Table of contents for 04-Oct-2018 in Pick Me Up!

Waking up, I felt a familiar pounding in my head. Only, as I stared in the mirror my eye was completely swollen. Practically shut. Grabbing the phone I punched in Mum’s number as quickly as I could. It was pure instinct, to reach out to Mum. She’d always been there in a crisis, and I knew she wouldn’t let me down now. ‘We must get you to a doctor,’ Mum said. ‘I’m on my way.’ I didn’t want to make a fuss but Mum was right. I needed to get it checked out. It’s a good job I did. Within hours I was hooked up to a drip and ventilator. Then I was rushed for emergency brain surgery. When I woke up, Mum was there with me. ‘You almost died,’…

Long before he had kids of his own, I knew my brother Lee would be a great father - caring, funny, protective. It’s how he was with me. He was five years older, and though we bickered as kids, heaven help anyone who picked on me in school. And if I was ever feeling low, out came his silly sense of humour, putting a smile back on my face. So, when Lee grew up and became a dad for real, he was a natural. When Lee became a dad, he was a natural, doted on his little girl His little girl Alecia was born in December 2014, and Lee doted on her. Even when he and her mum broke up, he’d see her as much as he could. I had…

Pots of flavour Sharwood’s Noodles & Sauce pots are a great way to enjoy the flavours of the East. The range includes Chicken Chow Mein, Sweet Chilli Chicken and Sweet & Sour flavours. They’re only £1 at Tesco (usually £1.50) until 10 October. Pizza treat The Leggera supermarket range is inspired by Pizza Express’ menu. Get your pizza fix, but with up to 30% less fat and far fewer calories. Our fave is Mushroom and Ricotta – £3.09 (usually £3.79) in Tesco until 7 October. Heaven scent The Perfume Shop has some great deals at the moment – for example, Agent Provocateur (200ml) is now just £29.99 (usually £100) until 7 October! It’s a gift Pick Me Up! readers can get 10% off all gifts (excluding experience days and cards)…

Nothing worked. Not sitting on my hands, shoving them in my pockets... When I got the itch, I just had to scratch. ‘You’ll only make it worse,’ my hubby Rory, 33, said as I attacked an irritating patch on my back. ‘I can’t help it,’ I sighed. I’d suffered from eczema all my life and had the odd breakout. But after moving to Ireland in July 2012 with Rory, 33, and son Alex, 6, my skin had got much worse. Before, I’d had itchy patches in my elbow creases, but now, most of my top half was bright red. The itching drove me mad. It was painful, too, as the patches cracked with the slightest movement. The GP gave me steroid tablets and creams, but they were only for short-term…

ESSEX Darren Sellen, 41, Harlow When Sellen spotted a young girl alone at 3.30pm one day in Harlow last November, he approached her from behind, covered her mouth and eyes with his hands, then dragged her towards garages and sexually assaulted her. Two witnesses came to the girl’s aid and called the police. Sellen was arrested the next day and later found guilty of kidnap, kidnap with intent to commit a sexual assault and sexual assault on a child under 13. At Chelmsford Crown Court, he was sentenced to six years in prison, plus another four years on licence, and given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order. LINCOLNSHIRE Daniel Fox, 29, Coventry Scammer Fox attempted to extort up to £10,000 by threatening to hurt family members and destroy property if…

Sebamed Clear Face Gentle Scrub, £7.99, sebamed.co.uk Zap spots with this micro-peel that works deep down to gently cleanse and reduce impurities, leaving your skin smooth and supple. The formula also contains kaolin, a fine, light clay that naturally absorbs excess oils and also spot-causing sebum. AVON ANEW Perfect Skin Daily Skin Boosting Splash, £12, avon.uk.com . Not quite a ‘scrub’ but this liquid exfoliator will brighten up a dull-looking complexion. Splash onto your skin with your hands. In just 15 seconds the glycolic acid formula smoothes and hydrates your skin to leave it looking newly radiant. Urban Veda Soothing Exfoliating Facial Polish, £12.99, Boots Wake up tired skin with this aromatherapy-rich treat for your face. Sandalwood, organic aloe vera, myrrh and clary sage all…

Chinese chicken with sweetcorn Serves: 4 Prep: 15 min + 1hr marinating Cook: 1 hr ◻ 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced ◻ 2 garlic cloves, sliced ◻ 1tbsp Chinese five-spice powder ◻ ½tbsp Sichuan peppercorns ◻ 60ml soy sauce ◻ 90ml honey ◻ 1.5kg chicken thighs, bone in (about 6-8 thighs) ◻ Handful of chopped, fresh corainder, to garnish For the sweetcorn ◻ 4 cobs of corn ◻ Large knob of butter ◻ Splash of soy sauce ◻ Pinch of dried chilli flakes 1 In a large dish, mix together the onion, garlic, five-spice powder, peppercorns, soy sauce and honey until smooth. Add chicken and coat well in marinade. Cover with clingfilm and leave in the fridge for at least 1 hr or up to two days. 2 Heat…

ARIES 21 March–20 April Certain new attractions you’ve experienced have made you question all you thought you wanted. May I ask, though, what’s the rush? Suggestions from your stars are that you’re running from the past, but you must make peace with it to fully enjoy your future. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Mistakes are really riches in disguise,as they force us to learn lessons we’d rather ignore. Respect you show to new faces in business will pay back dividends as they’ve got contacts in higher ranks. Career and financial matters get interesting from Monday! Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June Life is full of both positive and negative experiences. You’ve learnt recently that we’re all human and mistakes are part of human nature. But…

Letting myself in after a hectic day at work, all I wanted to do was chill. Except...my flat was in chaos! Cushions ripped to shreds, flowers scattered on the floor, even a few plates smashed in the sink. ‘Ozzy!’ I shouted. Prince Ozzy was my cheeky black moggy, named after the Prince of Darkness, heavy-metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. And my puss was just as eccentric as Ozzy. Although I’d not seen him munch a bat, I wouldn’t put it past him! I got Ozzy six years ago when my old cat Mr Smudge died aged an amazing 18 years, 8 months . Ozzy filled a hole in my heart when Mr Smudge was gone. But having a kitten rushing around was manic. When Ozzy eventually settled, I could leave him…

Womb removal? Q I have heavy, painful periods. I don’t want any more children, so – though I’m only 30 – I’m considering a hysterectomy. Is there a downside to having one so young? Kylie, Plymouth A There’s an increased risk of developing heart disease in the future following a hysterectomy, even with preservation of the ovaries. I would recommend considering non-surgical treatment options first. Food for lungs Q There’s a strong history of early lung disease in my family, and I have asthma. Are there any diets that help with lung problems? Dawn, Exeter A Recent evidence suggests that a diet rich in tomatoes or apples and other fruit (two to three portions per day) slows deterioration in lung function. Overall, it’s important to keep fit, eat healthily and…

I couldn’t tell if my cockatiel Birdie was yawning or saying 'Feed me’ when he pulled this funny face! Lesley Greenall, Johnstown When I said it was bedtime, I think Millie thought that meant she could hop into my bed… Cheeky bunny! Karen Hill, Caernarfon My 1-year-old Ferret Freddie got lost in my house for an hour or so and after looking all over for him I found him hiding in my niece’s toy bag. Lucy Hill, Halifax Is that Robin Hood? No, just my dog Nelson. My daughter thought he looked rather fetching in this blue hat. Emma Kent, Ripley 'What are you looking at?’ asks my bearded dragon Red. 'Just my purrfect pal,’ replies cat Suzy. Teresa Harris, via e-mail 'Working 9-5,' sings my cat Tiny. Doesn't he…

Verdict: GENIUS! They look really pretty, too. Magic Bax, £19.99 for set of two, jmldirect.com If you have stretched lobes or just love wearing statement (but heavy!) earrings, then we’ve found just the thing! These innovative earring backs lift your earrings, holding them firm, secure and straight. Verdict: GENIUS! Such a clever money-saver! Smol Subscription Service, £3.85 for 24 capsules, smolproducts.com Save money and time by having your washing tablets delivered to your door, thanks to this new subscription service. The capsules are super concentrated and great quality, and you can try the service with 9 washes for £1. Verdict: BONKERS ...but brilliant! Chocolate Dinosaur Eggs, £11.99, firebox.com Not your average box of chocolates, these pink ‘dinosaur’ eggs have been made with a ‘cracked’…

Not a member yet? 1. Register with promo code PMUK40 2. Deposit and play £10 3. Receive up to £50 in Free Bingo Tickets* 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 4 october 2018. see full T&Cs at pickmeupbingo.com. Pick Me Up! Bingo is part of the Jackpotjoy.com network. For 24-hour support, freephone 0800 458 0770. Please play responsibly. BeGambleAware.org…

The Cry, BBC1 Jenna Coleman leaves Queen Victoria’s corsets and crinolines far behind her to star in this harrowing four-part drama, based on Helen FitzGerald’s novel. New mum Joanna (Jenna) and her husband Alistair (Ewen Leslie) take their baby from Scotland to Australia to visit Alistair’s mother Elizabeth (Stella Gonet) and attempt to get custody of his daughter from his first marriage. But a tragic event occurs that scars Joanna forever and her life and her marriage start to unravel… Get Shorty, Sky Atlantic Season two sees gangster Miles (Chris O’Dowd) trying to reconcile his filmmaker and family-man ambitions with his skill set as a career criminal. Jeopardising his dreams further is washed-up producer Rick (Ray Romano). The pair have also caught the eye of a brutal prison-gang leader. The…

She slept through the night for the first time since her dad died As I sat beside the Christmas tree in 2016, my husband Robert, 40, pointed to a present. ‘One last gift for you,’ he said, grinning. How intriguing! Unwrapping the paper carefully, I felt a smile spread across my face as I realised what it was. A lovely, brand-new sewing machine. I’d studied Textiles at A-level, and I was naturally creative, loved needlework. But it’d all been put on the back-burner with the long hours I worked as a civil servant. When our son Travis was born in 2016, sewing fell further down my list of priorities. Now, finding some quiet time once Travis was in bed a few weeks later, I played around with the sewing machine.…

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1 Parkinson’sis a condition in which parts of the brain become progressively damaged over many years. ■ True ■ False 2 It has no effect on your emotional or physiological wellbeing. ■ True ■ False 3 It is estimated that 50,000 Brits suffer with the condition. ■ True ■ False 4 Physiotherapy and occupational therapy can help easesymptoms. ■ True ■ False 1 TRUE It causes shaking, slow movements and stiff, inflexible muscles. 2 FALSE It is common for sufferers of Parkinson’s to experience depression, anxiety and insomnia. 3 FALSE About one in 500 Brits are thought to have the disease – that’s around 127,000 British sufferers. 4 TRUE These therapies can help, as can certain medications and, in some cases, brain surgery.…

First, my mum got a dodgy message on Facebook... When your heart has been broken, you really find out who your friends are. ‘Don’t worry, babe,’ my mate Bianca, 24, said. ‘I’ll find you a new bloke.’ ‘He didn’t deserve you anyway,’ another friend, Ash, 28, said. It was November 2015, and I’d just broken up with my boyfriend of a year, Stuart. ‘Come to mine and drown your sorrows any time,’ Bianca said. So I did, over white wine, several times..! I’d known her and her husband Simon, 28, for years. They were so supportive. And they understood how hard it was for me being a single mum. I had a 3-year-old son called Harvey. ‘The right man won’t mind that,’ Bianca said. And in January, just as she’d…

Curled up on the sofa, I groaned in agony. It was a Saturday night in 2014 and I was due to go out with my girlfriends. But, right now, the thought of a cocktail made me feel sick. Sorry girls, I texted them all. But I’ll have to pass on tonight. I feel awful. I felt so glum. I was only 18, but lately I’d lost count of the nights out I’d had to cancel due to terrible stomach cramps. The doctors weren’t sure what it was, but the pain was so bad that it sometimes made me vomit. My problems had started six years earlier when I was 12. Eventually, I’d been diagnosed as lactose intolerant. Then, when a dairy-free diet made no difference, I’d been told that I…

Who knew if he’d have a future – unless we made this choice? As I lay my 2-year-old Henry, in his bed, his big, blue eyes filled with tears. ‘It’s OK, darling,’ I soothed, battling with tears of my own. ‘Mummy loves you...’ But Henry’s bottom lip began to quiver. ‘Don’t hurt me, Mummy!’ he begged me. He knew as well as I did what bedtime really meant. I’d have to hook up my boy to a pump, push a needle into his leg, and let it take out the excess iron in his blood overnight. It was just excruciating to watch. Henry hated it and I hated being the one to hurt him. ‘Who’s my big strong boy?’ I’d say, but it broke my heart. I knew it had…

‘Mental-health awareness should be on the school curriculum. Once the taboo surrounding it goes, you’ll be able to help the lads who believe ending their life is their only release.’ Caroline Flowers, Coventry ‘Men can be ashamed to seek help when they’re depressed. It takes a lot of courage to see your GP to talk about mental health. Often, the appointment is cancelled or not kept by the person. Maybe a drop-in clinic to discuss mental health would be a good idea.’ Sarah Jauch, Pembrokeshire ‘Some people think men should be strong and not have feelings. But it’s not weak to have problems and speak about them. Celebs discussing their mental health will help. If they’re rich and famous and still struggle, it’s OK for anyone to feel down.’ Kelly…