weeks!’ I cried. But no-one could explain why. A number of specialists were on hand for the birth, which was quick and easy. But what wasn’t easy was seeing our baby for the first time. Just 2lb 2oz, Alfie was as light as a bag of sugar, and his skin was almost transparent. He was whisked off to Intensive Care, as his…

Up you get!’ I smiled to my son Samuel, who’d fallen over. Again. It was September last year, and Samuel, 4, seemed to be falling over all the time., even though he could walk perfectly well. My husband Paul, 51, and I thought he was just a bit clumsy, like most kids. But his balance got worse, and sometimes he’d vomit first thing in the morning. He seemed tired all the time, too. Then, one day, his left side went limp. Straightaway, Paul called his childhood friend Sue Francis, 49, who was a physiotherapist. We’d already seen the GP about the vomiting, and they thought it was just a bug. As the falls had been going on for a few months, we thought it could be something physical Sue could…

South African Pear Cake Serves: 8 Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 55 min 1 Preheat oven to 180C/ Gas 4, and grease and line a 20cm round, loose-based cake tin. 2 In a small bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. 3 Peel and core pears, and then dice into 3cm cubes. 4 In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, and whisk in sugar and vanilla. Whisk in half flour mixture, and gently stir in half melted butter. Stir in remaining flour mixture, then rest of butter. 5 Fold in pears to coat, then tip mixture into the tin and level the top. Bake on centre shelf of oven for 50-55 min, or until a fine skewer inserted…

‘The boys claimed it was self-defence following abuse’ THE BROTHERS GRIM: USA Brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez had a strong bond, but both hated their controlling father Jose, a successful entertainment executive who expected great things of his sons. The boys developed alarming tempers, were failing at school, committing burglaries. Their own mother Kitty labelled them ‘sociopaths’, while Jose threatened to cut them out of his will. Then, at 10pm on 20 August 1989, Lyle, 21, and Erik, 18, burst through the patio doors of their parents’ Beverly Hills mansion, gunning them down with pump-action shotguns as they watched telly. Jose was shot in the head at point-blank range. Kitty suffered multiple gunshot wounds before being blasted in the head while crawling away. Then the brothers shot both parents in…

‘I could splash out – and add to my savings!’ When I signed up to Pick Me Up! Bingo, it wasn’t just the games I loved. I really enjoyed chatting to other players in the chatrooms, too! They’re known as roomies, and I loved having a good natter with them. We all had our favourite games. The 75-ball bingo games were my fave, and I enjoyed a few games in the Take Me Out room. The game has a progressive community jackpot - so the entire winning jackpot is shared out between the players. I had a few small wins over the years. But I mainly just played for fun and to catch up with the roomies. Last year, my friend announced she was getting married. ‘Hen do!’ I beamed,…

TRIED & TESTED This week: Foundation brushes 1. EcoTools Flat Foundation Brush, £7.99, Boots I love the fact this is not only made from cruelty-free bristles, but the handle is also made from recycled bamboo. It’s a great size and helped me to get a smooth, even coverage. 2. B. Foundation Brush, £7.99, Superdrug The narrow shape and tapered edge made it so easy for me get into trickier contours of my face, like the side of my nose, for flawless all-over coverage. 3. Lottie London Flawless Face Brush, £7.99, Superdrug I was really surprised with the quality of this super-soft brush. It’s a little wider than the other two, which meant I could apply my foundation in record time with great results! Jess’Beauty Hero Cult beauty product Balmi lip…

‘As a teenager, I had both boyfriends and girlfriends’ Most people wake up wondering what to have for breakfast. Not me. I wake up thinking something else entirely. Do I feel like a man or a woman today? You see, I’ve never identified with a specific gender, not even as a kid who loved playing dress-up. Pirates, princesses, superheroes - boys’ or girls’ costumes, I didn’t see the difference. My mum was supportive. ‘I want to be called Sebastian,’ I told her when I was 9. ‘OK,’ Mum said. Beautiful I lived as a boy for two weeks until I decided to be a princess again. As a teenager, I had both boyfriends and girlfriends. ‘I’m attracted to a person, not their gender,’ I told my family. They accepted me…

Newly single, in summer 2013, I started helping my mate Julie at motorbike races as a grid girl, assisting at the pits. If it rained, I’d hold umbrellas over the bikes to keep them dry. Then, in July 2013, I received a Facebook message from a cute stranger, Daley Mathison, 21, a professional ‘road racer’. He’d seen me being a ‘brolly dolly’ and found me online. Exchanging messages over a month, I agreed to meet for a drink in Gateshead’s MetroCentre that August. We hit it off, and he quickly took pole position in my life. So I stopped being a grid girl and began cheering on Daley at his races. Both smitten, things moved quickly. In November 2013, Daley moved in, and, that December, he proposed. I agreed and…

‘We hoped for the best, but prepared for the worst…’ My relationship with Kirstie had never been run of the mill. In 2010, we met on Facebook when I was at my lowest ebb. The year before, my daughter Megan had been stillborn. I’d sought support on a Facebook group run by Kirstie. She’d set it up after the loss of a previous baby. I thought we’d just be friends, as we both had male partners. But in June 2010, we met and knew immediately - it was love! Six months later, we were living as a couple - well, as a family... Kirstie had three kids - Charlotte, now 13, Mikhail, 11, and Harrison, 9, who took it all in their stride, and our families came to accept our…

1 Five a day  Get rid of five things from your house every day, even if it’s only bits of junk mail or old newspapers. Lee Hall, Sittingbourne 2 Bag it  Grab a bin bag an d see how quickly you can fill it with stuff from around the house in 10 minutes. Dot Pullum, Broadstairs 3 Roll call  Make a list of rooms you need to de-clutter and attack them in order. Don’t move on until each area is finished. Viv Crocker, Middlesbrough 4 Hang over  Whenever you put an item back in y our wardrobe, hang it the wrong way round. After six months, take the clothes from the reversed hangers and give to a charity shop. Gladys Brown, Exeter…

‘I started gorging in secret, making myself sick’ Racing to the loo, I vomited for the third time in so many hours. ‘You should go back to hospital, love,’ my mum Dot said, worried. It was March 2011, and I’d had terrible sickness for over a month now. I’d already been to hospital twice. First, they’d just told me to take a pregnancy test. I’d done that, and definitely wasn’t pregnant. The second time, my face and ankles had swollen, so they’d given me hayfever tablets. But now I was coughing up blood and struggling to breathe, so I phoned an ambulance. ‘Your blood pressure’s 180/178,’ paramedics said when they arrived. ‘That’s nearly a heart attack.’ I was raced to hospital. ‘You’re in kidney failure,’ doctors explained. ‘Your lungs are…

Lactulose and diabetes Q I get really constipated, and have always found lactulose helps the most. But it’s so sweet, I assume I can’t take it now I’m diabetic. What else is there? Emma, West London A Lactulose is a synthetic sugar that isn’t absorbed by the intestines, so it has little effect on blood-sugar levels. But any osmotic laxative will be as effective, so, if you want to change, ask your pharmacist. Bottom dimple Q My baby has a dimple at the top of his bottom. The health worker said it’s not caused any problems, but I think it’s getting bigger. Should I be worried? Molly, Enniskillen A Bottom dimples are common, and small ones are insignificant, so I probably wouldn’t worry about it if I were you. However,…

‘Many students thought it was a Halloween prank’ ‘He seemed to admire Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany’ It was a chilling sight... A man strolling though Kronan school in Trollhattan, Sweden, wearing a black trench coat, military boots, helmet and mask. Dressed like the sinister Sith Lord Darth Vader from Star Wars to hide his identity, the stranger roamed the halls armed with a Samurai sword. It was 22 October last year, so many students thought it was an early Halloween prank. Someone playing a practical joke, especially as the sword was covered in blood. They assumed it was fake... So much so, a couple of female students asked for a picture. The man nodded and put his arm around one as they all smiled for the camera. Afterwards, a…

1 Asda Three Cheese & Onion Quiche, 170g The tasty filling is wonderfully wobbly in this individual-size quiche – and it’s just right for an easy lunch with salad or chips. Serve hot or cold. 2 Aldi Crestwood Cheese & Onion Quiche, 400g, £1.19 This is best served at room temperature, as the flavours are at their strongest then. And there’s easily enough for four, so it’s great value. 3 Tesco Cheese & Onion Quiche, 400g, £2 Not only is there masses of filling in this nice, deep quiche, it has a really good cheese flavour, and is equally delicious hot, warm or cold. Make it yourself... Serves: 4 Prep Time: 15 min Cook Time: 55 min 1 Preheat oven…

We had such a laugh – felt like kids again! John Price stood on our doorstep clutching a bunch of daffodils. ‘These are for Lisa,’ he shyly told my mum Wendy. My cheeks flushed red as Mum thanked him and popped the flowers in a vase. ‘I think he likes you,’ she grinned, making me squirm. See, John and I were only 8! We lived on the same street, were in the same class at school. One of my first memories was the two of us messing about in the sandpit at nursery. Even aged 8, John was a charmer. He made it clear he liked me, using his pocket money to buy me sweets. And he’d never let me share them with my little sister Joanne, then 7. He’d…

Thicker: Kiss Blooming Lash If you prefer false lashes to mascara, these are great. Where most false eyelashes are one-dimensional, these have more than one layer in a single strip to give you longer, thicker lashes that create an impact while still looking natural. Stronger: MUA Eye Define Nourish & Care Volume Mascara Infused with avocado oil and biotin to help promote hair growth, this mascara cares for the lashes, helping them grow stronger. Longer: Invogue Eyelash Serum with Lash Fibres Regular use helps promote regrowth and reduce the number of lashes that fall out. It adds instant length and volume too, so you can bat your lashes with confidence!…

‘Families drive by and stop to show their children’ In April last year, I’d trimmed a Cypress Tree in my back garden. But two days on, I’d got a call from Fife Council. Someone had complained about the foliage on my back lawn, worried that it might be a fire hazard. You see, I’m a sculptor, so like to create new things. I didn’t see a pile of wood. I saw potential! The dangly leaves and branches could suit a fluffy creature. Then it hit me... A woolly mammoth! I’d been fascinated by them as a kid, so I studied the creatures online, then sketched a plan. Last 12 April, I set to work. I built a framework for its body, using 800 screws to hold the wood together, and…

TAURUS 21 April–21 May If a relationship has become stale, a new approach is needed. But don’t worry, as you’re more than capable of putting the excitement into life, so start thinking of ways now, my friend. Because, remember, you’ll benefit, too! Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June If you can keep the motto, ‘live and let live’ in your mind, then you’ll feel the stress you’ve been under drain away. You’re the one who chooses to take on so much and you’re the one who can say no to taking on any more. Call: 09058 170 712* CANCER 22 June–23 July A situation involving money will be solved unexpectedly and simply by the offer of help from someone you didn’t know had your back. But you shouldn’t…

“The sickness was putting strain on my kidneys’’ Sitting in the consultant’s office, my boyfriend James held my hand tightly as she spoke. ‘I know you’re only 18, but if you want children, you’ll need to start trying as soon as possible,’ she said. I gulped. ‘I understand,’ I said. ‘We’re just not ready for kids.’ At the age of 14, I’d been diagnosed with IgA nephropathy - an incurable kidney disease that means my body can’t filter waste from the blood. My kidneys had been deteriorating ever since, and so had my chances of having kids. But James and I were teenagers. We felt too young for a family. As years passed, I couldn’t stop thinking about what the doctor had said, though. I didn’t want to miss out…