As most of you may know, I specialize in immigration court interpreting. I have 20+ years of experience working in EOIR (Executive Office of Immigration Review) and mainly stay away from detention centers to work what is known as non-detainee calendars. Those are the type of cases for people that are in immigration proceedings but are not detained. Cases such as adjustments, asylums, cancellations of removal, etc.
Well, those twenty plus years did not prepare me for the journey I was about to embark on in a totally different area of the profession. I was about to take a ride into a world far, far away.
I received a call from an agency I have worked with for many years. They specialize in medical and healthcare related interpreting assignments. They asked if I would be willing to take an assignment for 6 hrs. each day, every day. I was thrilled! The immigration courts had not reopened and I had not worked since March 2020 so I was grateful for the work.
The assignment was with a local non-profit organization which provides services to low or no-income individuals who require assistance. This is a fairly well-known organization that does a lot of work for the community. I assisted as an interpreter in group sessions designed to help people in drug or alcohol recovery. I previously worked with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and knew a fair amount of the language associated with alcoholism and drug addiction, as well as general mental health conditions such as schizophrenia, depression and anxiety. Over the years, I also translated lots of materials related to mental health.
The location of the assignment was breathtaking, with flowers and citrus fruits groves everywhere. There were some farm animals and a diversity of birds everywhere. There were 3 homes and approximately 20 patients living on the property, mostly recovering alcohol and/or drug users. I was tasked to work with an older lady from Puerto Rico who was in need of interpreting services. She did not know English and was there for a few months while recovering from a nervous breakdown after losing multiple close family members back-to-back. She had lost her only daughter and her only sister had been killed by a drunk driver.
Doña Rosa, as I refer to her, is a 70 yr. old woman who is in severe depression and does not accept her condition. She alleges she is not well due to supernatural reasons. Her delusions are so extreme that I have had to arm myself with strategies and positive thoughts in order to work with her effectively. As an escort interpreter, which is really what this job requires, I am with her for breakfast and lunch. They asked if I could work 9 hrs. a day and I politely declined.
I read to her and have special permission to watch Spanish programs with her on my phone (You Tube). I have done her nails on both, her hands and feet, and have even bought her some clothes. Why? You many ask.
I firmly believe God puts people in our lives for a reason. Everything happens for a purpose. This has been a very humbling experience for me. Doña Rosa has been receptive to the group and therapy sessions while participating, however, as soon as we exit the classroom or conference area where the meetings are held, she seems to forget everything discussed in the class!
She is not only an expert psychologist, she’s also a psychiatrist, a medical doctor and a lawyer. Her brain is sharper than mine. She doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to everybody else’s business, but she refuses to acknowledge that she is in deep depression.
The other day, she suffered a panic attack and it took approximately 30 minutes for her to calm down. She kept telling me she could not swallow and at one point she stood up in the middle of the therapy group and shouted “Help”! She said that she could not swallow and became very upset. She carries a bottle of water at my insistence, and drank some of it but still kept repeating that she could not swallow! It was an uncomfortable situation for all involved. After the attack subsided, she acknowledged 6 or 7 of the 15 descriptors of a panic attack, but still didn’t accept she had just had such an episode.
In addition to attending her group sessions, I make sure that we go get her daily medications. We visit the gardens and pick oranges and grapefruits from the trees. We have made puzzles and painted coloring books. We watched “Caso Cerrado” and “Dra. Nancy” but my client has never once demonstrated any emotion. She doesn’t smile nor laughs. She claims that she cannot cry and when we talk about depression and how some people suppress their pain causing harm to themselves by retreating to a very dark place in order to not deal with our feelings, she tells me that this is not what is afflicting her. She insists that what afflicts her is “supernatural” and that no one can help her.
It is so sad to witness someone who is in such severe despair. I decided that I have to be the highlight of her day, maintaining a positive attitude at all times. I laugh easily and often, and encourage her to look within and try to deal with the grief of loss and despair that is deeply seeded in her heart and mind. I encourage her to fight the darkness (she doesn’t hear voices but has visions) and look for the light.
I am learning a lot about schizophrenia and its symptoms, and how an unstable mind can impact an otherwise healthy body. I have developed patience that I have never had with Doña Rosa! The other day she told me I was her angel, that the end is near, and that these final days are glorious because I am in her life. Little does she know that she has been a true blessing in mine.
Deep in my heart, I believe I am here for a greater purpose than just being a language bridge.
The Traveling Interpreter 