Book Club read

Monday 13 May
This was the book we were discussing at Book Club this afternoon, at Jamie’s house. I have to admit, I had not finished the book at this point -:it’s quite long and detailed, and didn’t lend itself to holiday reading while we were in Madeira! The book, written in 1997, tells the story of Lia Lee, daughter of Hmong refugees in Merced California. The Hmong people migrated from southern China in the 19th century to the mountainous areas of Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. During the Vietnam war, the Hmong worked with the American CIA in the “secret war” in Laos and therefore were forced to flee after the victory of the communists. The greatest communities of them are found in California, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
They are a close-knit and fiercely independent people, adhering steadfastly too the rituals and beliefs of their ancestors. Lia Lee first presents at Merced hospital with seizures at age 3 months. She is ultimately diagnosed with a severe form of epilepsy named Lennox Gastaut Syndrome. Through language barriers, miscommunication 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 and understanding of the traditional Hmong lifestyle, Lia’s condition worsens over time. After a particularly severe attack when she is about 4 1/2, she is left in a permanent vegetative state, and the hospital release her to the family, expecting her to die, but under her parents doting care, she survives to the age of 30.
The book certainly led to a lot of discussion, and whilst things have obviously improved a lot since it was written with, amongst other things easier and more widespread access to interpreters, it still has a lot of validity today, and apparently is used as recommended or compulsory reading at a number of medical schools around the US.
I have posted three back blips this evening, feel free to scroll back if you have time!