Table of contents for 01-Feb-2018 in Pick Me Up!

As her mother, I’m ever so proud of my wonderful daughter Nancy. She’s always been such loving and caring daughter and she’s an absolute delight to everyone she meets. Nancy is remarkably intelligent and really enjoys her reading - especially the Harry Potterbooks! A few months back, threw a surprise birthday party for her 50th - where countless friends and relatives gathered to celebrate with her. Nancy now lives with her husband Tom in a lovely village. It’s about an hour away from our area, so I don’t see her as much, but that just means the times we do spend together are all the more special. Nancy and Tom have given us two wonderful teenage granddaughters - Georgina and Connie - who do us all proud each and every…

I was frightened, had no idea what was happening in my body The waistband of my jeans was digging painfully into my tummy. Not a feeling I was particularly used to. Weighing 8st 7lb and wearing a size-10, I’d always been slim. Until lately. It was April 2016, and while I can’t say I’d got fat, exactly, I’d definitely piled on the weight. A good stone at least. And the weird thing was, most of it seemed to have gone onto my tummy. ‘It’s huge!’ I complained to my sister Lucy. She rolled her eyes. ‘As if!’ she said. ‘There’s nothing to you.’ ‘Look!’ I said, lifting up my top. My pale tum bulged over the top of my jeans. ‘Oh!’ Lucy said, surprised. ‘Well, I guess you do look…

He could stop breathing, or worse, he could die Staring adoringly at my sleeping newborn Benji in July 2007, my loving look soon turned to terror. ‘He’s going blue!’ I cried to my husband Justin, then 39. Our poor baby had stopped breathing in his sleep. Doctors revived him but it just kept happening. Benji underwent countless examinations before genetic testing revealed the truth when he was a month old... ‘He has congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS),’ the doctor said. ‘What’s that?’ I asked. A rare condition affecting only 60 people in the UK, we’d never heard of it. The doctor explained it’s a life-threatening breathing disorder. ‘When we sleep, our breathing becomes automatic, but Benji can’t do that,’ he said. Our son could stop breathing in his sleep at…

PickMeUp! Loves…  …leopard print! Treat it as a neutral and don’t be afraid of clashing with other patterns …metallics! Silver footwear is the perfect way to add glamour to a casual look…

I couldn’t believe that I’d bagged over a grand, and on my first spin, too! Elaine Allen, 64, Loughboro ugh As my grandson, 21, chatted on the phone, he said, ‘I’ve got lots of exams coming up.’ He was studying for a degree in Applied Sports Science with Management at university. ‘Just do your best,’ I said. And when he visited to say he’d passed, I was thrilled. After he’d gone, I settled with my computer for a few games of bingo before bed. I’d been a member of Pick Me Up! Bingo for 10 years. I love the slot games like Diamond Bonanza, Tiki Island, Winstones... I’d had a few small wins. Then in 2013, I bagged £1,000 on one of the slot games. I’d spoilt my three grandkids…

All Together Now, BBC1 This new Saturday night entertainment talent show is hosted by comedian Rob Beckett, but also look out for ex-Spice Girl Geri Horner, who’ll be supporting the singing hopefuls aiming to win a big cash prize by performing on stage in front of a panel of 100 musical experts. If any expert likes what they see and hear then they’re invited to take to the stage, too! ‘I’m so excited to be part of this show. It’s all about celebrating talent, uniting people from all walks of life, feeling good and singing!’ says Geri, aka Ginger Spice. ‘It’s a whole lot of joy standing up together on a Saturday night.’ Holocaust, BBC2 With testimonies from Holocaust survivors living in the UK today, this documentary tells the story…

I escaped from the flaming wreckage and limped away As I lay on the therapist’s couch, I shut my eyes. I’d asked for a guided meditation to see if I could access any past lives. ‘You see yourself in a forest,’ the therapist said. ‘Walk into a clearing, where you find a door in a tree. Step through the door and you’ll find yourself in a tunnel. When you come out of the tunnel, you’ll be in a past life.’ Suddenly, I was inside a World War II plane! I could see the sides of the aircraft, which were green, and hear noisy engines. In the middle of the plane, I was aware I was looking after someone who was injured. Then I jumped forward in time and we were…

My son Charlie was lucky enough to meet this owl at my brother’s wedding. Zowie D’Souza, Southampton My grandson thought having his meal on a guitar-shaped dinner plate was awesome. T Griffin, Bristol My 6-year-old Bunnie was delighted when Peter Rabbit joined us for lunch! Gemma Davies, Gloucester Training for a triathlon is hard work, but I love it. Alexandra Low, Halesowen Look who I bumped into after seeing Footloose in London – it’s Maureen Nolan! Kirsty Dawson, Barrow-in-Furness I took a selfie with my kids Cai and Nia to celebrate my wild new hair colour! Mari Drury, Ewloe My daughter Laura, 23, couldn’t refuse a glass of Prosecco while out shopping. D Hunt, Nottingham My daughter Courtney was delighted to meet this stormtrooper in Disneyland Paris. Laura Baker, Tamworth…

SAVING OF THE WEEK Fancy a roast? A whole chicken is a delicious and great-value way to feed the family. You can get a Butcher’s Selection Large British Chicken in Asda for only £3.20 (usually £3.49) throughout the whole of January. OUR TOP TIP Go nuts for this Whether you use it as a dairy-free cooking oil or as a moisturiser (trust me – this works!), you can get Coconut Oil from The Groovy Food Company in Tesco for £3.99 (usually £4.99) until 6 Feb. Run for a good cause Race for Life is offering 30% off all event entry fees this January, for over 300 events running from May onwards. Sign up and redeem the discount at raceforlife.org  or call 0300 123 0770. Discount valid until 31…

INSTANT appointment Painful sex Q Since my menopause, sex is painful. I use lubrication, but even inserting the nozzle is painful now. Is it possible to have a sex life after the menopause? Gina, Hull A Yes, but the menopause reduces natural vaginal lubrication and sex can become painful. You can then become wary and the muscles can spasm in anxious anticipation. See your GP to discuss treatment options to make sex pleasurable again. Baby dimple Q My baby daughter has developed a dimple below her collarbone – but she doesn't seem bothered by it. Should I be? Beverley, Langport ABranchial cleft cysts (embryonic abnormality) can start like this. They’re not usually anything to worry about, but it’s worth having them assessed as there is a risk of infection. Go…

Struggling with demons and drugs, they were drawn to each other Vanessa Samson wasn’t the type of woman to be late for work. She had a new clerical job, had only been working at her office for a few weeks. She wanted to make a good impression, so on 2 December 1997, she set off early, as usual. Leaving her parents’ home in Pleasanton, California, she began the short walk into work at 7.30am. But, as Vanessa, 22, walked briskly through the fog, a green minivan pulled up beside her. Within seconds, she was bundled into the back and it sped off. Inside, a man tied up Vanessa and gagged her with a ball gag. He then began to rape her and sexually assault her with a curling iron. All…

Best present My second little girl Molly Louise was born on her dad’s birthday, weighing 7lb 5oz! He says she’s the best gift he could’ve asked for! Kylie Kitching, Lancaster Smiler! Meet my new son Ellis! Here he is at 9 weeks. He already loves pulling big, cheesy grins for the camera! Isn’t he cute? Katie Poolman, Bishopsworth Water babe We welcomed little Jenna May into the world – and here she is at 7 weeks, having a lovely float in her ducky! Jannene Hocking, Murton…

Hassan loved me for me, but my size got me down Munching on a Big Mac and fries washed down with a Diet Coke, I was in my happy place. It tasted so good! And those extra pounds sitting on my waistline were pregnancy weight. Weren’t they? I was the bigger girl at school, a size- 14. And, as I got older, the problem only got worse. Aged 17, I met my husband Hassan, then 25, through friends. A year on, I was expecting. We were thrilled, and I loved being pregnant - but I thought I needed to eat for two. A trip to McDonald’s was my guilty pleasure. In January 2009, I gave birth to my first baby boy Amir. We were over the moon, but my baby…

Broccoli and blue cheese soup Serves: 4 Prep: 5 mins Cook: 35 mins 1 Place a large pan over a low heat. Add the butter, onions and a pinch of salt, and cook for 10 mins. Add the diced potatoes and stock and simmer until tender – about 12 mins. 2 Meanwhile, toast the almonds in a hot dry pan for 2 or 3 mins. Set aside. 3 Add the broccoli and lemon juice to the soup and simmer for 5 mins. Blend until smooth. Return to the pan, but keep off the heat. Crumble in the cheese, and stir until melted. 4 Season with the nutmeg and some black pepper. Stir in the cream and serve scattered with the…

ARIES 21 March–20 April Time spent with your family, especially on a one-to-one basis, can tell you a lot about what's happened behind closed doors. You start to understand why loved ones acted as they did – and you feel as if you’re getting back on track both personally and professionally. Good! Call: 09058 170 710* TAURUS 21 April–21 May Happiness isn’t a goal – it’s actually a by-product of a life well lived. It’s fair to say that you’ve learnt many lessons in the last year, but by far the most important one is how much happier you are when you’re being honest with both yourself and your close ones. Call: 09058 170 711* GEMINI 22 May–21 June Please, don’t be afraid to go out on a limb, Gemini.…

Every bride’s worst nightmare is being upstaged by their bridesmaid on their big day. And sure enough, as I walked down the aisle arm-in-arm with mine, everyone turned to stare. But then they began to smile. In fact, some guests were giggling and raising their eyebrows. Well, I couldn’t blame them. The truth was, things had got rather hairy - my bridesmaid was in desperate need of a shave! At 6ft 6in, with a face full of bushy beard, Colin Bergin-Plews, 49, was a cut above the rest. Dressed in a fitted and frilly silk, burgundy dress, clutching red roses, and draped in a cream shawl, he was tottering along in huge gold stilettos. Bless him! He’d done his best to look feminine. But he looked more like Hagrid from…

1 This condition causes patients to speak with a foreign accent. True False 2 It usually appears after neurological damage. True False 3 There is no treatment available for it. True False 4 There’s never been a case in Europe. True False 1 FALSE A sufferer won’t have a true foreign accent, but changes in their speech pattern sound similar to certain accents. 2 TRUE About 86 per cent of cases are linked to neurological damage, like strokes, trauma or diseases like MS. Some cases may be psychological, the result of depression or anxiety. 3 FALSE It can be treated with speech, language and behavioural therapies, as well as anti-anxiety medications. Some patients are able to recover their natural accent. 4 FALSE Though the condition is rare, there have been…

Flamingo Heated Neck Warmer, £19.99, firebox.com Pop this curvy pillow in the microwave for a couple of minutes before wrapping it around your neck to warm and relax weary muscles. It even smells of soothing lavender – the perfect treat after a long day. Verdict: GENIUS! Looks daft, but makes you too calm to care! Seamore I Sea Bacon, £6.11, seamorefood.com Gone vegetarian? If you’re missing the salty, smoky taste of bacon, we’ve got just the thing. This healthy seaweed crisps up when fried to make the perfect crunchy addition to salads and sandwiches. Verdict: GENIUS! Bacon taste without the guilt? We’re sold! Furbo Dog Camera, £249, amazon.co.uk Keep your pooch entertained when you’re out and about with this super-smart gadget. Used alongside an…

Placing one hand gently over my little bump, I found the best angle for a selfie. It was June 2016, I was 14 weeks pregnant, and so excited to announce it on Facebook. Uploading my first bump photo, the ‘likes’ and kind comments rolled in. Congratulations! excited friends posted. Everyone was so happy for me and my boyfriend Nathan, 21. We’d met at school, but only fallen in love when we bumped into each other in August 2012. By January 2016, we’d got our own place and started trying for a baby. I conceived quickly, and I was thrilled to share my journey online. Not another bump photo! family would joke whenever I posted a new selfie. I knew they were kidding - they were chuffed to bits. An 18-week…

I went over and over every moment of my pregnancy There it was - the best sound I ever heard... the loud, clear cries of my newborn son. It’d been a short, easy labour and now I couldn’t wait for my first cuddle. But, as I looked around, the midwives nudged each other, confused. ‘What’s wrong?’ I asked my mum Ruth, 51, and partner Ashley, 28. ‘Is everything OK?’ ‘Yes, love, don’t worry. You’ll be able to hold him soon enough,’ Mum said. Moments later, my baby boy Charlie was handed to me. Excited, I peered at his little face. Instant love. But then I noticed a large tag of skin hanging off his left cheek. And his left ear was much smaller than his right, and distorted. I quickly…

‘I have two boys, 3 and 8 months old. I also care for my elderly grandparents, running errands, taking them to the doctor and popping to the supermarket. Luckily, I’m very flexible with my time and the little one is well-behaved.' Shariah Mear, Staffordshire ‘I visit my mum every day when my son’s at school, make sure she’s OK, make her tea, tidy up, pay her bills and do her shopping. She looked after me, so now it’s my turn. It’s just what families do.’ Lisa Bainbridge, Tyne & Wear ‘I help my parents with the shopping, cleaning and washing. I cook a homemade dinner every night, help them out with their dogs and do garden work. Along with the two kids, it’s pretty hectic to say the least, but…