Gracias a Dios Hablo Español

Most of the time no one asks me how well I speak Spanish.

My attending, my residents, they see my skin, they see my name, and they sigh in relief.

“Thank God you speak Spanish. We hate using interpreters.”

I want them to like me, so I think it’s not a big deal.

Can I explain what a plasma cell is in Spanish?

I really want to be a part of the team.

Can I explain that we need to perform an emergency C-section in Spanish?

I want to be needed. I want to belong.

Can I tell a mom her baby had bilateral basilar strokes in Spanish?

I just got here, and I worked so hard.

Can I tell a 40-year-old father of two that he has five years to live in Spanish?

My patients look at me with trust and gratitude.

I have never felt so lonely.

Can you explain that to me in Spanish?

Thank God I speak Spanish.

Valentina Diaz; Baylor College of Medicine