Table of contents for 29-Nov-2018 in Pick Me Up!

The first time I spotted Nadine, I saw a sparkle in her eye that told me she liked a good laugh. And I wasn’t wrong! We were at our kids’ school’s Christmas fun day and I was half-heartedly humming to festive tunes. To be honest, I was looking forward to getting home and putting my feet up with a glass of mulled wine. Nadine was so jolly, though, I was delighted when she made a beeline for me and she soon had me in hysterics. Time flew by as we sat laughing together, putting the world to rights. Before long, we were meeting up regularly. I could tell her everything, we had no secrets. So when my health started to decline and I developed endometriosis as well as a host…

Digging around in the fridge, I was hoping to rustle up a quick meal for dinner. Me and my boyfriend of 10 years - Gary, 43 - had been out shopping in town all day and I was exhausted. But pushing aside the milk and cheese, I sighed. ‘Fancy a takeaway instead?’ I asked Gary. ‘I’ll pop to the pizza shop down the road.’ ‘Sounds great,’ he grinned. Grabbing my purse and coat, I gave him a kiss. ‘Back soon!’ I called, closing the front door. It was September 2017 and, although it was 8pm, it was still light outside. At the takeaway, I paid for our pizzas and popped next door to the off-licence for a couple of cans of beer. I couldn’t wait to flop on the sofa…

Tapping my feet away in dance class, my brow furrowed in concentration. I was just like any other 4-year-old. My gaze fixed on the dance teacher, trying to keep up with the new steps. But unlike the girls shuffling their feet on the dance floor, I was tapping away on a wooden board resting on the footplate of my wheelchair. My grandad had made it especially for me so I could copy the dance steps. And despite my wheelchair, I believed I was as good a dancer as any one else in the room. I’d been using an electric wheelchair since I was 3. In 1996, when I was 18 months old, I’d been diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy type 2. It’s a degenerative neuromuscular condition that affects every muscle…

1 Angina is a chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscles. ¦ True ¦ False 2 Chest pain caused byangina feels like an intense stabbing pain. ¦ True ¦ False 3 It often results in severeheadaches that can last for hours. ¦ True ¦ False 4 You may be given medicine to treat and prevent further attacks, as well as reduce the risk of heart attack/stroke. ¦ True ¦ False 1 TRUE Despite notusually being life-threatening, it’s a sign that you could be at risk of heart attack or stroke. 2 FALSE It’s more often a tight, dull or heavy pain, and can spread to the left arm, neck, jaw or back. 3 FALSE Headaches aren’t a symptom but you mayfeel sickor breathless. 4 TRUE You’ll…

It’s not always possible to tell what’s going on behind closed doors, but here are some signs to look out for... • They seem afraid of or are anxious to please their partner. • They have frequent injuries, with the excuse of ‘accidents’. • They dress in clothing designed to hide bruises or scars, such as wearing long sleeves in the summer or sunglasses indoors. • They never or rarely go out in public without their partner. ManKind’s confidential helpline is 01823 334244.…

It was a magical Wingham Wildlife Park moment when my husband felt this bouncing lemur land on his shoulder. Jennifer Neal, Canterbury My son finally got to meet Mickey Mouse on our holiday to Florida. Dreams really do come true. Katrina Naruszewicz, Norfolk ‘One, two, three and streeeetch!’ say my children Milo and Aurora as they copy Mummy doing her workout. Laura Heckman, Trefnant We loved the view from the top of The Kelpies in Falkirk, but kept feeling like there was something behind us… Samantha Mckibbens, Glasgow The beaches in New Zealand go on forever. Walking Bella are my son Justin and his girlfriend Kelsie, who live in Hamilton. Jenny Harden, Ruthin Some children want to take dogs for a walk, but not my daughter. Scarlet couldn’t wait to…

My daughter Grace, 3, stared up at the sparkling glitter ball I’d attached to the living-room ceiling. ‘Now it really is like Strictly,’ I chuckled, grabbing Grace’s hand, swirling her around. In a pink leotard and tutu, her long brown hair flowing, she looked just like a little ballerina. It was October 2015 - and looking back, it felt like a miracle she was here at all. After 20 years serving as a linguist in the RAF, at the age of 38, I’d decided I wanted to be a mum. Only, just as my biological clock started ticking, my 10-year relationship fell apart. ‘I’m going to do it alone,’ I told my friends. ‘If anyone can, you can,’ they replied. Although both my parents had passed away years before, I…

I’d only just finished my lunch, when I felt it coming straight back up. Not again, I thought as I ran to the toilet. It was summer 2009, and for the last few days I’d been unable to keep anything down. As soon as I finished a meal, I’d throw it up almost at once. The doctor thought it was a stomach infection, gave me antibiotics. But, after a month, I was still vomiting, sometimes up to 40 times a day! So the doctor referred me to a consultant at Bolton Hospital. ‘You have a severe form of gastroparesis,’ he explained. A long-term, incurable condition, gastroparesis occurs when the stomach can’t empty itself normally. So up it came. I was given medication, but my health only deteriorated. For over a…

Gert van Rooyen’s first venture into the criminal world, in 1954, was for a relatively harmless crime. Aged 16, ‘Bokkie’, as he was known, stole a car and drove from Cape Town to Pretoria, in South Africa, to visit his dying mother. Six years later, in 1960, he was caught stealing car parts and clothing. Van Rooyen went on to meet a woman and marry, and they had six children. But then, in 1979, he abducted two girls, aged 10 and 13, took them to a secluded spot at a local dam. He had an equally sexually depraved woman by his side He reportedly punched them both in the face, before forcing them to strip and perform sex acts on him. After their ordeal, he let the girls go, but…

Feeling my vision blur, I rubbed my eyes and sighed, dropped my head into my hands. I’d just spent hours online, trawling through ancestry websites, in search of someone special. ‘Will I ever find my biological dad?’ I said out loud, frustrated. It was March this year and, for the last nine years, I’d been on a tireless quest to track down my biological parents. Born 16 October 1986, I’d been adopted by Joan, now 68, and Joel, 71. My adoptive parents had given me the most amazing life - and, as soon as I was old enough to understand, they’d told me I was adopted. I thought it was pretty cool! ‘I’m adopted, you know?’ I’d say to my friends in the playground, proud as punch at how unique…

Domestic abuse is not just about physical attack, it also includes emotional and psychological abuse, coercive control and isolating tactics. Most men do not believe or feel they are a victim until sometime after they no longer have control of their life and have become isolated from their friends and family. It can happen to any man, no matter what background, age, job, race or sexuality. Remember, you are not to blame, you are not weak and you are not alone. There’s help available and you can escape.…

Bubble T x Mentos Mint Tea Giant Bath Bomb Fizzer, £4.99, bubbletcosmetics.com Love tea, sweets and bath time? These novelty fizzers will transform your bath into a minty paradise in next to no time. Fun for kids, they turn the tub blue, too! Verdict: BONKERS …but so refreshing! Heaven Ella Jane Renew Face Wipes, £10.90, heavenskincare.com We’re always on the lookout for crazy new ingredients, and these face wipes are the world’s first to include bee venom! But don’t be put off – they won’t sting, and instead will work to reduce fine lines. Verdict: GENIUS! Who’d have thought it? Kangoo Hot Bag, £39.99, jmldirect.com A hot-water bottle with a difference, this bag is prefilled so it never needs topping up – just charge…

Creamy chicken and cider casserole Serves 4 Prep: 10 min Cook: 50 min ◻ 2tbsp olive oil ◻ 4 skinless chicken breasts, halved ◻ 4 rashers streaky bacon, chopped ◻ 8 shallots, peeled ◻ 3 sticks celery, sliced ◻ 2 eating apples, cut into wedges ◻ 300ml dry cider (or apple juice) ◻ 500ml chicken stock ◻ 1tbsp thickening granules ◻ 100ml créme fraîche ◻ 1tbsp Dijon mustard ◻ 2tbsp fresh chopped tarragon 1 Heat oil in a large pan, add the chicken and cook for 5 min until brown. 2 Add the bacon, shallots, celery and apples and cook for a further 5 min. Remove the apples, pour in the cider (or juice) and stock, season, bring to the boil, then reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 40…

Areal daddy’s boy, that was my son Damian. At 10 months old he already loved snuggling into my chest as me, his mum Emily, 22, and big sister Mataya, 5, watched telly one night in February this year. Stroking his fine downy hair, my fingers hovered over a lump on the right side of his head. Frowning, I rolled my hand over to the left side.No lump. ‘Emily, something on Damian’s head doesn’t feel right,’ I said. She felt it and agreed it was strange. ‘We’ll get it checked. Sure it’s nothing,’ I said. But an X-ray at the local hospital discovered a cyst on Damian’s brain. The size of a tennis ball, it was huge for our baby’s tiny head. The doctor then explained our options. ‘If we leave…

ARIES 21 March–20 April I know you want to jump in at the deep end with a new project, but your stars tell me you’re not ready yet – mentally or physically. Why not plan a week that is more manageable? There is much you wish to learn, which will make you more confident for an ambitious year ahead. Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Gossip is dangerous and, if you’re not careful, you could end up being the scapegoat in a really dramatic week. Announcements others make could change the relationship status of more than a few faces in your inner circle. Pay bills early if you can – you’ll learn why. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June Why are you making promises you have…

Eyes down, blotters at the ready... ‘We’ve got to get a full house!’ I hissed to my mate, Georgia, 28, as the bingo caller began reading out numbers. It was 10 September 2018 - the day before Georgia’s birthday and we’d come to our favourite place for an early celebration - a bingo night with a twist, here in Magaluf. Originally from Ashford, Kent, I moved to Majorca in 2013 to run my body-painting company, Pixie Tribe. This bingo party was one of our fave nights out. There were daft tasks as well as bingo, and weird and wonderful prizes. In the past I’d won a bottle of tequila, a space hopper and even a tablet. But this week, I really, really wanted to win. Because the prize on offer…

Send us your stories and photos, including all names and ages, a daytime phone number and full address. E-mail pickmeup@ti-media.com CALL 020 3148 6460 WRITE TO Pick Me Up!, 161 Marsh Wall, London E14 9AP FACEBOOK facebook.com/pickmeupmag SEE OUR WEBSITE lifedeathprizes.com TI Media Limited reserves the right to reuse any submission sent to Pick Me Up! magazine, in any format or medium. Unfortunately, we can’t return photos without a stamped sae. Letters/photos must not be sent to any other publication.…

Time to clean up..? Clean up on Black Friday with up to 50% off Vileda electrical favourites between 23-26 November when shopping online at shop.vileda.co.uk . You can save a massive £100 on the Vileda VR 302 Cleaning Robot (RRP £299, now £199). Ooh la lait… Buttery brioche is a French breakfast staple – and Brioche Pasquier are bringing this comforting carb to us here in the UK. Their Pains au lait multipacks are only £1 (usually £1.50) at Tesco until 5 December. Fruity! Valdemadera Gran Reserva is a robust red with deep and velvety flavours and notes of rich fruit. Serve a glass of this alongside a roast leg of lamb for a Sunday roast with the most. It’s only £7 (usually £9) at M&S until…

Asthma attacks Q My granddaughter, who’s asthmatic, stays with me sometimes. She’s not had an attack when she’s been here, but I worry in case she does. Should I give her more of her steroid inhalers? Susie, Leeds A Increasing inhaled steroids in children during an acute event can make the flare worse, so definitely not! Your granddaughter should have an asthma action plan with simple instructions if her symptoms change. Make sure you and anyone who looks after her is aware of her plan. Weight loss QI’m a newly diagnosed diabetic and I’m overweight. I really struggle to diet, because I comfort eat and even though I know it’ll cost me my health, I can’t stop. Jennifer, Stirling A Traumatic experiences can lead people to develop unhealthy self-soothing behaviours.…

As blokes go, my fella Mark was pretty rugged. When he wasn’t working as a lorry driver, he loved being outdoors, walking through forests, or chopping up logs. ‘Nice muscles,’ I’d tease, giving his biceps a squeeze. And he was never, ever ill. ‘I’ve not been to the doctors since I was 3,’ he’d say proudly. But if he was tough on the outside, he was a proper softy at heart. A loving, generous guy, he was everything I’d ever wanted in a man. We’d been together since June 2012, shared a home, and loved our nights in and holidays abroad. But foreign sunshine seemed to be a very long way off one Sunday evening this February. Around 6.30pm, Mark, 36, rang to tell me he was heading home after…

A woman could slap a man and hurl verbal abuse at him walking down a street and people would just  think, Ooh, he’s in the dog house. But if it was the other way round, people would stop the man from hitting the woman and ring the police. Domestic violence campaigns need to be aimed at both men and women. Emily Smith, Mansfield We need to change people’s ideas on male domestic violence. I think schools should add relationship education,  so both sexes realise that you can walk away if abuse occurs and where help is available. No-one should suffer. Caroline Flowers, Coventry I personally don’t think there is enough support for male victims. Why should it be kept quiet? You’re no  less of a man if you come forward…

Unwrapping a mini chocolate cake from the multipack, I shoved it into my mouth. The delicious, rich and velvety sponge melted on my tongue. By the time I’d finished my shopping and was at the supermarket checkout, I was craving another. Gulping down a second cake outside the shop, I glanced down at the box. There were only two bars left. When I was 13, my parents split up. I sought comfort in food Might as well  finish them off, I thought. Soon, empty wrappers were lining my bag as I pulled into the drive back home. Sneaking through the front door, I listened out for my sons. Silence. While I could, I rushed into the kitchen, and stuffed the wrappers into the bin. Shoving a carrier bag on top,…

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