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Phyllis Runyan's Reviews > The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures
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The first, spontaneous reaction with regard to the stranger is to imagine him as inferior, as he is different from us.
Lia Lee's parents immigrated to this country in the early 1980s from Laos. They were of the Hmong culture, a people who inhabited mountaintops and all they wanted was to be left alone. During the war they sided with the Americans. Their men joined the military some even becoming pilots. When the war was lost, they had to leave their country or die. They were promised a place in the US and eventually thousands immigrated to the US and other countries.
The cultures were so extremely different as the title suggests, A Hmong child, Her American Doctors and a collision of cultures. And this is Lia's story about epilepsy and the wrong treatment.
The author did years of research both of the culture, the people and their history and the medical treatment. This should be a must read for all medical personnel.
Lia Lee's parents immigrated to this country in the early 1980s from Laos. They were of the Hmong culture, a people who inhabited mountaintops and all they wanted was to be left alone. During the war they sided with the Americans. Their men joined the military some even becoming pilots. When the war was lost, they had to leave their country or die. They were promised a place in the US and eventually thousands immigrated to the US and other countries.
The cultures were so extremely different as the title suggests, A Hmong child, Her American Doctors and a collision of cultures. And this is Lia's story about epilepsy and the wrong treatment.
The author did years of research both of the culture, the people and their history and the medical treatment. This should be a must read for all medical personnel.
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Reading Progress
November 2, 2018
– Shelved
January 31, 2019
–
Started Reading
February 17, 2019
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Finished Reading
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Kathleen
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Feb 17, 2019 08:59PM
Great review, Phyllis.
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Great review Phyllis. I remember reading it years ago, as we had a small Hmong population that would occasionally become patients at our small local hospital. I was fascinated by their history and still remember that they, more than other cultures, retain their traditions.
Thanks Kathleen, Libby and Sharon.
Nice review Phyllis. It sounds like a sad and unfortunate tale.
