Translator

Dentist
Originally uploaded by Tokyorosa

This morning when I got to work, Lan was on the phone with her friend Xi. Xi's daughter Rosa was at the dentist, and Xi (who is a post-doc from China) was having trouble with what the doctor was trying to ask or tell her about Rosa's care. Lan asked if I could come with her to help translate for Xi and I agreed.

At the dentist, I found out that it was an emergency visit for Rosa, who had an abcessed tooth that the doctor either had to remove or fill. The x-ray machine in the office had eaten the first set of x-rays, so the doctor had to take another x-ray and send it out to be processed. Rosa also had at least two other teeth that were going to need attention very soon and the doctor wanted Xi to make an appointment for that--and for cleaning. English is Xi's second language, and all of this was either outside her experience and/or taxing the English that she does have. I listened to the doctor, asked questions, asked Xi if she had any questions, then explained to Xi and Lan in slightly simpler, slightly slower English what the doctor had said, and I tangled with the receptionist to get Rosa a new appointment.

The x-ray came back and the doctor had to remove the tooth (which was, thankfully, a baby tooth). He asked Xi to come in and comfort Rosa and Lan and I followed. Just after he gave Rosa the first of two shots, I took this picture with my cell phone.

It all reminded me of when I was in Japan and had to go to the doctor by myself. It was really stressful even though the doctor did speak basic English. Being sick and worried is enough even without the stress of a language barrier.