Friday 10 June 2016

Gawd bless 'er

There was a really 'nice' person, worthy of deep respect on Desert Island Discs this morning - the surgeon, Dr David Nott, OBE. When I hear people like that, I understand how trivial my working life has been.

He received his OBE for the surgical work he has carried out all over the world's most troubled areas - Gaza, Syria, Nepal, etc. etc. and his session with Kirsty Young had him in tears for quite a lot of the time - through stress and gratitude (both for his wife and child who he never expected to be alive long enough to create), and for the sheer disbelief at still being alive after all he has been through.

His account of the luncheon seated on the Queen's right hand when he collected his gong, also had him - and me - in tears.

The Queen turned to him and said, "I hear you have just got back from Aleppo."

Being in the throes of the latest bout of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome, he found himself completely unable to speak. Not one word, and not just because he was awestruck by being in her presence.

I have always known that the Queen is clever, but in this case she proved that she is more than that, she is well used to dealing with people on a purely humanitarian level too.

She sensed his inner turmoil, and said, "Let me help you."

She turned to a footman and asked him to bring in the corgis and a tin box, and pretty soon the lunch party was swarming with dogs. She opened the tin and asked Nott to help himself to the biscuits inside - to feed the dogs by hand.

As he did this, she chatted away about dogs in general and corgis in particular - how many she had and why she preferred them (I have often wondered about that).

What a clever and sympathetic woman she must be. Dogs under the table at lunch!


28 comments:

  1. It was very humbling. I wrote about it on Sunday. He was very normal and boyish I thought which endeared me to him very much.

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  2. Tom - reading this has made me cry. He is a marvellous man - and yes, the Queen quic kly found a way to help him. Brilliant.
    I have a friend who lived in Aleppo for some years. Also my grand daughter visited for a few weeks just before the troubles began and said how lovely the people were. Now when I see the city in ruins , many of the citizens fled or dead, many orphaned children - total catastrophe, I thank God got people like
    Dr David Nott O B E.

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    1. Indeed Weave. I think those people are living saints, especially if they don't understand it themselves. Maybe angels - sent angels.

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  3. I wish I could've watched this.
    Greetings Maria x

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  4. It had me in tears too.

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  5. Happy 90th - and I hope I am as nice as you if I ever reach that age. I am a royalist. I really mean that. There are good and bad, of course, but it's only politicians who re-write history to persuade us to determine which are which, according to their own interests or thwarted ambition. I really mean that too.

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  6. I listened to this after Rachel said that it had made her cry.
    I was humbled by the entire thing
    Kirsty was as usual a fantastic interviewer

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    1. Kirsty has a really dirty laugh too.

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    2. She is really good - a true professional who makes it sound easy and relaxed. When he broke up for the 5th time, she said, "Let's just hear the music."

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  7. I actually adore her and her skills

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    1. And I for one, wouldn't giving her one as well. (Why do I always have to spoil it?)

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  8. I don't know where the heck she came from, but she is wonderfully unique. There is no one else like her.

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  9. I love the Queen too and I hope she knows how loved and respected she is around the world.

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  10. I'll have to try to find that on BBC Catch-up. DID is still one of radio's best concepts.

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  11. What a lovely story about the Queen responding with grace and warmth after noticing another person's discomfort. Good for HM.

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    1. I had a dutiful respect for her before I heard that, now it has a good measure of sincerity.

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  12. I listened to this too....and I even liked his music choices!

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    1. Yes - I even found myself appreciating tunes which I did not think much of before.

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    2. Exactly. I have always found 'Fix you', a bit mawkish, but it really worked for him.

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