Table of contents for 10-Jan-2019 in Pick Me Up!

Giggling in assembly at school, tucking into Mum’s roast dinners, dancing at my wedding. Fair to say, my best mate Amy and I had been through a lot together. But nothing compared to the heartbreak that I had to face two years ago. It was April 2017, and my mum Carole, 60, had something to tell me. She’d been under the weather but, two weeks earlier, she’d insisted that she was fine. But suddenly my world came crashing down. ‘I lied, it’s cancer and it’s terminal,’ Mum explained. Devastated, there was only one place to turn. Amy. Although it was actually her birthday, after answering my call she dropped everything. From that moment on she was there for me. Sadly my mum died in June 2017. Heartbreaking. But Amy has…

Leaning against the rail of the hotel balcony, I smiled as my friend took a photo of me on my phone. ‘Nice pic!’ she grinned, before we headed down to the pool. It was September 2014. I was on a girly holiday in Egypt with two of my mates. Dressed in a size-10, strapless bikini, I felt good. Confident. But it hadn’t always been like this. For years, I’d been battling Crohn’s disease, which causes inflammation of the bowel. Diagnosed at 11, it meant I was often in pain. I had to have regular medication and injections. And when I got really poorly, I’d be given steroids. My body would swell up. I’d feel huge, self-conscious. But in my teens, I learnt to take it my stride. Just got on…

Give yourself a lift ELDERBERRIES An Israeli study found that those who took a daily dose of elderberry juice syrup recovered from viruses far quicker than those who took none. Try Sambucol Original Black Elderberry Formula (£8.99, Holland & Barrett) to keep winter bugs at bay. Have you tried... the Kwit – Quit Smoking Cigarettes app? It’s free for iOS and Android, and is a great helper if your New Year’s resolution is to ditch the nasty habit. Get tips to avoid cravings, monitor your progress and see how much money you are saving by not smoking. It can help strengthen your will to see your achievements. 48% That’s the percentage of British parents who can’t understand the phrases their kids use*. This includes ‘LOL’, which many adults still think…

When I gave Reuben the bunny his lunch he seemed less than impressed… Gemma Parish, Easington Colliery Fredo the gargoyle gecko says, 'Pretend you’re a statue!’ Sarah Heneghan, Reading These two are just birds of a feather! Evy and Blu sharing a cute moment. Jess Catherall, Broughton Three little kittens going on an adventure… well, at least, that’s what they were hoping for! Donna Weadock, Belfast My fluffy pup Ernie is always happy to smile for the camera. Hannah Chatten, via e-mail Meet Polly the African pygmy hedgehog. Don’t let the cuteness fool you – those spikes can still be painful! Stacey Dove, Pontefract…

‘There should be no shame or stigma attached to the menopause, it’s part of life. I talk to my girls about every  aspect, so they’ll know what they could go through when it’s their turn.’ Tracey Bessell, South Lanarkshire ‘Why is there a stigma attached to something that’s just natural for women? I think it’s really good that  celebrities have openly discussed the menopause. It gets everyone else talking and helps to break down taboos. It baffles me why the menopause is a taboo, anyway.’ Gemma Carrick, Sunderland ‘I’ve had awful hot flushes and my brain seems permanently foggy. I’m also more tired and irritable and  have painful joints. It’s good that the menopause is being talked about more, because people need to know it’s not just a case of…

When I came round, strangers helped me off the bus and Mum and Dad were there in minutes. They drove me to hospital, where doctors confirmed what I’d long been dreading. ‘The medication isn’t working any more - you’ll need to have the bag fitted,’ my consultant said. I was heartbroken. But I knew there was nothing I could do, and a few months later, I was wheeled down to theatre. In the weeks that followed, my frail body struggled to cope with such a big operation. I was fed through a drip in my hospital bed. And my weight dropped to a shocking 5st. My ribs and collarbone protruding, friends gasped when they came in to visit me. ‘I guess I’m skinny enough now,’ I laughed weakly. Yet I…

1 Eat cool, soft foods where possible. 2 Use an antiseptic mouthwash if it hurts to brush your teeth. 3 Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. 4 Wash your hands with soap andwater before and after applying cream. 5 Use sunblock lip balm (SPF 15 or above) if sunshine is the trigger. 6 Take paracetamol or ibuprofen to ease the pain and swelling. But visit a GP if… …it hasn’t started to heal within 10 days or it’s very large andpainful. Also, get yourself checked bya professional if it’s affecting your gums and mouth,or if you have a weakenedimmune system, as both these things could lead to more serious issues.…

1 Dyslexia is a common learningdifficulty that causes problems with reading, writing and spelling. ■ True ■ False 2 It is estimated that one in 50 Brits suffer with the condition. ■ True ■ False 3 The condition tends to improve in adulthood. ■ True ■ False 4 Schools and universities have special coordinators forstudents with dyslexia. ■ True ■ False 1 TRUE Unlike a learning disability, intelligence isn’t affected. 2 FALSE It is far more common than that, with one in 10 people in the UK having some degree of dyslexia. 3 FALSE Symptoms tend to first present in childhood but dyslexia is a lifelong problem. 4 TRUE And in adulthood, technology such as word processors and electronic organisers can help. *STUDY BY NSPCC AND O2…

As my partner Collette, 42, got off the sofa, I glanced at my watch. It was 10pm, and earlier I’d fancied playing a spot of bingo before bed. We looked for holidays, dreaming of sipping cocktails by the pool That evening, I’d opted for Sapphire Bingo. It was a Link game, a special-event bingo game that offers the chance to win an even bigger Full House as all players from the connected rooms are playing together. Tonight, that was £1,500. Sapphire Bingo is my favourite game, so I decided to buy 24 tickets. ‘I’ll watch this last game,’ I said to Collette, as she headed upstairs. Just as I got up, I saw one of my numbers come up. Then more numbers flash up on my phone. I was four…

Scrolling through my phone, I whooped. It was January 2017 and I’d just found The One. Not a man, not a wedding dress... A double buggy! ‘Look at it,’ I beamed at my fiance Dean, 30. ‘It’s just the right shade of grey, the handles are leather and, most importantly, it’ll fit two babies.’ After almost three years of trying, the unbelievable had happened. Not only were we having twins, but the doctors had just confirmed at our 16-week scan that they were both boys. Two little brothers for our daughter Lily, 4. There was nothing where Twin Two’s heartbeat should be Now I couldn’t stop shopping. Cute co-ordinating rompers, Moses baskets, car seats and baby blankets - and two of everything, of course. Our house was fit to burst.…

Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mail pickmeup@ti-media.com CALL 020 3148 6460 WRITE TO Pick Me Up!, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP FACEBOOK facebook.com/pickmeupmag SEE OUR WEBSITE lifedeathprizes.com TI Media Limited reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to Pick Me Up! magazine, in any format or medium. Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a stamped sae. Letters/photos must not be sent to any other publication.…

Hands clasped over my mouth, another wave of morning sickness hit me. Horrible! But it seemed a small price to pay for bringing two precious lives into the world. That’s right, I was carrying twins. It was a huge shock, seeing as me and my fella Jonathan, 32, hadn’t planned on starting a family just yet. I was 10 weeks gone when the doctors had told us. Now, two weeks down the line, our shock had turned to excitement. The only downer was the horrible morning sickness, and my belly ballooning at an alarming pace. With each and every scan, though, we were assured everything was going well. But then, at 33 weeks, a doctor mentioned one of the babies had stopped growing. ‘They’ll be fine,’ she assured us. ‘But…

Allergy eyes Q I get terribly itchy eyes whenever I go to my nan’s house because of her dog, and antihistamines take a while to make them feel better. Is there anything I can do to prevent them reacting? Sandra, Edinburgh A If you have a predictable reaction to your nan’s dog, you should take the antihistamines a couple of days up to and during the visit to really keep the symptoms under control. And use cold compresses on your eyes, they’re soothing and can help. How can I keep my cholesterol down? Q My family has a history of high cholesterol and most of them are on statins, but I’m not keen. I eat healthily, exercise regularly and don’t smoke or drink – is this not enough? Alice, Market…

Polaroid Play 3D Pen, £29.99, menkind.co.uk Ever wished your drawings would come to life? Now they can! Use this special pen with the templates provided, or use your imagination to create everything from a Ferris wheel to a 3D tree. Verdict: GENIUS! Fiddly at first but great fun. Nextbase 312GW Dash Cam, £99.99, Halfords Recording everything that happens from the dashboard of your car, this clever camera connects to Wi-Fi so you can quickly review on your phone. Even better, you can then share it directly with your friends or insurer. Verdict: GENIUS! It even has night vision. Lick Your Scent Edible Fragrance, £19.99, firebox.com One of the strangest things to ever land on our desk, these flavoured perfumes are safe to eat. Spray onto cocktails…

W hat better way to spend a Friday night than lazing on the sofa? It was April 2018, and my little lad, 2, w as in bed. I decided to have a game of online bingo, as I’d played in the halls in the past.  So when I saw you could download an app for Pick Me Up! Bingo, I thought it looked like a good site to try. It was simple to load the app, and I made a deposit of £10. I was spoilt for choice with bingo rooms, themed slots, casino g ames and more! I played Sapphire Bingo as it’s like the 90-ball g ames in bingo halls. I bought some tick ets, and my phone z oomed in on the first game. The bingo numbers…

Research from Yale Medical School has shown cultural attitudes towards the menopause can actually affect the severity of symptoms. Dr Mary Jane Minkin, Professor in Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Health, says, ‘In societies where age is more revered and the older woman is the wiser and better woman, menopausal symptoms are significantly less bothersome. ‘Where older is not better, many women equate menopause with old age, and symptoms can be much more devastating.’…

Maybelline Snapscara, £7.99 Maybelline rules the high-street mascara aisle, but what’s this ‘snap’ all about? Time-saving, that’s what! The wax-free formula is so smooth it can be loaded on in a jiffy without clumping, then washes off with warm water and a cotton pad as quick as a finger click. W7 It’s Brown, £5.95 Many people find brown mascara as unappealing as blue eyeshadow, but actually, if you have fair skin, pale eyes or just want an easy day look, chocolate shades give the definition of black but can look a bit fresher. Tempted? Give it a whirl with this bargain by W7 – at this price you’ve got nothing to lose. Revlon Volumazing, £8.99 The name says it all. This will transform the shortest, fairest, skinniest set of lashes…

NOTTINGHAM Steven Elvidge, 44, Arnold A drug dealer who subjected a woman to a violent attack has been jailed for two years. In an assault that spilled out into the street, Steven Elvidge threatened to kill the woman and used a machete and other objects to harm her. At a hearing in November 2018, Nottingham Crown Court heard Elvidge punched the woman several times in the face, attacked her with a machete, causing a cut to the hand, and threw a glass table and garden chairs at her. Police found a number of weapons in Elvidge’s house, a cannabis grow and weighing scales and drugs bags. They also found a machete and drugs in his car. Elvidge pleaded guilty to section 20 grievous bodily harm, assault on a member of…

ARIES 21 March–20 April You’ve come so far from where you started and I know you’ve done well. You on the other hand are still overanalysing what you think others’ reactions really mean. You’re wrong, as this week soon reveals. Accept the help coming your way. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Believe you can and you’re halfway there Taurus. I see you’ve spent far too much time watching other people’s lives since this year began when you should have been working on enjoying your own. An apology is headed your way that moves all the goal posts in love. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June Family stress is evident in your chart, but try to remember that you can only help in the areas you…

Brushing my long, grey hair, I looked in the mirror and frowned. Once my crowning glory, my bum-length tresses were looking a little lank and thin. ‘I think it might be time for the chop,’ I told my best mate Marcia, 52, a few days later. But first, there was something I had to do. Cars slowed to a crawl, horns honked and heads swivelled For years, I’d been daydreaming about doing something outrageous to honour my brother Charles, 66, who’d died of lung cancer in 2011. But for what I had in mind, I needed my long hair! ‘I want to re-enact Lady Godiva’s ride,’ I told Marcia. A history buff, I’d read all about the noblewoman from the 13th century, who rode a horse naked through Coventry, covered…