Case Log for 2014

1. Inguinal Hernia 20

2. Umbilical Hernia 7

3. Circumcision 9

4. Skin/soft tissue surgery 45

5. Tubal Ligation 24

6. Hysterectomy 11

7. Cholecystectomy 7

8. Ganglion Cyst 5

9. Salpingo Ooperectomy 1

10. Posterior Repair 1

11. Femoral Hernia 1

12. Removal of Extra Digit 2

13. Epigastric Hernia 1

14. Bartholin Cyst 1

15. Lymph Node Removal 1

Total 125

Interesting Cases 2014

1. I saw a 3 year old child and mom in the consultation room. At 5 months of age the child has a serious illness and had to have a colostomy. Since that time they had not been able to have a reversal surgery until the mother or family could buy the stapling instrument necessary to do the surgery The child was normal in every other way, except that he had to wear pull ups since they didn’t have colostomy supplies.

2. A young man came in a wheelchair with open would from infections on both ankles. It had been present for months and he didn’t know how it started.

3. We had several kids with extra digits on their hand. We even had one with an extra thumb and one with fused third and fourth fingers.

4. Two children with hypospadius and epispadius deformities of the urinary tract.

5. One child that had an undescended testis.

6. Several young girls with keloids, some on the ears.

7. A 10 year old boy presented with a large neurofibroma of the right lower quadrant that we were able to debulk.

8. We had more Haitian patients that could not speak Spanish, just Creole. Fortunately we had two interpreters who spoke both and English as well.

9. Several patients with large hernias from prior surgery that would require larger surgeries than we could do. They hadn’t been done because the patients couldn’t afford the mesh necessary to repair the hernia. We were able to give some to them.

10. As usual there were many patients with high blood pressure. Had to cancel some patients who were told early in the project to take their meds and return only to still be too high. The highest I saw was 219/126.

11. One child came in for tonsillitis and the mom wanted us to do a tonsillectomy.

12. Some came in with arthritis which we couldn’t help and one lady came in to have her hernia fixed. When I ask where her hernia was she pointed to the C-collar she was wearing then produced an MRI showing her “herniated” disc.

13. Saw a 4 year old with a massive abdominal hernia that was the result of a surgery for a congenital abnormality where the stomach is outside the abdomen at birth.

14. I saw a mom and baby that was told that he had a hernia at 2 months of age but was anemic so they couldn’t operate. She has struggled for 2 years since she could not afford the meds to fix the anemia and afford the surgery. As it turns out the hernia is gone and the baby doesn’t need an operation after all.

15. We had a total of 4 cancellations due to excessive BMI and BP, but in each case we were able to fill the schedule with a patient who showed up NPO in case we had a cancellation to fill their slot.

Two Words, Maybe Three by Steve Trembley

Being a medical interpreter, is not an easy job.


But I loved interpreting, for Melissa, Josh, and Rob.

And Ty was great, and Sally too, when I got in a bind.

But there are just two topics, that always blow my mind.

Two subjects that don’t come up too much, at least around my house.

Subjects farmers don’t discuss, unless we’re talking cows.

Two particular topics, are hard for me to do.

I’m speaking of gynecology, and yes urology too.

The first is gynocologia, or gynocologo.

The second is urologia, or urocolgo-go.

I can’t pronounce them correctly, or say what they’re about.

The only thing I really know is, you cannot live without.

Sometimes I get frustrated, or some say even lost.

When dealing with these subjects, my Spanish gets criss-crossed.

Each part has very different names, and does what must be done.

You have to know each one of them, and never forget one.

And how they work, and what they do, from the front to the behind,

And act like you’re an expert. It’s like playing ping-pong. Blind.

I’m like Christopher Columbus, who sailed the ocean blue.

Who thought he was in India, but didn’t have a clue.

We took a little bus ride, that could have ended badly.

But compared with discussing pregnancies, I would have traded gladly.

Embarrassing is putting it mildly, I can’t begin to say.

The Kaegle exercises confuse me to this day.

They need to squeeze what I don’t have, and do what I can’t do.

That’s time to get a lady translator, although they’re very few.

When a lady says “Estoy preparada”, I think “Prepared for what?”

Has she prepared a chicken, and put it in a pot?

Oh wait! There is another one, that drives me up a wall.

I’m referring to the prostata, or prostate to you all.

I’ve never actually seen one. It’s hidden out of view.

I’m not sure if I have one, but my doctor says I do.

And being deaf doesn’t help. I know that’s hard to believe.

People have to yell 3 times, before I hear “Hey Steve”!

So thank you for your patience. Helping you was grand.

My wife will probably kill me, but I hope you’ll understand.

Two Words, Maybe Three