The Spirit Catch And You Will Fall Analysis

“The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down” by Anna Fadiman tells the story of Lia Lee, a Hmong child with epilepsy, whose life could have been different if only her family was caught up in western medicine. This book reveals the tragic struggles between a doctor and patient because of lack of communication. When Lia was around three months old, her older sister Yer accidentally slammed a door and Lia had suddenly fallen into the floor. This is the first recorded time that Lia was experiencing an epileptic shock.

After doing this, the baby latched on beautifully. I encouraged the mother to try and feed baby on both sides and I will be back to assess how much the baby was able to take. When I came back to assess the baby’s feeding, the mother proudly told me that baby fed for 30 minutes on the left breast and 30 minutes on the right. Lastly, I assessed my last patient and her baby everything was normal and I was able to do some of my health promotion teachings

In Anne Fadiman’s book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, two cultures clash with each other in the struggle to save Lia Lee, a Hmong child refugee with severe epilepsy. Although Lee and her family live in the United States, and thus receive medical care from Westerners, her family believes that Lee’s condition is sacred and special. The following miscommunications, both culturally and lingually, between the American doctors and the Lee family leave Lia Lee in comatose at the end of the book. However, Lia Lee could have been saved if the Lee’s had a better understanding of the American doctors’ intentions, and the American doctors understood the Hmong culture. Essentially, the tragedy of Lia Lee can be attributed to the clash of American and Hmong cultures at both the surface and sub-surface level.

You said that on the afternoon of Wednesday, February 23, 1692 Mrs. Bridget Bishop was making a potion, and only witches make potions. What really happened,was the night before, her daughter fell ill, and Bridget was making soup to help her get better. These are my reasons for believing that Bridget Bishop is not a witch. There is no real proof that Bridget Bishop is a witch, and I have plenty of proof that Mrs. Bishop isn’t a witch.

Drug addiction is a consuming mental illness and it makes you lose sight of who and what is truly important in life, just as these two mothers did. Both these pieces of text are great examples of the theme Hopkins tried to convey through the book, the horrors that drug use can bring, how quickly your life can spiral out of control, and how even though you know in your mind that all of this hardship is brought on by these drugs you’ve gotten to a point where quitting seems impossible. The mother in Ohio, and Kristina are both representations of how drugs can incorrectly prioritize your whole

Becky was a 23-year-old girl who got diagnosed with a melanoma after she saw an irregular mole on the back of her leg. She said she started tanning at 17 with her mom and got a tan 2-3 times a week once she started college. She is now 27 and does not know whether or not her cancer will come back. Becky’s story is only one of many, so many people use tanning beds not knowing what they do to them or not caring. Parents encourage their kids to tan even if they know the consequences and no one is saying anything.

According to Labor Department statistics, “People of color are nearly twice as likely to be out of work as Caucasian Americans, even when they have the same degree” (Rassuli 1). Despite the number of immigrants coming to America in search of freedom and new opportunities, citizens see them as “outsiders” and “unwelcomed” (2). These immigrants come to America for a better life, chasing the “American Dream,” only to be “struck down” by American society (2). Imbolo Mbue explores these challenges that immigrants face and expands on the obstacles they have to overcome in her book Behold the Dreamers. Mbue’s characterization that highlights the contrast between Jende and Neni creates a sense of irony that reflects her theme of how the American Dream is not possible due to the obstacles that separate immigrants from American culture.

Fear of childbirth may be related to worry about labor pain, childbirth tears, doubt about ability to giving birth vaginally, lack of support, being lonely during labor, and fear of child death or mother’s own death [2, 3]. Studies indicated that women’s fear related to childbirth is multidimensional and can be categorized into domains including pain, obstetric injuries, loss of control, insufficient support and loss of the baby’s or their own life [2, 4]. These fears may cause complications such as experiencing severe labor pain [5], postpartum depression or anxiety, physical problems, and impaired mother-fetus attachment [6-8]. Anxiety and stress can increase the levels of catecholamine, which can

In 2006, Mrs. Young requested a leave of absence to perform a vitro fertilization procedure in an effort to become pregnant. This procedure was successful and Young became pregnant. During the early terms of her pregnancy, Young’s doctor instructed her not to lift over 20 pounds to prevent risk or harm to her and her unborn child. Following this advice, Young informed her company (UPS) of her medical situation and requested a lighter work duty. UPS declined her request, stating that it was the company’s policy to provide light-work duty only in three limited situations: for those employees that were injured on the job, had temporarily lost their federal certificate to drive a commercial vehicle, or had a condition that was covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Sybil’s multiple personality disorder was later discovered to be caused by a very troubled childhood when she had a flashback with her psychologist as she was overtaken by the personality of a toddler. Sybil’s flashback took her back to her schizophrenic mother who used to tie her with bondage, dip her in ice-water and perform penetration using buttonhooks( Lehman, 2014, p.69-70). This abuse caused Sybil to create 16 different personalities, each one representing something she fears, something she yearns to be, or something she wishes she was as a child. First personality was herself, then there was a French girl, an assertive and angry girl, an intellectual, a writer and painter, a male builder, a male carpenter, a politician, a baby, a religious fanatic and a teenager. Sybil’s

The topic of birth is an interesting one and is explicitly found in the book, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down. There was a vivid difference between the Hmong traditional practices and the way Lia was born. It is to each and every ones own opinion to think and have a take on the differing birth practices. I find them to be odd, and extremely unorthodox especially in modern times however going back less than a hundred years, talking to my great grandmother, that is the way people gave birth. At home, wherever they were, they would work until the day they gave birth and the had to take the baby out themselves, wash it and cut the cord.

Her mother also eventually breaks the news to Liz that she has HIV. The drugs drive a wedge in between her parents which leads them to separation. This seems to really affect Liz along with the new diagnosis of her mom. Liz begins skipping and failing school.

The greatest conflict in America is that it has had to learn how to accept the ethnic, racial, and religious diversity that the newcomers bring in while also trying to having its strong traditions (Burgon). The power of immigrants is gradually improving. The term aliens, given to immigrants when talking about laws and courts. These aliens can ideally become residents and then citizens of the U.S., which will then be able to challenge the constitution in the immigration policy (Cox). Becoming a citizens also provide the worry free lifestyle in immigration as no longer being affected by immigration laws as first having to work for the residency and then the citizenship.

EREPORT # 18988 stated the following: The incident happened recently, within the last several weeks. The Mother was (+) for barbiturates on her Urine Drug Screen (UDS) when delivering. The child tested positive at birth. However, the mother as a prescription for Fiorocet, a drug prescribed for migraines and tension headaches. The mother presented the bottle and it appeared to be a current prescription form her physician Krista Hodge:(601) 749-3776.

The Spirit Catches You and You Fall is a novel based on the clash of two cultures---the Hmong culture and the American culture. A little Hmong girl is diagnosed with epilepsy which her parents believe is caused by spirits. Because of this belief, they try to cure her illness not with western medication but their own Hmong ways. There is a huge misunderstanding between the parents and the doctors that Anne Fadiman explores. Anne Fadiman provides readers with a vivid, detailed history of the Hmong in Laos to their involvement in the Vietnam War to their struggles in America that explains this clash.