Table of contents for 08-Mar-2018 in Pick Me Up!

My dearest mum Valerie will turn 80 years young this year, but even the march of time hasn’t slowed her She’s still her church, as as helping out a cancer group Completely selfless, Mum also offers her time to visit older members of the local community. down. involved well with . Since she married my dad, she’s led a very active life! She was a farmer’s with wife for many years and worked for St John Ambulance before moving to Scotland over 30 years ago. Dad passed away four years ago, and we were there for Mum, but she was there for us. Mum also helps my younger sister Fiona, who’s visually impaired, by taking her to weddings so that she can play her harp. Mum really is a remarkable…

Let’s Get Physical, £9.99, firebox.com This hilarious book puts the fun back into keeping fit, with 80s diet and exercise trends, as well as (slightly questionable) fashion tips to help you flaunt what you’ve got. Verdict: BONKERS But very funny. Rock that shiny Lycra look! Mr Stanley’s Liquorice Pipes, £4.99, mrstanleys.co.uk Loved liquorice pipes as a kid? Now you can buy a box of these nostalgic treats to enjoy as a grown-up – with no-one telling you sugar makes your teeth fall out! Verdict: BONKERS But yummy – and far more fun than vaping! Polaroid Pop Instant Camera, £199.99, Argos A digital camera and printer in one – perfect for capturing your favourite moments on the go. As well as letting you print full-colour snaps at…

Veg rack I use an old shower rack to store my vegetables. The chrome effect fits in with my kitchen decor perfectly! Marie Jennings, Norwich Tatt’s clever! Kiddie tattoos are usually a nightmare to take off, but I find that nail polish remover works effortlessly! Hayley Tomkins, Swansea Scissored sandwich It’s much quicker and easier to cut your toast and sandwiches with kitchen scissors! Patricia Skeels, Scunthorpe Money-saving menu Each week we make a menu. It saves us so much money when we shop as we make our list from the menu and only buy what we need. Karen Hill, Caernarfon Storage solution I needed more cupboard space, so I used a shoe organiser. I just pinned it to the inside of my unit door! Jane Whitaker, Margate Brush up…

Shingles 1 The main symptom is a painful rash. 2 It doesn’trequire medical attention. 3 It’s caused by the chickenpox virus. 4 Shingles has nocure. 1 TRUE Shingles is an infection of a nerve and its surrounding skin. The main characteristic is a painful rash that develops into itchy blisters. 2 FALSE Shingles isn’t usually serious, but you should see your GP when you recognise symptoms, as early treatment can reduce severity. 3 TRUE After chickenpox is gone, the virus remains dormant. Shingles occurs when it is reactivated, though it’s not clear why this happens. 4 TRUE There’s no cure, but treatment can relieve symptoms until the condition resolves. These include painkillers and antiviral medication.…

It is estimated that over 21% of all deaths in England take place in a care home. We live so much longer. Just over a century ago, the average life expectancy for men was 48, 54 for women. Whenever Helen Jamison catches a glimpse of her mum’s picture on the mantelpiece, she smiles sadly. She lost her mum Gill in 2008 but the pain is still raw. Gill was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2006, when she was just 53. ‘I was there when she had the appointment telling her she had cancer,’ Helen, 38, says. ‘It was a very distressing time for her as well as my dad, brother and me. ‘Mum was a strong, dignified woman, though, who just loved life. We asked doctors about her prognosis but…

B. Blending Sponge, £4.99, Superdrug Add some water to this sponge, then use light, dabbing motions to evenly apply foundation. The big end is great for larger surfaces like your forehead and cheeks, and the pointed tip will help you cover harder-to-reach areas. CYO Metallic Eye Stick in Small Minds, £4.50, Boots The stick applicator and creamy formula mean this shadow is not only easy to apply, but it won’t crumble down and ruin your foundation. The gold shade makes a statement, too! Botanics Instant Moisture Mist, £4.29, Boots Spray this all over after showering for a lightweight moisture boost that won’t stop you getting dressed in a hurry. But brace yourself – it’s pretty chilly when it comes out of the can. Natural Collection Blush & Glow in Pink,…

Eggs Benedict Serves: 2 Prep: 10 mins Cook: 5 mins • 8 rashers streaky bacon • 4 free-range eggs • 2 English muffins, halved • Butter, for spreading • 1 jar hollandaise sauce 1 Under a preheated grill, cook the bacon until crispy and then keep warm. Crack your eggs into a large shallow pan of simmering water and poach for 3 mins. In the meantime, place your halved muffins in to toast, remove and butter them. Remove your poached eggs with a slotted spoon. 2 Meanwhile, gently heat the hollandaise in a pan, stirring occasionally. 3 Put 2 bacon rashers on each half of muffin, place 1 egg on top and then pour the hollandaise sauce over, season with salt and pepper and serve. Smoked salmon and poached eggs…

ARIES 21 March–20 April You may not feel much like a grown-up after recent events, but you are and you’ll prove to yourself and those around you that you have what it takes to make a good life for yourself. A major decision you make this week is scary but really it’s tailor-made for you. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Places you visit will prove how much you’ve evolved and grown as a person. You no longer like the same things as you did, nor do you want to mix with the same crowds. You’re also ready to open up about a regret you have. This could change an awful lot for you, Taurus. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June Listen to your heart and…

It’s behind you! My son Milo, 3, was in his element when we visited the American Museum of Natural History in New York! Laura Heckman, Denbigh This is me in my all-time favourite place in the world – the mighty Grand Canyon! Tracy Davidson, Armscote Here I am on my golden throne at a wedding in Northern Ireland, near where Game of Thrones is filmed. I wonder if I can get work as an extra... Joanne Campbell, Carrickfergus My daughter Laura, 23, was so pleased to meet a dolphin in Mexico. I can’t tell who has the bigger smile! Debb Hunt, Nottingham Here’s my son Kailan John, 6, dressed as the Scarecrow while meeting Dorothy and the Tin Man at Yorkshire Wildlife Park! Shelley Barrett, Sheffield Show us your muscles!…

Steve sent ‘sexts’ the day he proposed, others while I was in labour… It’s when you’re not looking, that you meet someone special - at least, that’s what happened to me in June 2013. I’d not long got out of a relationship, so I wasn’t in the market for anything serious. ‘I just want a bit of fun,’ I admitted to a mate at the nursing placement I was doing. Shortly after, on a night out, she introduced me to Steve, 27. Tall, ginger, freckly, he wasn’t my usual type. But he had bags of confidence. ‘All right, gorgeous?’ he smiled, chatting me up. He had a wicked sense of humour, too. Steve and I went out a few times and, quickly, a bit of fun turned into something more.…

He could be the first person ever diagnosed Ten little fingers, ten little toes. Beaming down at my newborn Lucas, I felt so lucky. ‘Perfect!’ I cooed to my partner Jordan, 25. Then I noticed little bumps all over Lucas’ body. ‘Is this normal?’ I asked the doctor. I handed over my baby to be examined. ‘He’ll need tests,’ the doctor told us. ‘He may have cancer.’ I fell to pieces. How could this be happening to us? Lucas wasn’t even a day old. We were transferred to the Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) in Newcastle, where a biopsy revealed that Lucas had neuroblastoma, a nerve-cell cancer that affects young children. He’d been born with it. Jordan and I were heartbroken as we listened to the doctors... Scans had found a…

This is my barn owl Mr Pickles. Isn’t he adorable? Tabatha Bennett, Manchester My cats Arthur and Merlin fancy themselves as DJs. Merlin is even scratching the deck with his paw to really get this party started! Angela Codling, Midgley Meet my Syrian hamster Ziggy. She loves nothing more than posing for the camera! Hannah Jones, Wellesbourne Here’s Mr Vinegar looking super-cute in his jazzy American bow tie! Tim Bird, Sidcup Doesn’t my dog Summer look rather regal while chilling out on her throne? Alex Evenson, London This is my daft doggy Laila after my niece Mia got hold of her! Amanda Hadley, Hayseech…

If you, or a loved one has been diagnosed with a terminal illness, what steps can you take to receive the best possible care? Palliative care, or end-of-life care, is often misunderstood and some believe palliative care means they’ll have to go to a hospice. But this isn’t so – you can receive palliative care in a range of settings, including your home, in hospital, a care home or a hospice, and it can be offered by the NHS. You can receive palliative care alongside active treatments for your illness, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy.…

When the consultant gave us the news, I felt the whole room spin With Evie’s words etched in his mind, I knew he’d be fine Me and my partner Phil, 46, always knew our little girl Evie was special. Phil and I had been together since 1992 and we’d always imagined having children one day. But, as time had passed, nothing had happened - and we began to think perhaps we weren’t meant to be parents. But then, in 2009, the most amazing thing happened. I fell pregnant! When Evie arrived in September 2009 weighing a perfect 8lb, we fell in love. But she was floppy and blue, and wasn’t feeding properly. And, two days later, tests revealed something devastating. ‘She has Down’s syndrome,’ a doctor said. Phil and I…

Anyone who knows me could tell you I’m not easy to embarrass - and I love a cheeky joke. Working as a senior care assistant at a care home for the elderly, it’s important to always be positive and smiling for the old folk. It helped that the other girls on my team shared a similar sense of humour. We all enjoyed a good laugh. But I’ll admit, the job could be stressful, too. So, last December, I decided to treat one of my colleagues to a quirky stress ball as a present. Browsing through eBay, I found that there were all kinds of shapes, sizes and colours... ‘Oh my God!’ I giggled when I saw it. A stress ball shaped like a willy! I knew that was the one…

Peering into my son Breck’s room, I saw him at his computer. What a surprise! ‘Dinner soon,’ I said. ‘OK, Mum,’ Breck replied, turning to smile at me. My eldest, he was a good lad. He loved his siblings - triplets Sebastian, Carly and Chloe - who were two years younger. He did well in school, always did his homework. But his passion was computer games. Now in Year 9, he’d been invited to join a gaming group online with some other boys. The lads linked their computers, so they could play games together from home. I knew a lot of them from primary school. Breck would always have his bedroom door open, so I could hear them talking about games and see their faces on screen as they talked…

Urge incontinence QI’ve noticed that I can hold my wee for ages, but as soon as I am near the loo and about to go, I get a little leak. What’s going on? Amie, Scarborough A Your involuntary bladder muscles are fine, but your voluntary pelvic floor muscles are weak. Try doing regular daily pelvic exercises to strengthen your floor and prevent urge leaks. Fibromyalgia and fatigue I'm in so much pain Q and no medication helps, so I can't sleep. I am barely even bothering going to bed because my sleep is so poor, and now I’m getting desperate... Lorna, Shoeburyness A Poor sleep triggers fibromyalgia (chronic pain) and vice versa, but sleep is therapeutic so you are trapped in a vicious cycle. You must prioritise sleep. Look at…

‘I think that Macmillan, Marie Curie, the NHS and hospices all do a fantastic job in palliative care and keeping people pain free in their final days. Dying and end-of-life is very individual to the person and so I think it’s important that people are as informed as they can be about their options.’ Debbie Hadden, Stourbridge ‘When my auntie was dying, we were given a leaflet to read, and expected things to go as it said – but it didn’t at all. We had many unanswered questions and nobody knew what was going on. It was the worst experience of my life and I’m now on an end-of-life course to try to understand things better.’ Sharney Baker, Hardwick ‘While we encountered many good doctors and nurses when my dad…