Innholdsfortegnelse for Best Of 1 2017 i Pick Me Up! Special

These cute little bundles will melt even the hardest of hearts. Especially when you read how the pair of sweeties were born after their mum and dad found a double yolk in a bag of Haribo sweets and took it as a sign that twins were in the bag… so to speak ( p8 )! But there's nothing heart-warming about she-devil Kayleigh North ( p52 ), who battered her sister's mate with a drain cover, leaving her scarred for life. In contrast, born with tiny stumps for legs, inspirational Kanya ( p24 ) models lingerie and, an accomplished skier, she hopes to make the 2018 Winter Paralympics. For more shocks, turn to p38 , where Natasha tells how she and her baby just escaped before their car became an inferno.…

When I got together with my Paul, I didn’t think he’d have any deep, dark secrets. We’d been close since school and had got together when I was 21 and he was 19. He wasn’t fazed by the fact I had a 3-year-old son, and he loved Nathan as if he was his own. Paul could be shy, but it never felt like he was hiding anything from me. Until the first time he stayed over. I woke in the middle of the night to find him on all fours, eyes wide in terror. ‘Help me! Help me!’ he bellowed, petrified. ‘It’s OK,’ I told him. ‘You’re having a nightmare.’ Next morning, we had a laugh about it. ‘What were you dreaming about?’ I asked. ‘I don’t know,’ he replied,…

‘I ate custard creams, devouring a packet a day’ Maintaining an average size 14 in my 30s, I thought I’d avoided the ‘middle-age spread’. Then, in March 2014, I had a hysterectomy. Inactive for six weeks, I ate custard creams for comfort, devouring a packet a day. ‘They’ve no calories...’ I’d kid myself, but my expanding waistline begged to differ. Turning 39 in January 2015, I was a size 18, nearly 16st. ‘I can’t be fat turning 40,’ I fretted to my mum, Brenda. Running my own computer game shop, I’d no time to attend weekly slimming classes. So, I signed up to an app called Nutracheck on a free trial. It had a calorie and exercise tracker, offered interactive advice from experts, and a user forum to swap recipes…

‘I'd throw up, sometimes up to 15 times a day’ Polishing off the last roast potato on my plate, I smiled at my parents. ‘That was a great dinner, thanks,’ I said. But inside, my stomach was churning. The meal had been lovely, but all I felt now was an overwhelming pressure to get it out of my body. It felt almost like an alien that had to go. The first chance I got, I was racing up the stairs, two at a time, to the bathroom. I was so used to this routine that I no longer even needed to stick my fingers down my throat to make myself sick. I could drink water, then use it to bring up the food by simply tightening my stomach muscles. Feeling…

I was just 15 when I first met Glen Brooks, then 21, in 2001. I’d seen him around locally. He was really keen - he’d found out I was babysitting for a local family and popped a soppy love note through the letterbox, telling me he liked me. It was so flattering! But I was young, so, to start with, we were just friends... At 17, I had a daughter, but sadly things didn’t work out with her dad. Glen and I were still firm friends and, two years on, we got together and I quickly fell for him. He was great with my girl, and we had a son together. Glen was forever doing romantic things - running me candlelit baths, putting the kids to bed, even cooking dinner.…

Age 13, I was at a sleepover at my friend Sarah's. Her mum, Pauline, was a medium, and she showed me how to 'open up the door to my spirit guide'. I received images of a rose and an elderly lady. I later found out that my spirit guide is a woman called Rose! Keen to explore my spiritual gift further, in July 2008, my mum, Sheena, 63, and I went on a ghost-hunting night at Sheffield's National Emergency Services Museum. Mediums used Ouija boards to communicate with the dead, did tarot card readings – and I experienced 'table tipping'. It's a type of seance where tables rotate, powered by spirits. That night, a former prisoner, Eric, communicated with me. Hooked, I signed up to more spiritual evenings, and made…

‘The more weight I lost, the more my stomach sagged’ When I met John back in 2007, I was 17 years old with a hot size-10 body to be proud of. But fast-forward six years and two kids... After giving birth to our daughter in March 2013, I was an out-of-shape size 18. That summer, we went to a friend’s barbecue. Afterwards, some pictures popped up on Facebook. ‘Oh, my God!’ I gasped to John. ‘Look at the state of me!’ Sitting on a rug, wearing a black vest top and patterned trousers, I looked massive. ‘But you’ve not long had the baby,’ John reassured me. ‘Go easy on yourself.’ ‘It’s no excuse,’ I said. So I started eating healthily, dipped in and out of Slimming World and detox plans.…

I love nothing more than a bulging bin bag! See, volunteering in Oxfam, Thirsk, I get first dibs on donations. I’d never visited charity shops until my neighbours recommended volunteering. It keeps me busy while my hubby Mike, 50, works as an accountant and our kids Izzi, 9, and Theo, 8, are at school. I often buy stock from the shelves and I’ve bagged some lovely jackets from Margaret Howell and Ted Baker. Big brands like Asos and FCUK sometimes donate new items, complete with price tags. But you’ve got to be quick! With my eye for fashion, I’m in charge of the shop’s Boutique section. Izzi’s into fashion, too, although her tastes differ from mine. Far too many crop tops! Last February, I heard about Oxfam’s Dressed By The…

‘Dressed in his pyjamas, he looked like he was sleeping’ A tiny little hand crept up and touched my baby bump. ‘Can you feel your brother kicking?’ I asked my little boy Blake, smiling. He wasn’t yet 2, but he was so excited about our new arrival. I was, too! Our little one already had a name - Jack James. And we couldn’t wait to meet him. On 11 September 2014, Jack was born at Doncaster Royal Infirmary, weighing 6lb 3oz. He was perfect. Back at home, I quickly realised he was mischievous, too. Constantly wriggling, and with the biggest appetite I’d ever seen! And he adored his big brother. It was Blake who got his first smile, his first giggle. He’d gurgle for his brother’s attention. Aged 3 months,…

When I was 9 years old, I was diagnosed with myalgic encephalomyelitis - what’s known as ME. I’d been getting migraines and headaches for just over a year and I felt tired all the time. After my diagnosis, I had to quit school. I was just too ill. My mum Tracey, now 45, got a home tutor for me when I felt up to it. Gradually, my symptoms became more severe. I threw up everything I ate, needed to be tube-fed. Some days, just having a chat with Mum would knock me for six. When I overexerted myself, I’d black out in agony. And, as if things couldn’t get any worse... A year later, when I was 10, the intolerance to light started. It was another symptom of ME. Even…

THE LIGHT CHOICE A diet plan helped Dianne beat the bulge NAME: Dianne Probert, 73, from Market Harborough, Leicestershire. VITAL STATISTICS: I’d never been thin but, when I started a cooking course in my early 20s, the weight began to pile on. I became a Home Economics teacher, so I had to taste the food that the kids would make in my classes. Then, when I was 55, my husband and I relocated to France and, over the years, the weight continued to pile on until I weighed 17st 6lb, and was a size-26. MY MOTIVATION: After 14 years, we moved back to the UK, but my size was putting so much pressure on my joints that I couldn’t even walk from my car to the supermarket! MY ACTION PLAN:…

‘During the fit, his brain had been starved of oxygen’ As plans go, this one was pretty cunning. Not! ‘We’ll tell him wearing an eye-patch is the coolest thing ever,’ my fiancé, Mattie, 31, laughed. I wasn’t convinced, but was willing to try. It was September 2015, and doctors had told our little lad, Jacob, 4, that he had to wear an eye-patch. ‘But I don’t like it,’ he’d cry, pulling it off. See, when he was just 4 weeks old, we’d woken one morning to find him struggling for breath, and we’d rushed him to Glan Clwyd Hospital. Doctors diagnosed meningitis. We were shocked and terrified. There’d been no rash, no symptoms we’d seen. Transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool, Jacob was hooked up to a ventilator.…

We had a giggle about the sweet story at the scan Tall, dark, handsome and so friendly, Dean Carr had been the love of my life since we met through some friends. By 2015, we’d been together three years and often talked about the future. ‘When we get back from Mexico, let’s come off the Pill and start thinking about marriage and babies,’ I said. ‘Sounds like a plan,’ Dean, 31, smiled back. My friend, Sarah, was getting married in Mexico in April. The week before the ceremony, about 50 people flew over. We had some brilliant nights. But the mornings after... ‘I feel awful,’ I moaned to the girls. ‘I can’t stop being sick.’ ‘We’re the same,’ they sighed. ‘Must be the local tequila!’ ‘My period’s late, too,’ I…

Joining the Army at 17, I kept a super-fit, size-12 figure. There, I met my hubby, Nikk Cabo, now 35. But after our daughter Abigail, arrived in May 2003, I quit the Army and, stopping exercise, I ballooned to a size 20. I’d devour junk food - my favourite treat was pizza. In February 2009, I worked part-time for an events company, and one night, my team won an award. Later, watching a video of the ceremony, I couldn’t see myself. Who's that big woman? I thought, then suddenly realised it was me! Using quick-fix diets, I shrank to a size 14, then hit a plateau. In about June or July 2014, at 12½st and still a size 14, I wanted to change. Researching online, I found a new gym,…

‘Over 10 minutes, the plane banked from side to side’ Strolling down my high street in March 2013, I spotted a sign for a food bank. I decided to head inside to find out how I could donate. I was upset to learn many local residents relied on the charity, supported by The Trussell Trust. And it struck a chord. In 2011, I’d struggled making ends meet after graduating from university, often skipped meals. Thankfully, my mum, June, 77, had sent me food vouchers. Others aren’t so lucky. Perhaps my son, Jacob, now 17, would need similar help one day. I couldn’t bear the thought. So, despite working full-time at Linlithgow Palace, I began volunteering at Linlithgow Food Bank each week. Making friends with fellow volunteers and chatting with community…

‘I'm just being me – living life to the fullest’ As the photographer snapped away, I smiled. A professional model, I was used to posing in lingerie and skimpy outfits. Body confident, I’ve always loved my figure. But unlike other models, I’m not 6ft with long, slim pins. In fact, I don’t have any legs. See, when I was born, my legs hadn’t developed properly. Doctors didn’t know why - it was just one of those things. I was born in Thailand, but when I was just weeks old, I was abandoned on the steps of a Buddhist temple. Monks took me in and looked after me. Then, when I was 5, my picture was put in an international adoption magazine. A couple from Oregon, USA, Dave and Jane Sesser,…

There were three of us in our relationship. Me - and my two men. One’s blond and wears glasses. The other’s dark with impressive facial hair. And I loved them both to pieces. I first met my blond, Aidan Barnes-Mathews, in 2011. We were both taking A-Level history at college. We got talking and agreed we’d help each other with our essays. I was delighted - Aidan was so gorgeous! Somehow, we managed to get our essays in, finish the course... and fall in love, too. We lived with my parents so we could save up for our own place. And, while Aidan watched his motorsports on telly, I’d read about my other love - animals. I’d always loved them - especially sea creatures. Sea lions, whales, dolphins... And it…

‘Little Matilda was on a life-support machine’ With one hand on my growing bump, I smiled happily at my husband Paul. We couldn’t wait for our baby to arrive. Paul and I had known each other since we were teenagers. But in March 2006, I bumped into him in the pub, and we began dating. We moved in together and got married in March 2009. I discovered I was pregnant the following January, and we were thrilled. My bump grew and grew. A scan showed too much fluid around the baby, but my midwife wasn’t too concerned. But by 34 weeks, I was huge - could hardly move. I went into hospital to be induced, with Paul holding my hand. Our baby girl Matilda was born on 23 October 2010,…

The first time your child rides a bike is a milestone. But when our son, TJ, now 7, was born with amniotic band syndrome, me and my hubby, Jamie, 29, never expected to see that day. In the womb, TJ’s right hand had become entangled in the amniotic bands, hindering its development, so it was left closed like a fist. Surgery at 8 weeks old had opened it a little, but it was a big handicap. Although TJ didn’t think so! As a tot, he was so good on his toddler’s balance bike, he wanted a proper one. His natural talent was so clear. ‘You can do anything you set your mind to,’ Jamie told him. TJ wasted no time in proving his dad right, winning his first competition aged…

Should I Warn Her? Sarah, 28, Shipley One of my best friends just got engaged after a whirlwind romance. She’s so happy and in love, but none of our friends like her fiancé. He’s quite a bit older, which is fine, but he’s really creepy and I’m worried he’s attracted to me. He always sits next to me, snakes his arm around me, strokes my arm, or squeezes my shoulder - all when his fiancée isn’t looking. I often catch him staring or leering at me, too. Avoiding him is impossible, as my friend and he are always together, but he makes me very uncomfortable - and I’m so stressed I’m getting ill. Should I tell my mate? YES Pick Me Up! reader Debbie Hadden says:…

‘Melo had on black eyeliner, his beard twisted in beads’ ‘He was mobbed by 300 screaming fans in Dubai’ Eyeing up my gorgeous hubby, most women tell me how lucky I am... But I’ve known that since I met Carmelo Masi, then 20, in 1989, in a pub where a former co-worker introduced us. With long, flowing, dark locks and chocolate-brown eyes, I fell instantly in love. His ‘rocker’ look made me swoon, and I learned Melo was a part-time singer and guitarist, while working by day at a pharmaceutical company. ‘My band’s called Confuzin Jack,’ he explained. That night, a real gent, he walked me home and, soon after, we were an item. Back then, Johnny Depp wasn’t famous. Not until Edward Scissorhands was released in the UK in…

‘He was trying to separate two cones with his teeth’ My four kids and I love our lazy Saturday mornings. On 16 January 2015, after my hubby, David, 34, had gone off to work, James, 11, Lucy, 10, Keane, 8, and Dawson, 2, jumped into bed with me. ‘Telly time,’ they chanted, getting cosy. Soon, I had to get up to bath and dress Dawson. But Keane wanted me to fix his game controller. ‘It needs new batteries,’ he moaned. ‘Give me five minutes,’ I told him. He went upstairs to play with the others. But, minutes later, I heard him thrashing about on the landing. I ran up to find him spluttering and clutching his chest. ‘What’s going on?’ I asked him, panicking. ‘Can’t... breathe...’ Keane panted, his face…

VIRGO 24 Aug-23 Sept March begins with the Sun in your sector of relationships, combining with the dreamy vibes of Neptune. This can play out in quite distinct ways. Firstly, someone could prove to be hugely fascinating, or conversely completely frustrating because you can't quite get to the bottom of where they're coming from. Just which will depend on your exact circumstances. If you are hunting for a new place to live you can also be busy at the start of the month, but need to ensure that any choice you make matches your important affordability criteria. A love relationship that's ongoing could get deeper and more sultry too this month. At the very least, one or both of you can transform through the interaction you share. If you're looking…

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 that I’d ‘grow out of it’. I remember examining my genitals, feeling disgusted. My body didn’t match my feelings. I tried to fit in at school, but…

‘Helping others reach their goals is great’ Sun shining, it was summer 2014, and I'd picked out a size-22 pink dress to wear to a family get-together. 'Lovely,' my fella Russell, 34, complimented me. But, days on, I was tagged in a photo online, and felt disgusted when I saw it. Cradling my 1-year-old daughter Amy, my bulging tummy looked huge. Truth was, I'd always been big. A size 18 joining secondary school, I'd hear snide comments from bullies but, with good mates supporting me, I was content. At 16, working in a café, I'd help myself to slices of every cake. I'd no 'off' switch, easily scoffing three bags of crisps at a time. Ballooning to size 22, it was a struggle keeping up with Amy. Then, in January…

I had the perfect life. A happy marriage, a fabulous house. And we were parents to two gorgeous kids - Dylan, 10, and Taneesha, 8. I loved being a stay-at-home mum, while Peter had a great job in construction. But that changed in July 2013. It all started when Peter came home with a red-raw, crusty lump on his lip, on the bottom left corner. ‘It’s really sore,’ he said. ‘And it looks awful.’ But, unsightly as it was, we weren’t really worried. ‘It’s probably just a cold sore,’ I suggested. Peter put some cream on it, and we assumed that it would heal up soon enough. Except it didn’t go down. So a few days on, he went to the doctor. ‘I’ll refer you to Gladstone Hospital,’ he told…

A lot of people meet their other half at work. I did, too. And meeting my hubby Tim when we worked at the National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) meant we both had an important passion - fighting for animal rights. Back then, circuses were exempt from having to provide legal papers for endangered species to cross borders. Tigers, lions, monkeys and chimpanzees were often declawed or had their teeth forcibly removed. It was horrific. Something had to change. So, in 1990, Tim and I founded Animal Defenders International (ADI). We work to change laws and arrange rescue missions to save all types of suffering animals. To date, we’ve helped secure new rules on the cross-border movements of endangered species in over 170 countries, and we’ve rescued more than 100 animals. In…

Bedtime in our house was always the same. ‘Can I sleep in your bed?’ asked my littl’un Taylor James, 3. ‘Go on then,’ I smiled. We’d spent the evening watching films with my fiancé Kevin Woodward, 30, and my youngest Alexia Jordan, 2. We were all exhausted, and Alexia was fast asleep in her bedroom. It wasn’t long before the three of us were snoozing, too. At 2.30am, I woke up to see Taylor padding back to his own bed. It’d disturbed Kev, too. ‘Better pop my e-cig on charge before I forget,’ he said. My bloke had been a smoker for 10 years, but quit in 2015. ‘I need to be around to see the kids grow up,’ he told me. I was very proud of him. Instead of…

Being told that your child has a disease that will cut their life short is devastating. My son William was just 22-months-old when he was diagnosed with the muscle-wasting condition Duchenne muscular dystrophy. I could hardly take it in as the doctor explained that he’d be in a wheelchair by 12. He said by his late teens, William would be suffering severe health issues as the muscles of his heart and lungs weakened -and he’d be unlikely to see his 30th birthday. I’d become worried because at 20 months, he was still struggling to walk, and he’d been referred to the hospital for tests. Suddenly, his birthdays became loaded with significance. They were a reminder that another year with our mischievous boy had passed. After his diagnosis, I organised a…

‘I saw flames bursting up from the vents’ ‘The dashboard and passenger seats were alight’ Having kids changes everything. And, since having our son Milo in July 2015, our little runabout just wasn’t big enough any more. ‘We need a new car,’ me and my fiance Aaron Hobbins, 23, decided in the December. Aaron started researching different cars online. Then... ‘I’ve found one here with a good safety rating,’ he said. It was a green, five-door, 2003 family car. We went to see it at the owner’s house, and handed over the £525 cash. Then we got it taxed and insured, and off we went! ‘It’s so much easier getting Milo in and out of the back,’ I told Aaron, after I’d used it a few times. Taking him to…

As a baby, my girl, Roseanna, would watch me play the drums, mesmerised. When she was 2, I popped her on the stool and, for fun, I made two small sticks from old ones. A natural, by 6, she played in her primary school concerts. When I'm not gigging, I tutor drummers and, in October 2014, a lad left his Grade 8 book behind and Roseanna flicked through it. 'Want to play it?' I asked. She leapt on the kit and, with perfect technique, was able to sight-read the sheet music. 'That was quite easy,' she said. From then on, every night, she'd practice Grade 8 pieces – usually tough for sixth formers! 'Do you want to take the exam?' I asked, tentatively. 'Why not!' she declared. Eight months later,…

Get settled Suffer from motion sickness? Have a cup of ginger tea before getting in the car. It’ll settle your stomach and help stop nausea. Feel fruity Eat pomegranate seeds. They not only contain powerful antioxidants, which cut cholesterol, but the seeds from one fruit count towards your five-a-day! Ditch the dough Fancy pizza, but suffer from bloating? Make your own base using cauliflower and ground almonds for a gluten-free treat. The A Team Orange-coloured foods like carrots, sweet potato and butternut squash are an excellent way of getting vitamin A – essential for healthy skin. Tea-riffic way to help bones Research says that three cups of tea a day can lower the risk of bone fractures by 30%. Plate and simple Want to lose weight? Use a smaller dinner…

‘Kayleigh launched at me, smashing me in the face’ ‘I'm pleased she's paying for what she did’ With one last spray of perfume, I blew a kiss to my five children and grabbed my bag. ‘Enjoy yourself,’ my mum, Donna, 52, said, smiling. ‘And don’t rush back.’ She was babysitting while I had a rare night out with my friend, Zoe, 26. I’d met Zoe and her sister, Kayleigh, 28, eight years before, when I’d dated their cousin. Even after we’d split, I stayed great mates with Zoe. So, in August 2014, when I was invited to my cousin’s 30th birthday, I invited Zoe. ‘Can Kayleigh come, too?’ she’d asked. Kayleigh was a great laugh - loud, funny, always cracking jokes - so I agreed that she could come along.…

‘I felt like I'd known him years, not just one plane ride!’ Dropping me off at Toronto airport, my mum, Elaine, 53, said goodbye to me. ‘Look after yourself,’ she said. We lived in Canada. It was June 2014 and I’d just gone through a break-up. I’d been diagnosed with premature ovarian failure a few years before and it’d caused my relationship to fail. So I was heading to Kenya to work with orphaned children. I hoped helping others would stop me wallowing. I was flying to Heathrow to get my connection. Only the flight was delayed... Putting my headphones on, I listened to music and chatted to Mum on Facebook. Suddenly, I realised the gate was quiet... I went over to two young guys. ‘Do you know anything about…

‘We've always done everything the same’ Two peas in a pod. That’s what everyone says about me and my sister, Clare, 32. And they’re exactly right too. See, we’re identical twins. Growing up, the pair of us were inseparable. We’d wear matching outfits, share toys, even finish each other’s sentences... ‘Here comes double trouble,’ our mum Christine, now 65, would chuckle to our dad Colin, 66. For our birthday on 18 June, we’d have a joint party outside in the garden. As we got older, we stuck to tradition and celebrated together. We’d have a nice meal, then see a show at the theatre. The best of friends, we couldn’t be without each other. In time, we even moved into houses just minutes apart. When me and my husband, Alex,…