Pick Me Up! 04-Oct-2018

Waking up, I felt a familiar pounding in my head. Only, as I stared in the mirror my eye was completely swollen. Practically shut. Grabbing the phone I punched in Mum’s number as quickly as I could. It was pure instinct, to reach out to Mum. She’d always been there in a crisis, and I knew she wouldn’t let me down now. ‘We must get you to a doctor,’ Mum said. ‘I’m on my way.’ I didn’t want to make a fuss but Mum was right. I needed to get it checked out. It’s a good job I did. Within hours I was hooked up to a drip and ventilator. Then I was rushed for emergency brain surgery. When I woke up, Mum was there with me. ‘You almost died,’…

What better way to pass the time on our train from Zürich to Interlaken than by reading my favourite magazine? Pallavi Bedi, Glasgow Olivia, 12, and I were getting hot and bothered in this queue at a theme park – good thing we brought these mini fans with us. Lisa Marshall, West Wickham This loving lemur was getting a little too friendly for my liking at the animal sanctuary in Madagascar! Claire Essex, King’s Lynn My wife Trang and I looking pretty in pink to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary. She’s an amazing woman whom I love with all my heart. Duc Giang, Stockport I’m a big fan of Emmerdale, so it was great to meet Chris Bisson (who plays Jai) at Manchester Airport recently. Janet Boyd, Wigan When the…

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Long before he had kids of his own, I knew my brother Lee would be a great father - caring, funny, protective. It’s how he was with me. He was five years older, and though we bickered as kids, heaven help anyone who picked on me in school. And if I was ever feeling low, out came his silly sense of humour, putting a smile back on my face. So, when Lee grew up and became a dad for real, he was a natural. When Lee became a dad, he was a natural, doted on his little girl His little girl Alecia was born in December 2014, and Lee doted on her. Even when he and her mum broke up, he’d see her as much as he could. I had…

Letting myself in after a hectic day at work, all I wanted to do was chill. Except...my flat was in chaos! Cushions ripped to shreds, flowers scattered on the floor, even a few plates smashed in the sink. ‘Ozzy!’ I shouted. Prince Ozzy was my cheeky black moggy, named after the Prince of Darkness, heavy-metal singer Ozzy Osbourne. And my puss was just as eccentric as Ozzy. Although I’d not seen him munch a bat, I wouldn’t put it past him! I got Ozzy six years ago when my old cat Mr Smudge died aged an amazing 18 years, 8 months . Ozzy filled a hole in my heart when Mr Smudge was gone. But having a kitten rushing around was manic. When Ozzy eventually settled, I could leave him…

The news I’d had was amazing - and there was one little lady that I couldn’t wait to share it with... ‘Guess what?’ I said to my 2-year-old daughter Zoe. ‘You’re going to have a baby brother!’ ‘When can I meet him!?’ she asked, excitedly. ‘Well, not for a few months yet,’ my hubby Jarrod, 32, told her, laughing. It was last November and I’d just had my 12-week scan. ‘These are for the baby!’ Zoe beamed a few days later, holding an armful of dolls. She’d talk to my bump, too, even tried to brush the baby’s teeth through my bellybutton! But excitement turned to concern when I went into early labour in February this year, at 32 weeks pregnant. An ultrasound showed our baby had an enlarged heart…