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http://www.bibliostar.tv/2012/09/16/best-of-book-video-sept-16-2012-anne-fadiman-on-the-late-lia-lee-and-the-spirit-catches-you-and-you-fall-down/
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down
In The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Lia Lee is diagnosed with Epilepsy. Epilepsy is a neurological disorder which is marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain (Epilepsy, 2014). Lia Lee along with her parents Foua and Nao Kao Lee are part of the Hmong group. This culture is one that is very different than any in the Untied States. In the Hmong culture, Epilepsy is seen knowns as "qaug dab peg" meaning, "the spirit catches you and you fall down." The Hmong believe that when one experiences the seizures that come with Epilepsy, they have the power to see what others cannot see in this life. They believe that these people experience powerful surges of creativity and spiritual passion when waking from these episodes (Fadiman, 1997).
The Hmong believe in Shamanism, a form of healing in which the healer focuses on the body as a whole and not just the area that is impaired. It incorporates all aspects of a human including physical, social and psychological needs, providing spiritual healing. They use natural and home remedies of all different forms, while looking for a Shaman who is somewhat a professional in using these remedies and rituals for healing. The book discusses the two major cultures, one being the Hmong and the other being the American. It explains the struggles that The Lee's faced with bringing Lia to the hospital numerous times for her Epilepsy. As we know, the Hmong cultural beliefs are very different from the American cultural beliefs. the Hmong believe that doctors in hospitals, or doctors in general are there to perform studies on their patients and are not actually helping them. They believe in a "neeb" as well as a "dab". Neeb is a healing spirit, while a dab is an evil spirit (Fadiman, 1997).
The Lee's believe that using little medications and the neeb will provide the best outcome sin treating Lia with her illness. When the doctors were giving her a lot of medication, they believed that it was bringing her closer to the dab (Fadiman, 1997). Throughout the doctors orders for medications, the Lee's did not listen to them and chose to give Lia little medication if any at all, because they thought that their way of treating Lia was not helping her, but harming her soul. While the doctor explained her diagnosis and treatment plan, they believed that the Lee's fully understood what they were dealing with and how to administer the medication and help her get through this process but they did not. This is where the language barriers came into play. At many of the hospitals, mainly the first one, the Lee's nodded their heads as though they understood although they did not, and what little they did understand they did not agree with the treatment plan at hand because of their cultural beliefs (Fadiman, 1997). Due to the fact that Lia's parents took her treatment plan into their own hands, and did not listen to the doctors and follow orders, Lia was taken into custody from her parents although they portrayed that they were fit parents and loved Lia very much. They eventually got Lia back when others saw that they were good parents to her.
Lia lived until age thirty, dying in 2012, where she spent most of her time living in a vegetative state. This book portrays the tragedy that can come from language and cultural barriers from health care provider to patient and their families. It shows that there needs to be a better understanding of different cultures and societies in the world (Fadiman, 1997). I believe that in part, applied and critical medical anthropology was used in Lias case but also a very strikingly aspect was not portrayed in this case. The Lees did not listen to the doctors and the doctors did not make sure that the Lees understood what they were saying in their directions and diagnosis of Lia. I think that throughout the book there were various and countless language barriers that the hospital did not address and there should have been some sort of understanding between doctor, patient and patients family which was clearly lacking throughout Lias whole process from one hospital to another.
The Hmong believe in Shamanism, a form of healing in which the healer focuses on the body as a whole and not just the area that is impaired. It incorporates all aspects of a human including physical, social and psychological needs, providing spiritual healing. They use natural and home remedies of all different forms, while looking for a Shaman who is somewhat a professional in using these remedies and rituals for healing. The book discusses the two major cultures, one being the Hmong and the other being the American. It explains the struggles that The Lee's faced with bringing Lia to the hospital numerous times for her Epilepsy. As we know, the Hmong cultural beliefs are very different from the American cultural beliefs. the Hmong believe that doctors in hospitals, or doctors in general are there to perform studies on their patients and are not actually helping them. They believe in a "neeb" as well as a "dab". Neeb is a healing spirit, while a dab is an evil spirit (Fadiman, 1997).
The Lee's believe that using little medications and the neeb will provide the best outcome sin treating Lia with her illness. When the doctors were giving her a lot of medication, they believed that it was bringing her closer to the dab (Fadiman, 1997). Throughout the doctors orders for medications, the Lee's did not listen to them and chose to give Lia little medication if any at all, because they thought that their way of treating Lia was not helping her, but harming her soul. While the doctor explained her diagnosis and treatment plan, they believed that the Lee's fully understood what they were dealing with and how to administer the medication and help her get through this process but they did not. This is where the language barriers came into play. At many of the hospitals, mainly the first one, the Lee's nodded their heads as though they understood although they did not, and what little they did understand they did not agree with the treatment plan at hand because of their cultural beliefs (Fadiman, 1997). Due to the fact that Lia's parents took her treatment plan into their own hands, and did not listen to the doctors and follow orders, Lia was taken into custody from her parents although they portrayed that they were fit parents and loved Lia very much. They eventually got Lia back when others saw that they were good parents to her.
Lia lived until age thirty, dying in 2012, where she spent most of her time living in a vegetative state. This book portrays the tragedy that can come from language and cultural barriers from health care provider to patient and their families. It shows that there needs to be a better understanding of different cultures and societies in the world (Fadiman, 1997). I believe that in part, applied and critical medical anthropology was used in Lias case but also a very strikingly aspect was not portrayed in this case. The Lees did not listen to the doctors and the doctors did not make sure that the Lees understood what they were saying in their directions and diagnosis of Lia. I think that throughout the book there were various and countless language barriers that the hospital did not address and there should have been some sort of understanding between doctor, patient and patients family which was clearly lacking throughout Lias whole process from one hospital to another.