Historias de Ofwstories

They told her to "mind the gap," but no one warned her about the bedpans, baffling slang, and the sacred art of making tea. In Mind the Bedpan, a Filipina nurse shares her wildly honest, often hilarious, and deeply human journey of working in the UK's National Health Service. From navigating cultural quirks (like being politely asked if she wanted to "spend a penny") to decoding British humor, surviving night shifts, and introducing adobo to confused coworkers, this book is a love letter to nurses, migrants, and anyone brave enough to start over somewhere unfamiliar. Told with wit, warmth, and the kind of wisdom that only comes after 4 back-to-back shifts and one too many cups of cold coffee, this is more than just a memoir-it's a celebration of resilience, rice, and finding your place in the chaos. Perfect for: • Nurses and healthcare workers • OFWs and immigrants • Readers who love heart, humor, and healing in equal measure So grab a cuppa, get comfy, and don't forget-mind the bedpan. Also available on amazon paperback https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0F6JRC5P4?dplnkId=791f2062-7c5a-4aa9-92f6-1323bd538948&nodl=1 Copyright © AJ GABRIEL 2025 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means-electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise-without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations used in reviews, articles, or academic references with proper attribution. This book is a work of creative nonfiction. Names, details, and circumstances have been changed or fictionalized to respect privacy and confidentiality. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental unless explicitly stated. For permissions, inquiries, or collaborations, please contact: anj.gabyel@gmail.com

Xion was always the type who wandered not because he wanted to leave, but because he never learned how to stay. He drifted through cities, connections, and comforts, always searching for a feeling he couldn't name. Until one rainy evening in an unfamiliar city, he met her Ara. Not loud, not demanding just quietly present. Their connection wasn't instant fireworks it was warmth. It was coming home after a long day, in the form of someone else's silence. In her calm, Xion found peace. But the problem with people like Xion is that sometimes, they only realize what matters when it's already slipping through their fingers. As seasons passed and memories settled into photographs and regrets, Xion finally returned not to a city, but to himself. He was ready now. Ready to stay, to fight, to come home. But what if home no longer waited? ---