Table of contents for 18-Feb-2016 in Pick Me Up!

What A Quiz! Are you more Edward Scissorhands or Captain Jack? To find out which famous Johnny Depp character you’re most like, visit www.lifedeathprizes. com and search ‘Johnny Depp’. 1 million …that’s how many visitors went along to the Lumiere London light festival. The displays were amazing. My fave was this dress in the window at Liberty. Wow! What A Film! I can’t wait to see Deadpool ! I’ve been looking forward to it for ages and I can’t think of a role Ryan Reynolds is better suited to. What A Feast! I’ve been planning a Mexican-themed night with one of my mates. It’ll be epic, with loads of food, tequila, sombreros and even a pinata! What A Snap! For Christmas, my brother bought me a selfie…

I rang the doorbell of the pub, as I prepared to make my usual sales pitch. A man answered, a friendly smile on his face. ‘Hello, what can I do for you?’ he asked. I was working as a sales rep selling kitchen products, and it was the end of a long, busy day, but something made me really want to talk to him. It was May 2005, and that moment when I met Gareth, 25, I knew I’d made a friend for life. That day, I’d forgotten I was there to do a job and we just chatted over a cuppa. We had so many things in common, like a love of 80s music. ‘I hope to see you again,’ he said when I had to leave. Feelings From…

Staying active Q My mum, 82, is still independent, but she’s been telling me she’s started to find it hard to remain active. Can you recommend any suitable exercises for her? Amelia, Redcar & Cleveland A Slow-moving, ‘strengthbuilding’ exercise classes, like Tai Chi or Pilates, have been shown to ward off both physical and mental ill health. Find one local to you and go along with her. Chronic pancreatitis Q Last year, I developed pancreatitis. It was so horrible – it lasted for ages and I still get occasional pain and diarrhoea. My doctor says there’s no cure, but is there anything I can do? Georgina, Edinburgh A Chronic pancreatitis isn’t easily curable, but flare-ups can be reduced by avoiding alcohol and smoking, eating a low-fat diet and staying hydrated.…

My friends loved going to the bingo hall together. ‘It’s a laugh, you should come,’ a mate said one evening. I wasn’t much of a bingo player, but I thought I’d give it a try. They were right, it was fun. But, a single mum to three kids, I rarely found the time to go. Then one of my mates suggested online bingo. ‘You can play at home, whenever you like,’ she said. After looking online, I soon came across Pick Me Up! Bingo. There were so many great games, I was spoilt for choice. So I tried a few out, to see what I liked. Quickly, Sapphire, a 90-ball bingo game, became my favourite. I played a few lines here and there, but I didn’t expect to win anything.…

An innocent question saw Holly attacked Holly Price, 22,Darwen, Lancashire I saw her at the bar, we both smiled and said hello It was daunting, walking into a new classroom full of strangers. I felt as though everyone was staring at me. Swinging my school bag over my shoulder, I looked around for a spare chair. ‘Here,’ smiled a girl. ‘There’s a place next to me. I’m Christina.’ Relieved, I sat down and we started chatting. Christina Strickson was so friendly. From that day, we were friends. I was 14 and had just moved high schools - I’d been dreading starting somewhere new. But Christina took me under her wing. She was confident and straight-talking, and though she was never a trouble-maker, nobody messed with her. I felt safe.…

Chilli Chapulines, £13.99, www.musclefood.com Not your average snack, but these grasshoppers provide protein, vitamins and minerals. Those who were brave enough to try them said that they taste of chilli with a crunchy texture! Tone Tee, £12.99, www.highstreettv.com If your man wants to slim down, we’ve just the thing! This T-shirt compresses wobbly bits to give a streamlined, athletic frame. It’s available as either a vest or T-shirt, and can be worn under clothing. iBeani Tablet Bean Bag Stand in Union Check, £24.99, www.ibeani.co.uk The unique thing about this stand is that it can be used on any surface, even if it’s not level. It’s also compatible with all mobile devices on the market currently.…

‘I gave birth to Elouisa standing up by the toilet’ I was only 23 weeks pregnant when my waters broke. Panicking, my husband, Andrew, 51, rushed me to Basildon Hospital. ‘It’s far too early,’ I sobbed. It was May 2012, and our first three kids, Jack, 10, Adam, 8, and Orla-Jane, 5, had arrived healthy without a hitch. Three days earlier, I’d spotted thick discharge when I went to the loo. Not wanting cause a fuss, I didn’t call the midwife, but now I realised I must’ve passed my mucus plug. A sign something was wrong. ‘You’ve got an infection,’ a doctor said. I’d had a minor throat infection, but it’d developed into an invasive Streptococcus A infection. It can trigger miscarriage, premature birth. Terrified, I was transferred to Portsmouth…

Donning a tight, grey minidress, I felt amazing as I crooned into the mic. It was June 2012, and I was performing in the final of the ‘RAF Factor’. My hubby’s in the RAF, which hosts the annual talent contest. Singing since my teens, I was relaxed on stage. Finishing third in the contest, I was really chuffed. That is, until the next day, when photos appeared on Facebook. I thought I’d looked slinky, sophisticated, but my frock was too small, clinging to my belly. Horrifying! After our daughter, Emily-Rose, now 5, I’d kidded myself I was still in OK shape. I wanted to lose some weight, but then I discovered our girl, Isobel, 3, was on her way. Soon after, I fell pregnant with our son, Daniel. After Daniel’s…

s the needle plunged into ‘The placenta was growing over my cervix’ Amy arm, I didn’t flinch. ‘You’ve saved a life,’ my mum, Alison, said. Mum and I were regular blood donors. Thankfully, I’d never needed medical treatment myself. But that changed when my hubby, Nik, 37, and I became parents. Our daughter, Rosa, was breech, so I had an elective Caesarean in July 2012. I’d healed well from the op, and the scar was worth every cuddle with my littl’un. Two years on, we were expecting another baby. ‘It’s a boy,’ they confirmed at my 20-week scan. Then they spotted a problem. The placenta was growing over my cervix. I’d need a Caesarean. I’d had Rosa without problems, so I expected it’d all be routine again. But, at my…

‘A relationship isn’t just black and white – it’s a really unusual story. If this method helps her become a mum then good for her. As long as they’re happy, that’s the main thing Jade Flintoff, Horbury ‘What a great story. I think they’re doing brilliantly and Gareth’s fantastic! There are many phobias – some are obviously more talked about than others.’ Gillian McKinnon, Warrington ‘This must be so hard for her. If she wants to be a mum that much, I’m surprised she won’t do it, though. I’m wondering if there’s another type of help she could get instead?’ Jade Loughrey, Birmingham…

1 Piles are swellings around the bottom. 2 Symptoms include bleeding after passing a stool. 3 They can’t be diagnosed by a GP. 4 There are no treatments available. 1 TRUE They’re swellings caused by inflamed blood vessels found in the rectum and anus. They’re also known as haemorrhoids. 2 TRUE They’re often mild and symptom-free. However, they can present with signs including bleeding from the back passage, an itchy or sore bottom, redness and swelling around the anus. 3 FALSE Though seeking help for the condition may seem embarrassing, they can be easily diagnosed via an examination by your GP. 4 FALSE Often, piles clear up on their own. But there are ointments, steroid creams and laxatives available. Surgery is used in severe cases. Next Week PROSTATE CANCER…

Our Beauford car had collided with a milk tanker… The feeling in this moment... I knew I’d cherish it forever. My dress was beautiful - all white lace and pearls. My tiara sparkled, my bouquet of pink roses smelt so sweet. Best of all, soon I’d be married to handsome, kind, funny Elliot. We’d met 2 years 5 months earlier, in April 2013. Elliot was doing building work next to the office where I worked. Almost a year on - Valentine’s Day 2014 - he’d proposed . Then, on 12 September last year, our big day finally arrived. My five bridesmaids and I got ready at my parents’ house. ‘To my daughter!’ Dad toasted with a glass of bubbly at 10am, just before the car was due to arrive to…

Mississippi Mud Pie Serves: 8 Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time: 35 min plus cooling Filling: Topping: 1 Pre-heat oven to 180C/ Gas 4, and line a 23cm pie dish with foil. 2 To make base, melt butter in a small pan, crush biscuits with a rolling pin, mix together, then push into base and up sides of tin. Chill in fridge for 15 min. 3 For filling, place chocolate and butter in a small bowl over a pan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted. Remove from pan and leave to cool for 10 min. 4 In a large bowl, beat together eggs and sugar until creamy. Whisk in chocolate mixture and cream. Pour into biscuit case and…

‘They were all shot with the same pistol and bullets’ Serial killers strike fear into all our hearts. We want them caught and banged up behind bars for good, so we feel safer. But what if a murderer on the loose is never identified, let alone caught..? THE MONSTER OF FLORENCE: ITALY Between 1968 and 1985, in Florence, eight couples were brutally slaughtered . The victims were usually being intimate in cars when theywere shot – all with the same type of pistol and bullets – then stabbed. The women’s bodies were often mutilated. The first victims, on 21 August 1968, were lovers, Barbara Locci, 31, and Antonio Lo Bianco, 29, parked in secluded woods. Barbara’s sleeping 6-year-old son was unharmed. Stefano Mele, her husband, was jailed for 14 years…

TRIED & TESTED Nail strengthener 1 Barry M Iron Mani Ultimate Nail Hardener, £4, Marks & Spencer I used this twice a week as a base coat and found it really effective at protecting my nails from breaking, as well as staining from my normal nail polish. 2 Rimmel London Nail Nurse Stronger Nail, £4.49, Boots This double-duty base coat is a real nail hero – it contains calcium and keratin, which really helped to make my nails stronger. 3 Nail HQ Strengthener, £6.99, Superdrug Stopped my brittle, weak nails from splitting and helped restore them with just a couple of uses! ASK JESS Q I’ve been struggling to sleep for a few weeks now, and it’s really affecting my skin. Can you suggest anything to help me nod off?…

Scattering seeds, the hens flocked to my feet. Growing up, I’d tended to my Nan’s rabbits, guinea pigs and chickens. When Nan sadly passed away in May 2012, my mum, Ann, 58, and I inherited her brood of four chickens. Then, hearing I’d stepped into Nan’s shoes, a local man with two ducks to rehome contacted me, so I took them in. Selling Nan’s house in May 2013, we hired a piece of land a few minutes down the road for our humble menagerie. A few weeks on, I spotted an advert for ex-battery hens needing homes. The traumatised birds often pull out their feathers, were covered in bald patches. Mum and I offered to take in six of them. Soon, we’d 47 hens! Last August, I worried about the…

‘Growing up, I was expected to be the big brother’ My tiny feet were dwarfed ‘ by my Grandma Shirley’s high heels. ‘Look Gran, I’m just like you!’ I squealed. ‘He certainly takes after me!’ chuckled Gran, then 52, to my mum, Linda, then 31. I was only 4 at the time - a little boy called Darren. My younger sisters and I loved our dressing-up box, filled with old clothes and handbags. I enjoyed playing with dolls, too. But, growing up, I was expected to be the big brother. Mum and Dad were concerned about my feminine behaviour and, when I was 5, they took me to a consultant, who told them I’d ‘grow out of it’. I remember examining my genitals, feeling disgusted. My body didn’t match my…

AQUARIUS 21 Jan–19 Feb Lies you’ve told have come back on you – but, rather than denying them, try to hold your hands up and accept blame where it’s due. It’s the only way to move on from all that’s happened. News from far away makes you smile. Call: 09058 170 720* PISCES 20 Feb–20 March You know you want and deserve support, but those close to you just don’t seem able to give it at the moment. They will if you talk to them and not at them. Change tactics this week. It’s your key to success and good communications. Call: 09058 170 721* ARIES 21 March–20 April With so many different challenges ahead, it’s no wonder you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed lately. Your ruling planet, Mars, puts a…

Covered in tattoos, shaved head, facial piercings and a purple beard, Donnie Renfrew sure stood out. Especially in our quiet village. Boyfriend material? No way! Only, in August 2013, Donnie messaged me on Facebook. I’d been looking after his elderly neighbour, who’d broken his leg. How’s he doing? Donnie wrote. We chatted and Donnie popped round. But after drinking whisky, Donnie fell asleep in an empty bed. Annoyed, I woke him and chucked him out. Next night, he returned. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said sheepishly, so I invited him in for a cuppa. He admitted suffering from paranoia. Also, he didn’t brush his teeth or wash. ‘It’s bad for your natural oils,’ he shrugged. Yuck! Despite appearances, he seemed intelligent, well-read, caring. I wasn’t attracted to him, but was flattered by…

On 17 March 2013, my husband, Mike, 40, and I became parents for the third time. Little Ruben would be a brother for William, 8, and Johannes, 5. But, two weeks later, Ruben had trouble breathing one morning, and his eyes were puffy. I rushed him to Hull Royal Infirmary, while Mike stayed home with the other kids. ‘He has a problem with his heart,’ a doctor said after tests. The doctor couldn’t say what was wrong, but said Ruben would be taken to Glenfield Hospital, Leicester, for more specialist tests. And then, the killer blow... ‘He may not even survive the journey,’ the doctor added. I called Mike, but he had to stay with the other children until relatives arrived. During the two-hour journey, I prayed Ruben would be…

I was only 15 when the symptoms started. And, as symptoms go, they were pretty weird. I was covered in bruises. And I got nosebleeds all the time. Tests showed I had a rare blood condition called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Sixteen months later, in September 2010, my spleen had to be removed due to complications to do with the condition. It meant I was left with no immune system and had to take daily penicillin. But that wasn’t all. I started having pain and swelling in my joints, and I always felt tired. Blisters would appear on my fingers, and I became sensitive to light and heat. So you see what I mean when I say the symptoms were weird! I had more blood tests, scans and a skin…

Sisters make the best of friends. Well, that was true for me and my little sister, Charlotte. Five years younger than me, I doted on her. At 6 months old, she’d been diagnosed with Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS). It’s a rare condition affecting bone marrow, the immune system and the pancreas. It also meant she was prone to potentially fatal infections. Doctors thought she wouldn’t make it past her 5th birthday. But Charlotte proved them all wrong. Such a fighter! Growing up she was in and out of hospital fighting infections. But we were inseparable... Pinky promise We’d watch Disney films, play dress-up and bake cakes. ‘Best friends for life,’ we’d chant making pinky promises to each other. Then, at a routine checkup at hospital, Charlotte had blood tests which revealed…

1 Morrisons Italian Chicken Risotto, 350g This is labelled as chicken – but it also has lots of mushrooms. The rice wasn’t quite wet enough, so we added a dash of boiling water. 2 Sainsbury’s Pub Specials Chicken & Bacon Risotto, 450g After just 8 min in the microwave, you can tuck into a nice big portion of creamy rice studded with big chunks of chicken, plus plenty of bacon and garden peas. Tasty and filling. 3 Asda Italian Chicken & Mushroom Risotto, 350g The mushrooms turn the rice brown – but it tastes great! Not much chicken, but what’s there is tender. Ready in just 4 ½ min – and SO good! Make it yourself... Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 min Cook Time: 35-40 min…

I refused to be beaten – and had all the funI could! Sometimes, it felt like the only thing holding me together was hope - and a few giggles with my mum. ‘You look like Sailor Jerry with those tattoos,’ she teases me. ‘They’re art,’ I correct her. ‘An expression of who I am.’ ‘Are you a dragon?’ Dad asks. ‘Dad!’ I roll my eyes. But I am a dragon. Of sorts. I’ve been through enough battles to earn dragon stripes. Which is why I had one tattooed on my left forearm. I designed it myself. In fact, I have 27 tattoos all over my arms, shoulders and back. I wear them with as much pride as I do the scars that crisscross my body like a patchwork. Each one…

Food Swaps Flattering Fashion Hopeful of warmer days to come – this stylish, slimline sleeveless coat is ideal for layering. Get Moving!  electriQ Bluetooth Health Wristband Fitness and Sleep Tracker, £19.98, Amazon, www.Appliances Direct.co.uk This keeps a record of your steps, calories and distance throughout the day and can measure sleep quality. It also lets you set daily goals, sync results and monitor progress. PickMeUp! FOR LESS Take 3… doughnuts The Secret Of My Success NAME: Joanne Collins, 45, from Locks Heath, Hampshire. VITAL STATISTICS: This time last year, I was wearing large, black outfits to cover my ever-increasing figure. At 17st 4lb, a size-22, I was snacking constantly and getting little exercise. I’d bake cakes and biscuits for my two young sons and drove everywhere, avoiding walking at any chance.…

‘Georgie used to watch her dad’s karate lessons’ When my only daughter, Georgie, was 10 months old, I grew worried. She’d often stare vacantly into the distance, unresponsive for a few seconds. Concerned, the GP referred us to John Radcliffe Hospital, where X-rays showed Georgie had craniosynostosis. It’s a condition where the plates in a baby’s skull fuse too early, causing deformities, and potentially brain damage. Georgie’s hair had covered it, but, suddenly, it was obvious that her head was misshapen. So, my hubby, Christopher, 30, and I approved surgery to remodel the top of her head, to allow space for her brain to develop. At 17 months, our brave tot had a four-hour op where surgeons cut off her forehead. Then a piece of skull from the top of…

Relationships are always a focus of concern in our lives. Are you seeking a romantic partner? Are you experiencing difficulties in your current relationship? Are you both compatible? Our team of specially selected love psychics can help you find the answers you’re looking for on all matters of the heart. Using the ancient art of the tarot, your psychic reader will provide revealing answers. LIVEPSYCHICS & MEDIUM! Call our live Psychics and Mediums now! Pay by your phone bill… Love Psychics 0906 174 1693 (£1.50/min)** Live Mediums 0906 174 1777 (£1.50/min)** Call Freephone 0800 063 0687 Book your reading with our friendly advisors Enjoy your consultation Or simply text LOVET (Space) plus your question to 86655 (Texts £1.50 per msg x 2)***…