What did Lia do when she seemed to know a seizure was coming?
Foua and Nao Kao knew when a seizure was coming on, because Lia knew. The aura, a sense of premonition common to all epileptics, could be seen in Lia in a strange, scared expression, and they would pick her up and gently lay her down on a mattress in the living room, placed there just for that purpose.
What is the issue with Lia Lee explain it as a disease and explain it as an illness?
In 1986, when Lia was 4, she suffered a grand mal seizure that lasted nearly two hours before doctors were able to bring it under control. At some point, amid the many procedures her condition required that day, an infection set in. She went into septic shock, and her organs began to fail.
When was Lia Lee diagnosed with epilepsy?
When she was 3 months old, she had her first seizure. American doctors eventually diagnosed epilepsy. Her mother, Foua Yang, and her father, Nao Kao Lee, called it qaug dab peg (pronounced “kow da pay”).
What do the Lees believe is the cause of the seizures Lia suffers from?
Lia's own family believed her seizures were caused by her soul leaving her body, which could be returned to her via animal sacrifice. Throughout the book, we see Lia's Hmong family constantly questioning the doctor's intention as the doctors uselessly battle against the family's inability to carry out instructions.
Did Lia Lee have epilepsy?
Ms. Lee — who in July celebrated her 30th birthday in that bed, surrounded by her mother, brother, seven sisters and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins — died Aug. 31 after a lifelong battle against epilepsy, cerebral palsy, pneumonia and sepsis, a toxic reaction to constant infection.
How did the Lees View Lia's epilepsy?
How did the Lees view Lia's epilepsy? They were concerned for her health but also proud, as epileptics are often chosen to be shamans and can see things others cannot.
Why did the doctors at MCMC fail to correctly diagnose Lia with epilepsy at first?
Why did the doctors at MCMC fail to correctly diagnose Lia with epilepsy at first? Lia's seizures had stopped by the time she got to the hospital, and there was no interpreter to explain what had happened.
What is the illness disease and sickness experienced by Lia as described in The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down?
Beginning in infancy, Lia experiences severe seizures due to Lennox–Gastaut syndrome, a rare form of epilepsy. Anne Fadiman: author and narrator of The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, writing about her experience with Lia and her family.
What is the point of the TXIV Neeb ceremony described in Chapter 19?
The txiv neeb sacrifices a chicken on Lia's behalf before bringing in her pig. The txiv neeb ties a cord from Lia to the pig, as before, and gives the pig his spirit money before he kills it. He places some "blood of the pig" on Lia's back (19.32). Foua brings Lia into the bedroom for the next part of the ritual.
How does Hmong view epilepsy?
But for traditional Hmong who have retained their animistic beliefs, epilepsy (qaug dab peg, literally translated as "the spirit catches you and you fall down," which became the title of my book) is caused by a malevolent spirit called a dab, who captures someone's soul and makes him or her sick.
How do the Hmong think about seizures?
The Hmong name of epilepsy is qaug dab peg, which translates to "the spirit catches you and you fall down*" illuminates the Hmong belief that those who are epileptic are gifted with the ability to enter the spirit realm.
Who is the only one to ask what the Lees are doing to heal Lia?
Jeanine Hilt was the only one who ever asked the Lees how they were treating Lia's developmental delays. She had secured them their disability money and so was held in high esteem.