Table of contents for 30-May-2019 in Pick Me Up!

Dusting off an old pair of scrubs and putting my hair in a ponytail, I was ready for my first day back at work. After a year’s maternity leave I was ready to get back to nursing. But that meant leaving my baby girl Ella behind. ‘I’ve got her, now off to work with you,’ my mum said. That’s the thing with Mum, she’s always happy to step in when you need her. And considering both me and my partner Tom, 31, work full-time, it’s a godsend. So when in February my doctor told me I’d need an operation to remove an umbilical hernia, Mum stepped up once more. I was trying to recover and still help with my littl’un. But I couldn’t make a cup of tea for myself…

As my mate Ian sidled closer to me on the couch, I suddenly felt a shiver run down my spine. Next, I felt his arm slipping quietly around my shoulder. ‘I’ve fancied you for a long time,’ Ian murmured. It was a shock, I have to admit. I’d known Ian Brewster for years but never really thought of him as boyfriend material. We’d always got on well, but I’d never considered him as anything more than a friend. Then, one night, in April 2018, he came round and we had a few drinks. Laughing and joking away, I could feel the sexual chemistry rise between us. And, sure enough, by the end of the night we ended up kissing. Surprising, but after a recent split with my daughter’s father, I…

She won’t sleep Q My daughter suffers from extreme claustrophobia and won’t sleep in the dark. What can I do to help? Karen, Manchester A It’s common for people with claustrophobia to experience anxiety when they are in confined, dark spaces. Sometimes this can lead to a panic attack. It is estimated around 10 per cent of people experience this within their lifetime. A low-level night light can often relax children enough to let them sleep. If this doesn’t help, speak to your GP and discuss options, perhaps a behavioural therapist. Is it time for the change? Q I’m turning 50 this year – does this mean I’ll begin the menopause? Paula, Newcastle A The menopause is a completely natural process that happens most commonly between the ages of 45…

Eat grapefruit! The humble grapefruit has been praised for many things – it’s low in calories, full of nutrients and an excellent source of vitamins A and C. And according to the American Heart Association, grapefruit could reduce the risk of strokes for women due to the flavonoids in the fruit – in fact, the risk was 19 per cent lower for those who consumed high levels of grapefruit. 20 mins That’s how long some people in rural areas will wait for an ambulance even if suffering cardiac arrests and other life-threatening emergencies, according to NHS figures. Have you tried… The Om Meditation All-in-One! app? This app includes over 20 meditation tracks, custom mantras with detailed meanings and Silent Meditation mode to help with breathing meditation. Sound complicated? Don’t worry…

Racing into the kitchen, I excitedly announced some good news to my partner Kristian, 29. ‘I’ve just won £75 ’ I grinned. ‘What do you mean?’ he asked. ‘I just won it on the bingo,’ I said. ‘What about I buy us a couple of tins of paint to give this place a freshen up.’ ‘Good idea,’ he said. We’d not long moved in, and were still making our house feel like a home. That afternoon, Kristian and I had a couple of errands to run, but before we did, I decided to spend £2 of my winnings, bought 20 x 10p tickets for one of the 75-ball games in Bingo Lounge later that afternoon. Popping my phone in my bag, Kristian and I set off. I stopped in my…

Springwatch BBC2 Chris Packham, Michaela Strachan, Iolo Williams and Gillian Burke return with another seasonal update from the Cairngorms National Park in Scotland. As well as checking in on local wildlife – including pine martens, eagles, ospreys, capercaillies and the endangered Scottish wild cat – the team will be launching ‘Garden Watch’, which aims to get viewers to report on what’s going on in their own back gardens to help map the health of the UK’s wildlife. Good Omens, Amazon Prime Video Based on the novel by fantasy writers Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, this six-part comedy stars Michael Sheen as a paranoid and fussy angel called Aziraphale and David Tennant as a fast-living demon called Crowley. They have lived among Earth’s mortals since the dawn of time so they…

Speedy saag aloo Serves: 2 Prep: 10 min Cook: 15 min ◻ 1tbsp vegetable oil ◻ 1 onion, chopped ◻ 1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped ◻ 2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed ◻ 1tbsp medium curry paste ◻ 100ml water ◻ 150g spinach leaves, chopped ◻ 3tbsp chopped fresh coriander ◻ 4 large eggs ◻ Wholemeal chapattis or naans, to serve 1 Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan, add the chopped onion and pepper, and fry over a high heat until they are softened and lightly golden. 2 Reduce the heat, add the sweet potatoes and sauté for 3 min. Stir in the curry paste and water, then cover and simmer for 10 min or until the potatoes are tender. Add the spinach leaves, stirring until they…

ARIES 21 March–20 April Jealousy is never a nice trait, but this week you get to feel threatened by all sorts of people who actually hold no power over you whatsoever. Be true to who you are and stand up for yourself. Life is waiting to be lived when you’re ready my friend. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Uranus tells you the answer this week before you have even managed to ask the question. You begin to see with ease what needs to be done to make your life a better place to be. Some friends make it hard for you to be honest on Friday, but truths become your saviour this week. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June Travel aspects are well starred and…

For a while, I sobbed, waiting for Ian to vent all his rage. And then, as usual, he seemed to crumble. ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you,’ he said. Too scared to even sleep, I sat awake all night. Then, a message from my mum came through: I’m coming to get you. Stacey had known something was wrong and given her a call. I managed to creep out that morning, while Ian was still half asleep. I hadn’t dared pack anything, just grabbed my phone on the way out. Mum took me to the police station to give a statement. The officers asked me if I wanted to know about Ian’s history under Clare’s Law, the domestic-violence disclosure scheme. I was shocked to find out Ian was classed a high-risk…

Salad jar Do you hate it when you get to work and your dressing has already made your salad wilt? Recycle a mini jam jar to keep your salad dressing separate until lunchtime. Lyndsey Clever, Faversham Hanging out If there isn’t enough room to hang up all your towels when you are on holiday, try putting one on the raised handle of your suitcase. Mitra Zehtabi, Southmead Coming unstuck If your glue stick has dried up, don’t throw it away. Simply put it in a glass or container with enough water to cover the glue part, and leave overnight. You’ll find it’s then ready to use again. Donna Gray, Billingham Case in point Use a plastic toothbrush case to store your pens in your bag. It’ll stop them leaking and…

1 HOLD an ice pack to the injury regularly for short periods in the first few days to bring down any swelling. 2 REST and avoid stress. 3 TAKE paracetamol to relieve pain but do not use ibuprofen or aspirin as they could cause the injury to bleed. 4 HAVE someone stay with you for the first 24 hours. 5 DO NOT…go back to work until you feel better, drive until you have fully recovered, play sports for around three weeks, take drugs or drink alcohol until you feel better. And don’t take sleeping pills. SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION STRAIGHT AWAY IF… you are finding it hard to stay awake, have a seizure, have problems with vision, balance or speech, have bleeding or numbness, or clear fluid comes from your ears…

QI regularly suffer from ingrown toenails, which are painful and have stopped me from going running. What would you advise? Marcus, London A Unfortunately, this is very common and can be extremely painful. They develop when the sides of the toenail begin to grow into the surrounding skin. Things like fungal infections and exercising can make the skin even more inflamed and sensitive. I would recommend booking an appointment with a chiropodist, who can improve the shape of the toenail and recommend the best course of treatment.…

Twins Nubia and Victor didn’t have the easiest start in life. Born in May 2000, their biological mother had issues with drugs and alcohol. When the twins were born, she was trying to get clean. So, Florida’s Department of Children and Families (DCF) agreed Nubia and Victor could stay with her. Soon after, Nubia was diagnosed with virilization - an adrenal gland disorder that results in exaggerated masculine characteristics. Her naked, decomposing body had been doused in chemicals She’d need significant medication, many surgeries. Nubia had a long road ahead of her. But her home life was still chaotic. Aged 3, the twins were taken off their mother, and after a brief stay with their biological dad, were placed into foster care. They’d lived in three homes already. Heartbreaking. The…

Never-ending Birthday Card, £11.99, firebox.com It’s official – this might be the most annoying birthday card ever invented. Not only does it unleash a giant spray of glitter when you open it, it’ll continue to play an earworm of a tune for three hours. Don’t try and stop it, it’ll only get louder! Verdict: BONKERS! It’ll still play underwater. Footner Exfoliating Socks, £19.99, Boots This might sound disgusting, but it works! Leave these exfoliant-filled socks on for 60 minutes and wait for the dead skin to naturally peel off over the next two weeks. Verdict: GENIUS! Be patient, though. Benefit Chocolate Dark Chocolate with Vitamins, £1.75, benefitchocolate.co.uk This vegan choc is not just a sweet treat, it’s packed with 50% of the recommended daily…

GERMANY – GONE IN A HEARTBEAT Medical student Maria Ladenburger, 19, was one of life’s good people. As well as studying to be a doctor, she volunteered at various migrant shelters in the German city of Freiburg. One night in October 2016, she’d gone to a party, then cycled home. Sadly, danger was lurking in the form of Hussein Khavari. Khavari lunged, knocking Maria from her bike. He then strangled and raped the popular student, but she was still alive when he left her on the bank of the river Dreisam to drown. When Maria’s body was found later that morning, police launched a manhunt. At the scene, they had found a long black hair partially dyed blond. CCTV revealed a teenage boy on a local tram who also had…

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As the searing pain in my feet became too much to bear, I slowed to a halt. It was 1971, and I’d made it halfway around the cross-country course in my PE lesson. But the red, dry blisters that I’d been suffering with for a few weeks on my feet had flared up again. Limping back to the changing room, supported by my friend, I was in agony. ‘Let’s see poor Cinderella’s feet, then,’ jeered the teacher as I eased myself onto the bench. But her face dropped when I carefully removed my trainers to reveal the inflamed, aching blisters beneath. Even walking for a few minutes felt like torture I’d had problems with my skin since I was 8. I bruised easily, shampoo made my scalp itchy and sore,…

1 Delirium is when a person experiences sudden confusion and may not be able to think or speak clearly or quickly. ■ True ■ False 2 It can be caused by a urinary-tract infection, a head injury, illegal drugs, low blood sugar or an asthma attack. ■ True ■ False 3 You should never try to communicate with someone who is suffering from delirium. ■ True ■ False 4 After calling an ambulance, you should stay with the person and tell them who and where you are, and keep reassuring them. ■ True ■ False 1 TRUE They also may not know where they are, struggle to pay attention or remember things, or start seeing and hearing things that aren’t there. 2 TRUE It can also be caused by a…

My fiance David’s face was so pale, he looked practically green. ‘Have you got another one of those headaches?’ I fretted. David, 26, nodded miserably. I dug out some painkillers, got him a glass of water. It was July 2016 - and for weeks now, David had been suffering from headaches. With me for six years, he was normally a healthy, upbeat guy. ‘Are you worried about anything?’ I asked. He was a welder, normally enjoyed his job. David shook his head. ‘I’m probably just a bit run down.’ Over those next weeks, though, the headaches kept coming. I tried not to worry. David and I had talked about getting married one day, but first we wanted a baby. Only, two months later, in September 2016, David was working away…

Who doesn’t love a day off work? I love deciding on how to spend mine! It was last September, and while my fiance Richard, 33, was heading to work, I had the day to myself. Normally, I’d be at my job as a beauty therapist. But after a snooze, I spent the morning making wedding plans. Together 11 years, we’d been engaged almost as long! Richard had proposed back in December 2012, but we’d been too busy to set a date. I stared at the screen in shock – had I really just won? In January 2018, though, we booked our wedding at Gellifawr Woodland Retreat in Pembrokeshire for October 2019. There were still things to arrange. My dress for a start. And we needed to sort a DJ for…

I ask my partner to get off his phone for the night if I think he’s on it too much. We do remind each other when we think we are  on our phones too much and it’s really healthy to communicate about it, otherwise it’ll cause an unnecessary rift. Shariah Mear, 24, Staffordshire I don’t think it’s an obsession but more of a habit. I find myself going to pick up my  phone for no reason and stop myself. I couldn’t be without mine, though. I use it to communicate with my children as I work full-time. We don’t have phones at the dinner table – that’s my one rule. Sarah Jauch, 30, Fishguard I took part in Scroll Free September last year, where you don’t go on social media…

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Micellar Water, £5.20 for 100ml This was the first-ever micellar water to launch and one sells every two seconds! Not only is it great at removing make-up, but pollution too, cleansing the skin without drying it out and leaving it refreshed. B. Pure Micellar Water, £1.99 for 100ml, Superdrug Not only does this micellar cleanse the skin of impurities and make-up, it also tones and refreshes, too! So you’re getting a three-in-one cleansing regime in one simple step. Bioré Charcoal Cleansing Micellar Water, £4.99 for 300ml, Superdrug With the added power of charcoal, this oil-absorbing formula will help keep shine at bay and give you the good kind of all-day glow that doesn’t look greasy. Nivea MicellAir Skin Breathe Professional Micellar Make-up Remover, £5.99 for 400ml Remove…

HULL Robert Smith, 34 Vile Robert Smith has been jailed for four years, eight months at Hull Crown Court, for sex offences. Smith, of Halifax, lied to his family and travelled 70 miles to a hotel in Hull on numerous occasions to meet a 14-year-old girl, ensuring this went undetected by hotel staff. He’d groomed the girl online and sexually abused her repeatedly. He knew the victim’s age, and the abuse developed into full sexual intercourse. Police analysed Smith’s computer and discovered disturbing images, showing the danger he posed to children. Smith pleaded guilty to seven counts of sexual activity with a child, three counts of making indecent pictures and one count of possession of extreme pornography. BUCKINGHAMSHIRE Jordan Adewale, 23 Sex attacker Jordan Adewale has been jailed for the…