Table of contents for 30-Aug-2018 in Pick Me Up!

Ever since I found out I was pregnant 24 years ago, I couldn’t wait to meet my baby girl. My first born, she was the cutest thing. A smiley face with bright blue eyes and a shock of brown hair. ‘Hey, little one,’ I’d coo, rocking her in my arms. As she turned into a toddler, I realised she was the boss in our house! She always knew how to take the lead in anything. And that came in helpful when in 2002... ‘I’ve been diagnosed with dystonia,’ I told her. A neurological disorder it causes your muscles to spasm. I had to give up work. ‘It’s alright, Mum,’ she said. Soon I wasn’t able to lift my arms above my head. Washing and brushing my hair became impossible. Thankfully…

Stopping in my tracks in the freezer aisle of the supermarket, a chill swept over me. But it wasn’t the cold air that had sent a shiver down my spine. It was the whiff of a familiar Hugo Boss aftershave. The smell took me back to when I’d met mechanic Nick, then 20, in November 2002. Though I was just 16, we’d quickly become inseparable. Nick was a charmer. Even asked my dad’s permission before proposing with a diamond ring in May 2003. Nick spoilt me rotten. But I soon learnt he always wanted something in return. ‘I bought your phone,’ he hissed, ‘so I decide whose numbers you have.’ Nick stopped me seeing friends, hated me working as a waitress. As far as Nick was concerned, I was his…

Time for wine..? Stellenbosch Drive Chardonnay is a South African white wine with a fresh palate of citrus, pineapple and vanilla. Rich and creamy with a lingering finish, and it’s Fairtrade, too. Just £5.50 at Co-op (usually £6.50) until 4 September. Bargain vitamins Superdrug has a whole range of product deals this month to be snapped up. All vitamins are 3 for 2 while the Some Body wellness range – including protein mixes and cleansing tea bags – are half price. Offers on in-store and online until 18 September. Breathe baby breathe Be a hero parent with Snufflebabe, now with 25% off the range until 15 September. From vapour rub to nasal drops and sprays, it offers products to help your little one breathe, feed and sleep in comfort. Visit…

Asthma treatment QI’m supposed to use a preventer inhaler for my asthma, but it doesn’t do anything. The blue one makes a difference, so I use that daily instead. Why should I take both? Nicola, Reigate The preventer controls A your asthma, reducing dangerous flares and damage. It takes a few days to build up, which is why you can’t ‘feel’ it working and need to keep using it regularly. Ask if you can speak to an asthma nurse so you understand your treatment. Depression meds QI’ve been feeling low for a month or so and I can’t seem to break out of it. People tell me to see my GP, but I’m not keen on taking medication... Freya, Stoke-on-Trent A Early mild depression (less than two to three months…

SOUTH YORKSHIRE Cameron Lockin, 18, Mexborough Hiding cocaine and heroin in a chocolate container, Lockin thought it was the cover he needed. But the teenager was caught out when officers executed a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act this April and found a substantial amount of drugs, along with paraphernalia, which he was trying to flush down the toilet. Released under investigation, Lockin was arrested again the next month for possession of crack cocaine and heroin. He pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court to four counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs. Lockin was jailed for two and a half years. NORTH YORKSHIRE Roy Finch, 40, York Living in fully funded council accommodation and receiving £900 a month in benefits didn’t stop Finch from begging. He’d…

The sound of snoring filled the bedroom. But that wasn’t what was keeping me awake tonight. ‘Lawrence, wake up!’ I hissed, jabbing my partner Lawrence, 20, in the side. ‘I’m in agony.’ It was 6am one morning in October 2014, and I’d been lying awake with stomach pains for hours. I’d taken painkillers, but they hadn’t touched the agony. ‘It feels like someone’s stabbing me,’ I sobbed. Worried, Lawrence drove me to Heath Hospital. By the time we arrived, I was in so much pain I could barely walk without help. I was rushed for a scan. After, a doctor gave me some shocking news. ‘You are three weeks pregnant,’ he said. ‘But I can’t be,’ I stammered. I was 19, on the Pill. ‘It could be an ectopic pregnancy,’…

1 What was ‘bingo’ originally called? A. Chess B. Beano C. Jenga 7 2 The bingo caller’s next number is 73. Wha t phrase will everyone in the room sud denly shout? A. Queen Bee B. Queen Mary C. Queen Victoria 3 UK bingo players prefer the traditional 90-b all bingo game, but what do the pl ayers from the US like to play? A.80-ball bingo B.85-ball bingo C.75-ball bingo 4 What does “WD W” in the chatrooms stand for? A. Well Done Winner B. Well-Deserved Win C. Winning Does Well 5 Where does the phrase ‘Brighton Line’ for the number 59 come from? It represents… A.…two digits in a Brighton postcode? B.…the apartment number of a bingo player who lives in Brighton? C. …the first two digits of the…

Chloe, 23, from London (left), told Pick Me Up! , ‘When I first met Nick, I was just 16, and he repeatedly abused and raped me. But I was too scared to tell Louise the truth at first. When she reported Nick to the police, it gave me the courage to do the same. Being in court was really hard at times, but having Louise by my side made it bearable. And when Nick was sent down, it was a massive relief to know he was gone from our lives and would pay for what he did.’…

Hives Hivesare a rash that 1 can appear anywhere on the body. True False The rash is often itchy 2 and can cause stinging or burning. True False A GP cannot prescribe 3 anything forhives. True False Hives occur due 4 to high levels of histamine and other chemicals in the skin. True False 1 TRUE Hives can affect both adults and children but should settle down within a few days. 2 TRUE Thecondition can look like red, raised patches or little red spots. 3 FALSE They may prescribecorticosteroids, stronger antihistamines or menthol cream, or refer you to a dermatologist. 4 TRUE Triggers include food, plants, insect stings, chemicals, latex, heat, exercise, sunlight, medication and stress.…

You still have time to enjoy DAILY OFFERS on games at Pick Me Up! Bingo until the end of August. Go to the Promotions page, opt in to “Flavours of the Month” and reveal the daily offers on the scratchcards. Each day you’ll discover a new offer – from cash prize draws and share pots, to guaranteed Full House games and Buy 1, Get 1 Free on bingo tickets. T&Cs: 18+. UK only. Opt in required. Wagering requirements apply. Date restrictions apply. See full promotion T&Cs on site for details.…

I work at a GP surgery and it frightens me how quick parents are to ask for antibiotics for their children. I’m a true believer that a few germs help strengthen the immune system. Simple hand-washing and general hygiene is all that’s needed. Jane Crompton-Rostron, Wigan When my son was small, I worried a lot about everything being clean. I tried to stop sterilising as much after he was 8 months old. He now plays rugby, and sometimes, I can still see dirt on his hands when he sits down afterwards to eat a sandwich. Everyone needs a little exposure to germs. Kelly Imrie, Hurlford I am the mum who carries antibacterial hand gel at all times. When my children use a public toilet, I place loo roll on the…

FAT-CAT KILLING? In May 2011, Brett Nash, 46, from Illinois, USA, was cash-strapped and faced losing his home. He’d also become obsessed with a wealthy lawyer, convinced he was trying to steal his wife. ‘Why not kill two birds with one stone?’ he told a colleague at his job on river barges. He promised the workmate a few thousand dollars in cash in return for helping him in his twisted plans to abduct the lawyer, steal his cash, murder him, then frame - of all things - a cat. He’d make it look like the moggy had knocked the radio into the tub Nash planned to get his wife to lure the unsuspecting lawyer back to their home. Then, the men would pounce. They’d rig him with fake explosives and…

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Seeing my partner Lisa running round the garden with our kids felt bittersweet. It was usually me playing football with Kian, 12, chasing Asia, 6, or on the trampoline with Summer, 9. A gym bunny, who always ate healthily, I was never ill. But for the last few weeks, since February 2013, I’d felt grim. Doctors told me my achy limbs and lack of energy were a viral infection, one even mentioned depression. I wasn’t depressed. Just frustrated. Instinct told me there was something more. I just wanted to know what. Over those next months, my weight plummeted. I could barely walk a few steps without feeling totally exhausted. In April 2013, I took Lisa, 28, to see Bon Jovi at Cardiff City Stadium. But as we drove home that…

If you’ve ever had a baby bump, you’ll have done what I did. Spend hours daydreaming about what your newborn would grow up to be like. Will they be chatty, shy, smart, the class clown..? I was full of questions about the life growing inside me. We just wanted to know what was wrong with her... But when it came time for me to lay eyes on baby Sophie for the first time, only one word fitted the bill. ‘She’s perfect!’ I beamed to my husband Mark, 31, as I kissed her soft, dark hair. I may have been biased, but Sophie was special to both of us. As a teenager, I’d suffered irregular periods and ovulation, and I was told I’d struggle to conceive. Yet here Sophie was -…

Clutching my stomach, I groaned in agony. It was summer 2012, and once again I was being ravaged by period pains. While this is something most women go through, even at 15 years old I knew mine were not normal. Bleeding was always heavy, and my pelvis felt like it was being repeatedly stabbed with a razor-sharp knife. The agony was pretty much constant, and often so bad that I’d need to vomit. There were some days where I couldn’t even walk, let alone go to school. But frequent trips to my GP offered no answers. ‘It’s just puberty, totally normal,’ I was told repeatedly. ‘How can this be normal?’ I sobbed in pain to my mum Tracey, then 37. Mum took me to hospital countless times, too, but scans…

Up to my elbows in soap suds, washing the Sunday dishes, I suddenly heard a familiar piano refrain on the radio. Though the washing-up water was hot, goose pimples shot up my arms. Drying my hands, I quickly grabbed my mobile phone. KQRS-FM, now, they’re playing our song! I texted. But I wasn’t sending the message to my husband. I was divorced, had two kids, Kayla, 10, and Konner, 3. I was sending it to my first summer of 1981, Ron broke up with me to go to university. ‘I need to sow my wild oats, Kim,’ he’d said. I was devastated, but I couldn’t bear the idea of losing him completely. So we’d stayed friends, and kept in touch through letters and phone calls. At first, it had made…

What better way to spend a Friday night than lazing on the sofa! It was last April and my little lad had gone to bed early- he was 2, and didn’t often sleep through the night, so this was a rare occurrence! I decided to have a game of bingo, as I’d played in the halls in the past and enjoyed it. I hadn’t played online bingo very often, but 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 quick and simple to load the app and I made a deposit of £10. I was spoilt for choice...several fun-looking bingo rooms, themed slots, casino games and more! I played Sapphire Bingo as it’s like…

Summer’s in full swing – sunshine and fun times are waiting. Whatever you have planned, enjoy summer with Pick Me Up! Bingo, fab offers and great promotions! JOIN NOW AND GET 200 FREE BINGO TICKETS worth up to £50 when you spend £10* HOW TO CLAIM 1 Go to pickmeupbingo.com  2 Enter promo code PMUK35 3 Get 200 FREE Bingo tickets worth up to £50 to play! *T&Cs: 18+. UK only. New members only, registration and opt in required. Min £10 deposit and wager. Bingo game restrictions apply – £50 value on 25p tickets. 30-day expiry from opt in. Rules apply. Offer in this issue ends 30 August 2018. See full T&Cs at pickmeupbingo.com . Pick Me Up! Bingo is part…

Lee Stafford Cactus Crush Shampoo, £7.99, Boots If too much sun has sapped the moisture from your hair, this gently cleanses thanks to the nutrient-rich, hydrating properties. L’Oreal Paris Elvive Dream Lengths Heat Mask, £5.99 Frazzled hair needs protein to give it back its shine. This mask includes an enriching protein and oil infused balm and a self-heating cap that helps to trap moisture in parched hair. PRO:VOKE Touch Of Silver Brightening Purple Shampoo, £3.99, Boots This is perfect for blondes that have a tendency to turn brassy in the sun. The intense purple colour helps add a silvery hue. Leave it on for a few minutes to work it’s magic then rinse. ghd Heat Protect Spray with UV Protection, £12.95, ghdhair.com Like unprotected skin, hair can get sunburnt, so…

Sweet potato baked eggs Serves: 2 Prep: 5 mins Cook: 30 mins ◻ 2 sweet potatoes (total 500g) ◻ 2tbsp olive oil ◻ 2 red onions, peeled and cut into medium slices ◻ Salt ◻ 100g spinach ◻ 1tsp ground cumin ◻ 1tsp ground coriander ◻ ½tsp chilli flakes ◻ Juice of ½ a lemon ◻ 100g halloumi, sliced ◻ 4 large eggs FOR THE TAHINI DRESSING ◻ 2tbsp tahini ◻ Juice of ½ a lemon ◻ 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed 1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a knife, place on a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high for 10 mins. Cut in half lengthways and set aside. 2 Heat 1tbsp of the olive oil in a large, oven-proof frying…

ARIES 21 March–20 April As one chapter closes, another begins. Don’t rule out trying new things. Your sign has been known to get stuck in a rut. You’d be wiser to take a fresh view of life this week. It’s how the stars are going to show you that you can afford to ask for more and to aim higher. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get! Once you know the difference, you’ll be on the right path. You’ve learnt some hard lessons in life over the last year. But decisions made over the rest of the year, prove that sacrifices were worth it. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June Are you angry with a…

Most people celebrate a new job, a baby, a new romance. Not me. I was about to celebrate my freedom. Married for eight years, my relationship was over. It’d been a time of heartache, sadness and regret. So when the divorce papers finally came through this June, my friends rallied. It was the perfect way to close that chapter for good ‘Right, we’re having a party!’ my best mate Nicola, 35, whooped. ‘No moping about!’ The split had been hanging over my head for the best part of four years. It was time to move on. And what better way than celebrating a new chapter? Nicola booked a table at a local Italian, and planned a night of partying with 15 pals. We booked eight hotel rooms, planning to get…