Innholdsfortegnelse for Autumn 2018 i Pick Me Up! Special

Six days might not seem very long but it was a lifetime for Caroline (pg22) to wait. When her waters broke too early, she had to will her twin girls to hold off coming into the world because if they did, doctors couldn’t save them. It was a fight that would shape the whole family. Proud mum Victoria (pg34) has watched her son Alex, 13, win plenty of battles on his journey to be a teenager. When he was first diagnosed with leukaemia, she was devastated – the second time she was furious. But Alex’s courage has shone throughout. Life is full of surprises. You won’t believe what happened to Jasmine (pg31) when she was bitten by a spider, and if you think being pregnant was going to stop Shannon…

Out with mates, I was trying to join in the fun, but my phone kept on pinging. ‘It’s Andrew,’ I sighed. ‘He’s asking what I’m up to.’ Again. ‘That’s so sweet of him!’ my friend replied. But was it? I used to think the same. But recently, my boyfriend Andrew’s constant checking up on me felt a bit over the top. When we’d first met, I’d been having a rough time. ‘Come under my wing,’ he said. ‘I’ll look after you.’ I felt so lucky that this sexy, 6ft tall bloke with a bodybuilder’s physique wanted me. Wanted to look after me. Within a few weeks of meeting, I was spending most nights at Andrew’s house. He made me feel special and was always buying me gifts. But just three…

After giving birth to my third baby, I was completely exhausted. While my two boys – Mitchell, then six, and Preston, four – had come along smoothly, this time round, I'd lost a lot of blood and needed gas and air. By the time Junior finally arrived, I was delirious. Looking at my newborn baby boy, I thought I was seeing things. At 10lb, he was huge, and he had a full head of hair! Mitchell and Preston had looked like little old men when they'd been born, like most babies do. Junior looked like a mini Elvis! He was gorgeous, and I fell in love with him straight away. A few weeks later, it was time for Junior's first bath in a baby tub. He screamed his lungs out…

1 Choose the right agent Choose an estate agent with proven marketing techniques who can pull in maximum viewings while remaining good value for money. 2 Establish an asking price Don’t be swayed by newspaper reports when it comes to establishing an asking price for your home. Take an average of three estate agents’ valuations to get the best number. 3 Increase the outdoor appeal Potential buyers can be put off if they don’t like the exterior of your home, so spruce it up with a lick of paint, some hanging baskets and flowers. 4 Spruce up Make sure all rooms are free of clutter. A mirror hung in the hallway gives the illusion of space, while a few vases of flowers can really freshen the place up. 5 Remember…

As I chowed down on my tuna roll, I fumbled for my phone. I was on lunch break from my admin job and thought I’d have a look through Facebook. Only, looking at the screen, I saw three missed calls from Suzie, my boyfriend William’s sister. Odd. Why was she phoning me? I called her back – and when she answered, she sounded upset. ‘William’s been in a car accident,’ she said. My heart dropped to the floor. I’d met William, 28, a year before on the dating app Tinder, when he’d asked me out for a drink. All his limbs were broken We looked like an odd couple. Me at 5ft 1in, while he was 6ft 4in tall! But we were a perfect match. It had been a whirlwind…

Lifting my weights, I let out a deep sigh of boredom. It was February 2016 and I was getting tired of my regular workout regime. I’d do high-intensity interval training, bursts of press-ups, sit-ups, as well as weights. A full-time mum, the routine worked well with looking after my children – Braedon, six, Eddie, four, and Iyana, two. But I wanted to try something that was a bit less repetitive where I could progress. Online, I found a pole-fitness class which was just an hour away from home. Cumbria Pole Art classes offered a fun way to keep fit. Pole dancing is great for core strength and also increases tone and flexibility. Days later, I went to my first lesson, leaving the children with my husband Raymond, 33. ‘Have fun!’…

Checking out her smile in the orthodontist’s waiting room mirror, my daughter Leah, then 14, sighed. ‘I can’t wait to have perfect teeth,’ she said. ‘Just have a bit of patience, they’ll be sorted before you know it,’ I replied. In fact, we were almost there with Leah’s braces. She’d had fixed metal braces on her top and bottom teeth for 18 months now and you could see her teeth straightening out nicely. She’d decided to get a brace in June 2016 because she hated how crooked her teeth were. Though she felt a little self-conscious wearing one, she’d been far more self-conscious about her snaggly teeth. Plus, dozens of other kids in her year had them, too. ‘Leah Kitchen?’ a voice called from a treatment room. We made our…

Feeling forgetful Q I’ve noticed my husband, who is 52, has become really forgetful. He struggles with words, including our kids’ names. It doesn’t happen all the time – should I be worried? Marie, Southampton A It sounds like your husband's symptoms may be a bit more than simple forgetfulness. When memory becomes an issue and interferes with day to day function , it is time to have a formal memory test. I would recommend that your husband see his GP. They will often complete a series of questions, testing memory & recall, which help to provide a more objective measure of how good or bad the memory is. It would also be helpful if you went with him, as you can provide some info that will help…

Before Karla, the last woman to be executed was Velma Barfield in 1984, aged 52. She was the first woman to be executed since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976. The 'Death Row Granny', who loved to crochet dolls, poisoned at least four people, including her own mother and fiancé, by spiking their meals with arsenic. Barfield testified that she just wanted to keep her victims ill until she could repay money she'd stolen from them. She'd then earn their gratitude by nursing them back to health. Her theory collapsed when she failed to mention arsenic when her victims were dying in hospital. Her last meal was Coca-Cola and Cheez Doodle corn snacks.…

• 150g self-raising flour • 40g cocoa powder • ½ tsp baking soda • Pinch of Salt • 120ml The Groovy Food Company Organic Creamed Coconut • 175g The Groovy Food Company Organic Coconut Sugar • 1 large egg • 3 tbsp The Groovy Food Company Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, melted if solid • 1 tsp vanilla extract For the icing: • 230g icing sugar • 2 tbsp coconut milk • Sprinkles or chopped nuts, as desired 1. Heat oven to 164°C and grease a doughnut pan. 2. Set a sieve over a large bowl and add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Sift, and then fold together. 3. In a smaller bowl, whisk the creamed coconut, coconut sugar, egg, coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth. Add…

I loved my job as a cancer nurse on the Oncology unit at North Devon District hospital. But losing patients to the disease was never easy. I’d decided to train to be a nurse after my own grandmother, June, had died of bladder cancer, aged 63, when I was aged just 11. So in 1998, I’d moved from my home in Baltimore, USA, married an Englishman, and started training as a nurse. Along the way, I had two children – Noah, now 16, and Molly, now 13. In time, I started working as a cancer research nurse, and soon became a cancer nurse specialist. Losing my patients was hard My job involved caring for patients who needed more intense treatment, sitting with them through their chemotherapy sessions, and treating their…

Should I give up now? I’ve recently found out that my boyfriend slept with my best friend. It was before we got together, but I’m devastated. I love him but I can’t get the thought of them together out of my head – and I feel betrayed that neither told me. Someone else did. Shall I just give up on us now before I get in too deep? Jo-Anne, Portsmouth YES  Pick Me Up! reader Stacey from Leeds says: I’m afraid to say that this relationship is doomed from the start. If you can’t get the thought of the two of them out of your head now, then you never will. Plus, the fact that he wasn’t honest with you about it doesn’t bode well. Leave now and find someone…

Keep still Treat your phone the same as you would a digital camera and hold it as still as you possibly can. Construct your framing and point of focus, and just gently tap the screen to take the shot. Don’t press too hard or phone will move. Adjust the settings Slide your finger up and down to see which exposure setting matches what you’re seeing. Often, when you focus on something that’s dark, the rest of the screen will go white. You’ll get a much better picture by adjusting the exposure slightly. Composition is key If you go into the camera settings, you can turn on a frame, which willshow you a crossword-type grid to help you with composition. As long as you put the main point of interest on…

More than 22,000 primary school children are classified as obese, reaching the highest ever level of childhood obesity. According to figures from Public Health England, one in 25 11-year-olds are leaving primary school obese, meaning they're more likely to remain obese through their teenage years. ‘It's very concerning that the number of children classified as obese is at an all-time high,' says Dr Alison Tedstone, chief nutritionist at Public Health England. ‘Children with obesity are more likely to have obesity as adults, putting them at risk of Type 2 diabetes, heart and liver disease, as well as mental health conditions.'…

The starting gun fired and I was off. I felt amazing as I got moving, blood pumping through my legs and the excitement of the other runners buzzing around me. It was April this year, and I was taking part in the London Marathon. ‘You can do it, Mum!’ my daughter Anna, 28, cheered from the sidelines. Born with cerebral palsy, it meant that everything Anna did – from getting dressed to having a shower – was a marathon for her. She’d attended Treloar’s College in Alton, Hampshire, which was a huge help to us. So when my husband Richard, 48, suggested I run the marathon to raise funds for the college, it was a no-brainer. My husband performed CPR And here I was, halfway through the London Marathon on…

Spotting the signs of bowel cancer early can literally be life changing. Every 15 minutes, someone is diagnosed and it's the second biggest cancer killer - yet it's treatable and curable, especially with early diagnosis. Bowel Cancer UK is looking for volunteers who have been affected by bowel cancer to give short talks in their local area to raise awareness and to inform people about the vital screening programme. Retired teacher Rae Cameron, 62, was diagnosed with bowel cancer that was picked up by the screening programme. Rae now volunteers with Bowel Cancer UK to encourage people aged 50-74 to attend the life-saving test. ‘I consider myself so lucky and I'll be forever grateful,' Rae says. ‘I had no symptoms whatsoever when I completed the test. In fact, when I…

PERFECT CONDITION 1. Andrew Barton Smooth That Frizz conditioner, £5, George at ASDA An indulgent conditioner to give your frizzy hair the care it needs. This formula gently cleanses hair while infusing it with essential moisture thanks to the expertly selected blend of Morrocan argan oil to hydrate your locks. 3. Hair & Scalp spray, SPF30, £3, Primark Your hair can only be in the sun for so long before it needs help. This non-greasy and easily-absorbed formula means your locks can stay in beach-wave style all day while maintaining a healthy glowing shine. 2. Beauty Junky deep conditioning hair mask, £7, NPW Give your locks some love with this super nourishing mask packed full of vitamins, minerals and anti-oxidants for gorgeous, healthy hair with a radiant shine. Simply comb…

Taking a swig from my red smoothie, I licked my lips. Delicious! ‘Can I have some?' my son Demetrius, then two, asked. I smiled as he chugged it, smacking his lips. But this was no ordinary drink. It had a very special ingredient… My own placenta! It all started when I was pregnant with my first child, Logan, in 2008. I read an article which explained how consuming placenta could have many health benefits. It could raise your energy levels and balance your hormones… You could blend it and drink it, or grind it into capsules. ‘I'm going to give it a try,' I told my hubby Jon, now 35. But then I couldn't find a local company who could help me, so my precious placenta ended up in the…

Upturning my flower pot and shaking soil all over my kitchen, all I could do was watch as Jasper made another mess. I’d only just managed to clear up after the last mess he’d made. But I couldn’t be cross with him. No, Jasper isn’t a new puppy… he’s our adopted fox cub. As an animal lover, I was asked to look after him after he was found locally. Jasper was just two days old when I took him home with me and our bond quickly formed as he needed hourly feeds. He was so small and vulnerable. His eyes stayed shut for ten days, but when they began to open, I could tell he knew who I was. I’d been wearing the same dressing gown to feed him so…

Heaving myself out of bed, I kissed my partner Andy, 34, goodbye as he left for work. I had to get our kids Nathan, 15, Keane, nine, and Blaise, six, to school. But six months pregnant with twins, I was exhausted. It was January 2015, and the last few months had been tough on me. I’d had bleeding from the start and there had been times we thought we’d lost our baby girls – yet each emergency scan showed their hearts thumping. But now, as I grabbed my dressing gown, I felt a gush of warm liquid. No! My waters had broken. I was only 23 weeks pregnant – it was too early! Half an hour later, I was being rushed by ambulance to Royal Sussex County Hospital, with Andy…

UNIQUE FAMILY HISTORY Book into Myrtle Farm in Sandford, Somerset, for a guided tour of Thatcher's Cider Farm, where you'll learn all about how the famous brand crafts its ciders You'll get a chance to try a few, too! See how times have changed over the past 100 years, and you're sure to hear a story or two about the Thatcher family. Stop for a pint at the Railway Inn before heading over to the cider shop, brimming with every cider flavour imaginable. • Tickets from £12 • www.thatcherscider.co.uk DRINKS WITH A VIEW For a fun-filled day out with a tasty tipple to finish you off, why not take a tour of the Hillside Brewery? Situated on the edge of the Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire, this tour will see you walking…

Considering how much my son had been through, it was testament to Alex that he was always so happy. You couldn’t fail to smile when he looked at you with his big eyes in the morning – just waiting for the next adventure. And boy, had it been a rollercoaster so far! Despite tests showing that there was only a one in 1,400 chance of Alex having Down’s Syndrome, when he was born on 3 June, 2005, at University Hospital, Llandough, he had the condition. My husband Gareth and I adored him from the moment he came into the world – and so did his brother Ryan, now 11, and sister Bethan, now five. ‘He’ll just need a little extra help,’ I told them, but within days, he needed a…

Married to my teenage crush Dan Clarke, I couldn’t have been happier with life. He adored my son, Declan, then four, and they always had their heads together, chatting about cars and motorbikes. I just longed to give Declan a brother or sister. Dan thought he couldn’t have children, so when I suffered a miscarriage – without realising we were expecting – in July 2016, we were heartbroken. But it gave us hope. In February 2017, I started to feel a little funny and I realised my period was two days late. I took a pregnancy test and text Dan, telling him to call me as soon as he could. Within minutes, he called me in a panic. ‘Are you OK?’ he asked. ‘More than OK,’ I cried. ‘I’m pregnant!’…

Feeding my newborn son Tristan, I noticed his older sister Tazmin, then one, toppling over. ‘Clumsy little thing,’ I smiled, helping her up. Her legs were covered in bruises, but I put it down to her constantly falling over. But a few weeks later, the bruising was worse, nearly covering her legs and bottom. She’d also developed a rash of red, blistery spots and would sweat a lot while she slept. Despite this, she seemed well, was always running about. And I knew rashes in little ones are often harmless. So me and my partner, Chris, 33, thought no more of it. Until 5 July – when I was scrolling through Facebook… Someone had shared a story of a boy who’d died from leukaemia a week after his diagnosis, despite…

THEY SAY: With less than 40 calories, this energy drink delivers a great taste and a burst of clean energy while avoiding sugar highs and crashes. Made with organic caffeine and maca root, Flyte delivers a natural boost, perfect when you're on the go. YOU SAY: 'This is the perfect pick-me-up when the slump hits at the office. It's also a great alternative to alcohol when I'm out with friends but don't want the hangover.' Mel, Bournemouth WE SAY: Available in delicious green mango and red berry flavours, this energy drink is made from just water, fruit juice and vitamins. There's no sugar, either, so it's perfect for your waistline!…

After waiting 14 years Karla was put to death For her final meal, Karla Faye Tucker requested a banana and a fresh peach, as well as a simple garden salad with ranch dressing. It was 1998, and 38-year-old Karla had been on death row for 14 years. The committed Christian prayed, while a crowd outside protested her imminent death. Others, including the families of her victims, waited to celebrate her execution. Many, including the Pope at the time, didn’t believe that Karla deserved to die, and yet she had brutally bludgeoned two people to death. So, was Karla a victim, or a cold-blooded killer? One undeniable fact is that Karla had a difficult start growing up in Houston, Texas. She looked different from her two sisters and soon found out…

PINEAPPLE, RASPBERRY & MASCARPONE PIZZA Serves 4 FOR THE COULIS: 1 can of Del Monte Gold® Pineapple Chunks 100g raspberries 1 lime, juice and zest 2 tbsp icing sugar FOR THE PIZZA: 1 packet pizza base mixture 250g mascarpone cheese 1 tbsp icing sugar 50g raspberries 40g pistachios, chopped Handful of mint leaves 1.Drain the Del Monte Gold® pineapple, reserving the juice - set aside the chunks for the pizza. Place the juice into a saucepan along with the other coulis ingredients. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 7 - 10 mins. 2. Sieve the coulis to remove the raspberry seeds. Return to a clean pan and reduce for a further 5 minutes to create a thick, glossy sauce. Set aside to cool. 3. Make and bake…

Britain's most pampered pooch has had a staggering £40,000 spent on her over her short lifetime – and even owns three cars and a boat! Lucky Princess Cleopatra Superchill, the Staffordshire Bull Terrier, has had a life of luxury that includes 65 outfits and 175 pairs of sunglasses, and even a bespoke £1,500 pram so she doesn't get her paws dirty. The spoiled staffie, nicknamed ‘Cleo', has just celebrated her seventh birthday where her owner, Anthony Welsh, spent a further £1,000 on lavish gifts for the beloved pooch who he describes as his ‘daughter'. Cleopatra was treated to the finest tennis balls, a posh feeding station and her very own custom-made mountain bike in honour of her special day. She was then thrown her own beach party at the Marino…