The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down: A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures is a 1997 book by Anne Fadiman that chronicles the struggles of a Hmong refugee family from Houaysouy, Sainyabuli Province, Laos, the Lees, and their interactions with the health care system in Merced, California. In 2005 Robert Entenmann, of St. Olaf College wrote that the book is "certainly the most widely read book on the Hmong experience in America."On the most basic level, the book tells the story of the family's second youngest and favored daughter, Lia Lee, who was diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy named Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome and the culture conflict that obstructs her treatment.
Through miscommunications about medical dosages and parental refusal to give certain medicines due to mistrust, misunderstandings, and behavioral side effects, and the inability of the doctors to develop more empathy with the traditional Hmong lifestyle or try to learn more about the Hmong culture, Lia's condition worsens. The dichotomy between the Hmong's perceived spiritual factors and the Americans' perceived scientific factors comprises the overall theme of the book.
The book is written in a distinctive style, with every other chapter returning to Lia's story and the chapters in-between discussing broader themes of Hmong culture, customs, and history; American involvement in and responsibility for the war in Laos; and the many problems of immigration, especially assimilation and discrimination. While particularly sympathetic to the Hmong, Fadiman presents the situation from the perspectives of both the doctors and the family. An example of medical anthropology, the book has been cited by medical journals and lecturers as an argument for greater cultural competence, and often assigned to medical, pharmaceutic, and anthropological students in the US. In 1997, it won the National Book Critics Circle Award for General Nonfiction.
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Some of their strengths
Lia Lee has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Imaginative, Creative, Generous, Intuitive, Compassionate, Loyal, and Intense.
Intuitive and Imaginative
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Lia Lee is someone who is a highly intuitive, creative and imaginative person who is very loyal, caring and compassionate to others. A person who is known for being a good partner.
Soulful and Intuitive
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Lia Lee well know them as someone who can be graceful, romantic, and reserved, like gentle rain.
Optimistic and Frank
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Lia Lee as someone who is optimistic, principled, adventurous, and direct.
A person who isn't shy about expressing their opinions, loves competition, loves learning things themself, who is known for being inventive and original, and who loves being surrounded by friends and loved ones.
Social and Intuitive
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Lia Lee is someone who values forming deep friendships and relationships, and who has strong intuition and reasoning skills .
They are also someone who is balanced, stable, and energetic, who likes the idea of home and family, and who is very comfortable being the person in charge.
Traditional and Patient
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Lia Lee tends to be someone who is a patient person that is very emotional, has a very sharp memory, has an ability to understand people, and who tends to be traditional and frugal.
Some of Lia Lee's challenges
While Lia Lee has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Lia Lee can be Stubborn, Emotional, Standoffish, Suspicious, Pushy, Restless, and Worrying.
Emotional and Standoffish
One of Lia Lee's key challenges is that they are someone who can be emotional and standoffish.
Lia Lee must also exercise caution as they can be short-tempered and aggressive, and can be excessive and unrealistic.
Pushy and Restless
Lia Lee is someone who can be arrogant and bossy, who can have difficulty concentrating and focusing, be unable to separate emotions from business decisions, and who can engage in excessive spending in support of an expensive lifestyle and habits.
Sensitive and Money-oriented
Finally, Lia Lee also can have mood swings, be overly sensititive, and be a bit rigid and materialistic.
