Pride! Intelligence! Guts!

One thing a hospital porter has to learn very quickly is how to resist humiliation. This is where my dignity statement method comes from, for examples see the background links below. The essence of the dignity statement is to force your antagonist to destroy themselves by reflecting their attack back at them without initiating one of your own. In the course of perfecting this tactic, there are several intriguing and inspiring resources in cinema. Matilda is a 1996 fantasy drama directed by Danny DeVito which is based on a children's novel by Roald Dahl. It is about a young girl called Matilda who discovers that she has magical powers, however her greatest magic is not of the supernatural kind. Her teacher at school is an abusive authoritarian bully called Miss Trunchbull who is brought horribly to life with an ingenious performance by Pam Ferris. One of Matilda's classmates is an obese boy called Bruce who loves chocolate cake. One day he steals a slice from the school kitchen and Miss Trunchbull catches him. As punishment, and as a warning to the other pupils, she forces Bruce to consume the entire cake on stage in the school hall in front of the entire school. The intention is that he will stuff himself to the point of sickness in public view, degrading him. However, during this ordeal Matilda begins cheering him on. The other children follow her lead and soon all of them are encouraging Bruce in his endurance of gluttony. Bruce finishes the cake and holds the empty plate above his head in triumph. Trunchbull realizes that her plan to embarrass Bruce has totally backfired. She shouts at the children to stop, but they refuse. Bruce is their hero. It's one of the most moving film scenes I've ever watched. Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOQeU_6vbeg.

Another example is a 1993 film called Bopha! and is a rare directional curiosity by Morgan Freeman. It stars Danny Glover as a South African policeman during the final years of the Apartheid era. His force is constantly under attack by rioters who assault and kill his men at every opportunity. They hurl the insult: "Pig!" at them; it is a derogatory slur for a police officer in my country, Britain, as well. Unfortunately the clip is not available but I remember the scene well and will try to paraphrase it correctly. Glover's character is training new police recruits in a classroom. He says: "Everywhere you go, the people will shout at you: 'pig!... pig!... pig!', but there is something they don't know..." He begins writing on the blackboard. "The word 'pig!' is an acronym: 'P.I.G.' You know what that stands for?: 'Pride... Intelligence... Guts'!" Once again we have a way in which attempts at humiliation fail because the people being attacked know how to defend themselves effectively. During the course of your service you, as a hospital porter, can develop your own versions of these tactics. The two examples from Hollywood I've shown you are just there to give you ideas, as can my own dignity statement experiences. Or even if you're not a hospital porter, you might find this information useful with social and professional interactions in your civilian life. Or perhaps the positive message just makes you feel happy. Good luck!

See here for background: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2017/11/fantastic-dignity-statement.html.

And: http://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2010/11/making-dignity-statements.html.

And: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2019/05/more-blocks-and-digs.html.

And: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2020/01/the-real-eleanor-roosevelt.html.

Sick Hospital Video

A group of nurses have been slammed after a video they made went viral on that usual platform for controversial material, TikTok. The video shows them dancing through their hospital carrying what looks like a shrouded corpse with the word "COVID 19" written on it. The video, which was shot at a hospital in Ghana, has disgusted the world, not long after people first started appreciating healthcarers in a way that they never have before, for example see: http://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2020/04/captain-toms-number-one.html. Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/11520259/sick-vid-dancing-nurses-carrying-corpse-coronavirus-victim-tiktok/. I do express condemnation myself, but only for the video being made and published, not for the action in itself. Doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals have a ghoulish sense of humour. To an outsider, this will probably appear heartless and facetious. Another good example that I came across many times would be a doctor writing in a patient's notes the acronym T.F. BUNDY. This stands for "Totally Fucked But Unfortunately Not Dead Yet". Horrible, you might think. Vicious! Cruel!... But it is something only done in confidential correspondence. Under no circumstances would a doctor ever speak like that about a patient to their relatives and other loved ones. These ghastly jokes are shared exclusively among healthcare providers in private when they are alone together. In truth it is merely a survival mechanism. Hospitals are places full of pain, fear, illness, injury and death. Staff there have to cope with that every working hour of their lives. If these people did not make sick jokes about their work they would not be able to do it; it's as simple as that.

Captain Tom's Number One

Thomas Moore has just become the oldest person ever to top the singles charts in the UK. He beat the sixty-eight year old Tom Jones by over thirty years; Tom is ninety-nine. The Rogers and Hammerstein cover of You'll Never Walk Alone by Captain Tom and Michael Ball has raised twenty-eight million pounds for various welfare schemes in the NHS. (The HPWA is not officially registered as a charity and so will receive nothing, although I do not ask for anything.) Captain Tom turns one hundred years old next Thursday so he will be still be at number one for at least one day into his second century. He also has successfully completed a sponsored walk; one hundred laps of his garden, a twenty-seven yard circuit. This makes just over one and a half miles. Quite an achievement for a man of his age who cannot walk without a wheeled zimmer. Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52415966. The title of the song is ironic of course considering the social distancing rules currently enforced. Tom has lived a rich and varied life. He was an army officer who served in World War II and afterwards ran a concrete mixing company and raced motorcycles. When he finished the last lap of his walk there was a guard of honour from his old regiment to greet him. As an NHS veteran myself of twenty-three years, I'm deeply touched by Captain Tom, Michael Ball and everybody who has supported the NHS. I say that mourning the loss of my colleagues, see: http://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2020/04/ive-lost-another-brother.html and: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2020/04/ive-lost-two-brothers.html. I know some people reading this believe that what Captain Tom did was a staged publicity stunt as part of coronavirus disinformation conspiracy. There is a coronavirus conspiracy, but this is not a part of it.

I've Lost Another Brother

I'm sorry to report Brian Darlington, a porter at Mid-Cheshire Hospitals, has died of COVID 19 disease. He was described as having a sense of humour and positive outlook. I think these are essential for hospital portering. Facilities supervisor Richard Studinski said: "Nothing was ever too much trouble for Brian. He worked hard and was happy to do whatever was needed of him. He always walked round the hospital with a smile on his face, passing out sweets to colleagues he'd meet on the corridor. Mid-Cheshire's chief executive James Sumner said: "Brian had dedicated over twenty years to the trust during his NHS career and will be sadly missed by all who knew and worked with him. He was without doubt a treasured member of the team." Brian leaves behind his wife of forty-six years, Ava. Condolences to her. Rest in peace, MEP&DB Porter. Source: https://www.itv.com/news/granada/2020-04-16/porter-at-cheshire-hospital-dies-after-testing-positive-for-coronavirus/.

See here for background: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2020/04/ive-lost-two-brothers.html.

I've Lost Two Brothers

I'm very sad to report that two porters at the John Radcliffe Hospital have died of COVID 19 disease. Healthcare service providers are by far the highest risk group for any contagion because anything at large in the community ends up concentrated in hospitals. Hospitals are like vacuum cleaners for bacteria and viruses. You might think the title of this article is misleading. The two men who died are not literally brothers of mine. They are not related to me at all. However all hospital porters are my brothers and, in some instances, sisters. In fact they are closer to me than that. I will not post any source links because the media has named the two porters against the wishes of their families, who asked for privacy. I shall grant them that. Rest in peace, MEP&DBP's. I salute you. At the present time thirty-six NHS personnel have died of the coronavirus. I salute them all.

Thank You, St Thomas'

See here for essential background: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2020/04/boris-is-safe.html.

I would like to pay homage to MEP&DB&S Porters at St Thomas' Hospital in London, but also of course the entire civilian staff too, the doctors, nurses, PAM's and civilian ancillaries. You have saved the life of a great man, our leader Boris Johnson. Never in living memory have we had a Prime Minister we can respect. Boris is a strong man, a brave man and a decent man. Without him there would have been no Brexit, no foiling of the New World Order machinations. Boris is a starseed and a lightworker. He is where he is because of the 2016 Effect. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I'd also like to give tribute to the dedicated friends of freedom who have invaded the establishment where the Illuminati have had free reign since time immemorial. To QAnon and all those like him/her/them, much appreciation. Boris was very lucky. He had a near-miss with death. Thanks to you, he came through it safely. Bless you all!

See here for background: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2019/09/boris-johnsons-speech.html.

And: http://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2019/03/why-2016-matters.html.

And: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2018/07/q-anon-livestream.html.

The Nation Applauds

Yesterday evening at 8 PM millions of people stopped what they were doing to clap and cheer in the streets as a tribute to National Health Service workers for healing the coronavirus crisis. I was just starting the live HPANWO Show broadcast when this happened and I heard somebody in my street playing a brass instrument. It is audible on the programme, see: http://hpanwo-radio.blogspot.com/2020/03/programme-362-podcast-lisa-phillips.html. Signboards across the nation flashed supportive messages and #ClapForCarers went viral on Twitter, if you'll excuse the pun. Shops allowed people with NHS identity badges to jump the queues at the door, which have become the icon of the COVID 19 pandemic. Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52058013. It is the first time anything like this has happened before. I am no longer an NHS hospital porter, but I was one for twenty-three years. I am ex-NHS and always will be. Until the day I die this will remain a core part of my identity. I'd like to express my appreciation to everybody who took part in this event. It means an awful lot to me; and I'm sure it does to all other healthcare or former healthcare servicemen and women.

See here for background: https://hpanwo-tv.blogspot.com/2020/03/coronavirus-livestream.html.

And: http://hpanwo-radio.blogspot.com/2020/03/programme-361-podcast-coronavirus.html.

And: https://hpanwo-voice.blogspot.com/2020/03/the-coronavirus-industry.html.