lost in translation

so many things get lost in translation here. it’s very difficult sometimes to get a good history from patients. and the history is the most important part in diagnosing problems. having to use a translator not only makes everything take three to four times as long, but it also forces you to use closed questions most of the time, which, as you will see, can make things so much more tedious.

interesting anecdotes from a different world.

dha (d): are you passing urine more frequently?
patient (p, via translator): yes.
d: how many times are you going now?
p: once a day.
d: ok... so how many times were you going before?
p: once a day.
d: so going to the toilet once a day now is more frequent than going once a day before?
p: yes.
d: ok.
....
d: when was your last period?
p: 18 august.
d: how many days between your periods?
p: 4 days.
d: 4 days of bleeding?
p: yes.
d: ok. and how many days till the next bleed?
p: 4 days.
d: and then you stop bleeding?
p: yes.
d: ok. so that’s how long your period is. how many days (frantically using all kinds of sign language with my hands and feet) between one period and the next?
p: 4 days.
d: ok... when was the period before your last one?
p: i can’t remember.
d: ok.
......
d: how long do your periods last?
p: i bleed every day.
d: you bleed every day?
p: yes.
d: for how long has this been happening?
p: ever since my caesarean section 3 years ago.
d: so since your c-section 3 years ago, you bleed from your vagina every single day?!?
p: yes.
d: are you bleeding today?
p: no.
d: did you bleed yesterday?
p: no.
d: did you bleed last year?
p: no.
d: ok...
........
d: how are you feeling today?
p and translator talk for about 3 minutes, before announcing: fine.
d: what did you talk about in all that time?
translator: nothing.
......
my favourite translator in clinic is a little on the slow side. very, very, very frustrating. but she’s so friendly and always has a huge smile on her face, so it’s also very hard to be angry with her for very long.
d: how are you feeling today?
translator (t): fine.
d: that’s grand. how is the patient feeling?
t: she’s fine.
d: could you ask her please?
p: i have a headache. i have an appointment at the hiv clinic.
d: (asking translator) do you know where the hiv clinic forms are?
t: (asking patient) do you know where the hiv clinic forms are?
p: um. no?
d: no, do *you* (pointing to translator) know where they are?
t: ohhhh!
d: so?
t: no.