On tying headwraps

If I am being very honest, there were a few things I was pretty worried about before I left home in September. Most of my worries revolved around leaving family and friends that I love and basically everything familiar, but another area was just what if African people don't like me? And what if I can't connect with my patients through a translator and I feel awkward working in a cross cultural setting?

Then I came here to Guinea and, with practice, have realized that there is so much you can say without speaking the language. French is most commonly spoken, as well as So So. But there is also Fula, Madingo, and a few others I can't think of right now. Sometimes, so many languages are happening at once I have patients translating for each other. On several occasion I have had deaf patients in which case I give an instruction to a day worker who then translates to a family member who then signs to the patient.

random note: (Just in case you are wondering how a blind person could see sign language) most of my patients can see "small small" as many would say here. The criteria for cataract surgery is that they have a cataract in both eyes, and see 6/60 or worse in both eyes. This how we reach people who are seeing the worst and will benefit most from the surgery. Cataracts form over time though, so some patients see better than others before surgery. End random note.

Some Mamas wearing headwraps at one of the eye screening sites.

 

Now to tell you about the head wraps. Keeping the hair covered is an important thing to my African Mamas. (Here in Guinea it is appropriate to call any person significantly older than oneself "mama" or "papa".) I get some pleading looks when we ask the ladies to take off their head wrap for surgery, which are quickly relieved when we put on a light blue surgical cap in its place.

So, in my first or second week of working in peri-op, I attempted to tie one Mama's headwrap back on after her surgery was over. The day workers smiled while I struggled to figure out which end to start with. After fumbling with the colorful fabric for a minute, I tied it and thought I had it on the woman's head pretty nicely. I was satisfied.

Even in her completely blind state she could tell that her hat was not on right. The moment I stepped back to admire my work her arm shot up, she pulled off the fabric and swiftly retied it herself. Oh well.

Later on I had a head wrap tying lesson from Nancy, my friend and eye team day worker. My skills have improved greatly. I think I'll always remember that first time a mama let me tie her wrap and she left it just how I put it on. She grabbed my arm and smiled a thank you.

So I guess what I am getting at is that I am able to connect with my patients. It just takes being willing to learn, being flexible, and embracing what I little I know of the culture. This is still a journey of learning, but language barrier or not they know when someone is there to care for them, and that builds trust.

I shouldn't have worried.