Lost in Translation

     I had to go to the hospital today for a check-up with my doctor.  Last month I decided to try the doctors here since people had told me what great service they had gotten.  Well I have had migraines for well over 20 years and the medicine that my U.S. doctor had prescribed had run out.  The pharmacies here had never heard of that medicine, so that was the last straw . . . I headed to the Thai doctor. 

     My doctor's name is Dr. Theeraporn Thaichinda.  I call him Doctor.  He was educated in the United States and speaks very good English, but still there are many times I don't quite get the gist of what he is saying.  He prescribed a medicine and all was well and good. 

     Which brings me to today's check-up.  He wanted to make sure that the low dose he had given me was working well.  I told him that I was still having slight headaches and that I would like to try acupuncture.  I forgot that someone had told me to be careful about what you ask for because you get it right away.  I thought I would get an appointment to come back to see the accupuncturist.  Oh no, I was marched right up the steps to his door. I sat down opposite him and before I knew it, I had needles in my head!  Then he asked me how I wanted to pay - by the session or a cheaper way was by the package - I said probably the cheaper way.  But as I lay there in the dark with needles in my head, I thought maybe I want to pay each time I come.  So when the session was over I told the nurse at the desk that I wanted to pay by the session.  She marched me down the steps to pay.  I signed the credit card receipt - and low and behold - I had paid the "cheaper way" - by the package - something was definitely lost in translation.  My friends had told me it is too hard to make them give you the money back so I just gave up. 

     It's times like these that I really miss the U.S.!

                                                             Linda