Over the next two years Lia Lee had over 10 hospital admissions for seizures. On April 30, 1985, four days after her eleventh hospital admission, the visiting nurse went to the family's home to monitor Lia's treatment. On that day, unbeknownst to Lia's parents, her pediatrician wrote to the state to request that Lia be placed in the custody of the court.
Lia was placed in foster care, during which time the Lees visited her and formed close ties with Lia's foster parents. During a visit, the Lees had Lia treated by a shaman and employed other traditional healing techniques, such as coin-rubbing on her body.
Lia was returned to the Lees on April 4, 1986. Within days of Lia's return, the Lees felt that she had been returned in a damaged condition. Lia's developmental deficits were worsening.
The Lees continued to be troubled by the use of medications in Lia's treatment. According to Nao Kao, "The doctors can fix sicknesses that involve the body and blood, but for us Hmong, some people get sick because of their soul, so they need spiritual things. With Lia, it was good to do a little medicine and a little neeb [healing spirit], but not too much medicine because medicine cuts the neeb's effect. If we did a little of each she didn't get sick as much, but the doctors wouldn't let us give just a little medicine, because they didn't understand as much about the soul."
Anonymous provider
I look at patients holistically and acknowledge the fact that developing a treatment plan requires incorporating complementary interventions based on cultural practices and beliefs. I have learned, especially in working with the elderly, how much family can help with the compliance issue. |
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