Table of contents for 18-Oct-2018 in Chat

Steve says, ‘I did begin dating the other woman first. With Emma, it was an attraction thing, and I really wanted to be with her. I was really upset with myself, because I thought so much of her, and we were just starting to get somewhere. I should have just left the other woman, so it's all my fault. ‘I thought a lot more about Emma. I'm absolutely ecstatic about being back together. I've not even looked at anybody or spoken to anyone, because I feel so bad inside, and I'm really trying to make it up in any way to Emma. I really feel she's the one, so I'm giving it 200 per cent.'…

The jury of nine women and three men deliberated for just two hours before finding Marlene Johnson guilty of the first-degree murder of Shirley Pierce. Johnson collapsed in the courtroom as the decision was read out by the foreman. Judge Stuart Albright sentenced Johnson to life in prison without the possibility of parole. After the sentence was passed, Shirley’s daughter Tracy Brown said to Johnson, ‘As a Christian, I am supposed to be forgiving. ‘But I could never forgive you for what you did, and if that keeps me from going to heaven, then I’ll meet you in hell.’…

Hairy vagina Q I have hairs on the inside of my vagina lips! Can I get rid of them? Zoe, Totnes A The skin inside your vagina lips often contains hair-growing follicles. The hairs are usually fine, downy and barely noticeable - so, as it's a sensitive area, it's usually best to leave them alone. If you do want rid of them, ask a professional beautician. Lost condom Q After sex, we couldn't find the condom! I'm worried it's still inside me. How can I tell? Lisa-Mai, Halifax A You might need to visit a sexual health clinic to protect yourself against pregnancy and sexually transmitted infection. If you can't find the condom by exploring gently with your fingers, and you develop a smelly discharge after a day or two,…

Q I read that sheet masks are great for dry skin. Do they live up to the hype? Natalie White, 47, Lincoln A Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! Sheet masks are saturated with skin-loving ingredients, and the great news is there’s literally nowhere for them to go but into your skin’s layers. You don’t even need to rinse afterwards like you would with a traditional mask. Just rub all that excess serum into your face and neck for a soothing sensation. SAVE Boots Ingredients Radiance & Brightening Mask, £2.50 SPEND Garnier Ultralift Tissue Mask, £3.99 SPLURGE Origins Flower Fusion Hydrating Sheet Mask – Rose, £5 Q I’m trying to grow out my bob. Is there anything I can do to speed it up? Anne Fleming, 61, Milton Keynes A…

Charlotte Rose, 37, London Kicking off my heels, I felt my feet throb after my long shift. It was summer 2010, and having just launched my own business, I was burning the candle at both ends. Life as a working mum of two was certainly busy. I’d been a hospitality teacher for seven years at the local college before throwing in the towel... And I was now a sex trainer! I worked with single men, couples and those with disabilities, all of whom needed a few pointers in the bedroom. I loved my work. The money was great, the hours flexible and the uniform sexy. I’d always had a high libido and I wanted others to love sex as much as I did. ‘Everyone deserves an exciting sex life,’ I…

Smarter sewing  When knitting, I place the item I'm making on stiff card. It is great when sewing on buttons and it's a handy place to keep my sewing needle. Angela Keeler, Lowestoft Stash your cash I washed out this coffee tin and it's perfect as a secret money box. No one would ever know! T Griffin, Bristol Shut out To stop my cat playing with the sliding doors of my wardrobe, I put self-adhesive Velcro tape on the door, so now she can't nudge it open at all. Karen Dickens, Leighton Buzzard Safety first  My girlfriend's new loo seat refused to stay up, so I used one of her plastic hair clips. Danger averted! John Ruscoe, Woodbridge First aid ready  I cut the pockets off my husband's old rucksack…

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Sadie Nicholas, 20, Eastbourne Covering my mouth with both hands, I lurched towards the loo. Then I was physically sick. At 9 years old, I vowed it would be the last time it’d happen to me. And for the next 11 years, just the idea of retching made me anxious. I developed a fear of being sick in public, and worried if it started, I’d never stop. Through my teens, I put on a brave front, but my phobia terrorised my every move. And with every person who sneezed or coughed near me, I winced. Worried for hours that whatever they had was about to get me, too. Then in February 2017, my grandparents got sick on holiday. ‘I can’t be near them,’ I said to my partner, Matthew, 22.…

Kayleigh Kinsey, 24, Kirkby-in-Ashfield I scooped up a spoonful of baby porridge and guided it gently into my son Riley’s mouth. At 4 months old in February 2018, it was his first go on solids. But, instead of smacking his lips or even spitting it all out like his older sisters had, I knew instantly something was terribly wrong. Within seconds, Riley was squirming and crying, clearly in pain. As if someone had poured acid on him… By the time I called for an ambulance, Riley’s whole face and neck were swollen and he was turning purple. As I rocked him, in a panic, Riley was clearly struggling to breathe. Paramedics arrived within minutes and diagnosed anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction. They immediately injected him with adrenaline. Shaking with…

Natural Collection Highlighter Stick, £2.49 Glow on the go with this easy apply shiny stick. Bourjois Le Petit Strober, £6.49 A super silky powder to suit all skin tones.  L’Oréal Paris Glow Mon Amour Highlighting Drops, £9.99 Mix a drop with your usual foundation for all-over radiance. Sleek MakeUP Cleopatra’s Kiss Highlighting Palette, £9.99 Compact + mirror + four highlighters = bargain! Collection Speedy Highlighter, £3.99 Delivers a silky sheen in a quick swipe.…

I watched helplessly as doctors tried to revive her Cheri Price, 23, Isle of Wight Lying in bed in December 2016, I pictured the tiny life growing inside me. As I stroked my belly, sheer joy surged through my fingertips. Then a crushing wave of panic swept over me. Three years earlier, I’d suffered an ectopic pregnancy, then a miscarriage. Me and my partner Tim, 32, had been devastated. Although I already had Liam, 5, from a previous relationship, and Tim had kids too, we’d wanted more. Thankfully, we had gone on to have a son, Jack, in February 2016. But he arrived nine weeks early, and he’d spent a month in hospital. Now I was pregnant again, but I was worried the same thing would happen. ‘I don’t know…

Aries 21 March - 20 April Why are you arguing? Because you’re treading on each other’s toes - but only because you’re trying to do the other a favour and getting in each other’s way. Try to see the funny side of it, then kiss and make up. • Call 0905 817 0690* for more Taurus 21 April - 21 May A step up at work looks good, but it comes with strings attached - extra duties, extra hours, and so on. You’re not so keen. Somehow you’ve got to say thanks, but no thanks, without causing offence. • Call 0905 817 0691* for more Gemini 22 May - 21 June You volunteered for a job that nobody wanted or could do, and you’re so good at it that you…

Q How did your loved ones feel about your career change? Colleen Brunton, Enfield A Some reacted badly, calling me a whore. But my parents were really supportive. The person who surprised me the most, though, was my daughter, who's now 18. We talk freely about my job - she's very understanding. Q What makes you an expert? Hannah Roberts, Margate A I always considered myself to be quite good at sex, and I've won industry awards, too. I can't say I know everything about sex, but I'm pretty good at what I do. Q If your daughter decided to follow in your footsteps, what would you say? Sarah Francis, Huddersfield A I'd be in no position to stop her. I want her to be safe and happy with the…

Paul Fassam, 55, Salford Settling down with a pint, I looked across the table at my sister Sandra, 39. We’d always been close but, since moving from our home town of Ramsgate to London, I couldn’t help worrying. Especially about Sandra’s new fella. I’d never met him, but I’d heard enough. He seemed to be a drunk, a bit of a geezer. A mate of mine had even once apparently spotted Sandra with a black eye. Now, as we sat in the pub, I quizzed her. ‘What’s all this nasty stuff I’ve heard about Roger?’ I asked, hoping she’d tell all. ‘Everything’s fine,’ she laughed, rolling her eyes. ‘People are just talking a load of rubbish.’ That was Sandra – loyal, easy to get along with. A kind, peace-loving hippy.…

Chuck Reeves was worried sick. It’d been days since he’d spoken to his fiancee Shirley Pierce, and it just wasn’t like her. Shirley was a busy woman. As well as working hard as an admin assistant for an executive at a local textile company in Rowan County, North Carolina, she was renowned for organising fundraisers for victims with brain injuries. Still, it wasn’t like her not to return a call. So, on the morning of 23 July 2013, when Chuck turned up at Shirley’s Kannapolis home, he must have been feeling anxious. Nothing could have prepared him for the brutal scene he would encounter when he opened the front door. Searching the house, Chuck soon found Shirley, 62, lying in the bath, a knife blade protruding from her neck. There…

Toothy terror Q My teeth are rotten but I'm terrified of dentists! Can I ask to be put to sleep before I have work done? Lena, Glasgow A Find a dentist who specialises in anxious patients. Besides sympathy and understanding, they might offer relaxation therapy, hypnosis or sedative drugs and usually offer a preliminary chat away from the dentist's chair. A full general anaesthetic isn't often necessary, and carries risks. Why won’t he operate? Q I've been diagnosed with adhesions. They cause recurring stomach pains but my surgeon says he doesn't want to operate. Why? Maura, Cork A Adhesions are bands of scar tissue which form inside your abdomen after infection or injury. They can press on parts of your bowel, leading to pain or blockage. Operating to cut them…

Allergies are caused when the immune system - the body's natural defence against germs - reacts to a harmless substance, such as food, triggering a reaction in the body that can include hives, difficulty breathing and skin rashes. The most severe reaction is anaphylaxis, where the airway begins to close, and can be fatal if not treated quickly with adrenaline. According to Allergy UK, an estimated one in 12 young children currently suffers from a food allergy, with numbers climbing annually.…

Now Hailie is thriving, with a laugh that lights up the room For five agonising minutes, doctors worked on Hailie. And in a moment of pure amazement, she took a breath. She was hooked up to a machine to help her breathe – and for a quick minute, I was able to have a look at her. Having arrived 16 weeks early, her eyelids were still fused together, her ears pulled back to her head. Hailie’s skin was so translucent, her veins were visible. Even the squiggly lines of her brain showed through her skull. Overwhelmed, exhausted and terrified, the sight of her helpless little body made me sob uncontrollably. Hailie should have been in my womb, safe, protected. Not out here, under the harsh lights of the hospital ward.…

1 Dress for less  Getting dressed up for the big day is a big expense, averaging £50 per guest, but you can cut down on how much you shell out. Instead of buying new clothes each time, why not invest in a simple outfit in a neutral colour that you can accessorise to make it look different - for example, by adding a statement necklace. And if you want a fancy frock for less, consider renting from a dress-hire company, such as girlmeetsdress.com. 2 Trim travel costs  Getting to a wedding often involves a long journey, but travelling with others could help. Some train companies, including Greater Anglia, have GroupSave tickets, which offer groups of three to nine a third off off-peak fares (see nationalrail.co.uk/groupsave). Car sharing is a good…

Terrifying tortilla chips Serves: 4 (as snack) Prep: 15 min Cook: 2 min Cost per serving: 22p Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4. With a sharp knife or cookie cutter, cut two tortilla wraps into shapes, such as bats, ghosts or pumpkins. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with a little icing sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 2 min, until crisp. For a savoury version, butter and bake tortillas, then serve with salsa or sour-cream dip. Cheesy pastry bones Makes: 10 Prep: 15 min Cook: 10 min Cost per serving: 28p Preheat the oven to 200C/Gas 6. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper. Spread pack of ready rolled puff pastry on a floured work surface. Grate 75g red Leicester cheese over half the pastry, and fold the other half…

Coronation Street SINEAD’S TURMOIL Mum-to-be Sinead should be on cloud nine after tying the knot with Daniel, but she’s starting married life in turmoil. After being told she could have cervical cancer, she’s awaiting the results of an MRI scan and biopsy. And when they confirm her worst fears, Sinead confides in her father-in-law Ken and swears him to secrecy. Will he agree to keep such a big secret from his son? Also, Nick’s back in town but not everyone’s pleased to see him. Emmerdale DANGER FOR VICTORIA! After finding out that Moira killed Emma, Victoria’s on a mission to find her husband Adam, who’s on the run after taking the rap for his mum. She hires a private investigator called Glenn, who tells her Adam is in Portugal and…

Working out was tough, but not as tough as cancer I’d fought for my life and now it was time to start living it Chrissie Bray, 43, Birmingham Polishing off my favourite meal of battered fish, chips and mushy peas, I felt fit to burst. Eyeing the empty wrapping, I felt a pang of guilt. ‘You deserve it,’ I told myself. It was December 2016, and after months of recovery from a mastectomy and chemotherapy for breast cancer, I reckoned I’d earned a treat. Except, could I really call it a treat when it was my third takeaway of the week? And that wasn’t counting all the biscuits, chocolate and crisps I’d also scoffed. Truth was, the stress of battling cancer meant I’d turned to food for comfort. During treatment,…

I haven’t forgotten my past – it drives me every day You’ll know when you read my story and feel my fear in the pit of your stomach, my loneliness in the ache of your heart... You’ll know, because you will have been there too. Looking back now, I can’t remember a single day that went by as a child without my dad abusing me. And when the physical assaults eased, the mental torture began. ‘You’re useless,’ he sneered at me. ‘You can’t do anything right.’ I was constantly wetting the bed, living in terror. By the age of 14, my self-esteem was at rock bottom. Turning to alcohol to numb the pain, mixing with the wrong crowds, I did anything to stay away from home. At 18, I broke…