Lia LeeLia was born to Foua Yang and Nao Kao. She was the fourteenth child and definitely their favorite. Lia was their favorite because she was diagnosed with epilepsy and they believed that her epilepsy made her special . They also believed that her epilepsy would allow her to become a shaman. Lia had many seizures which lead to mental retardation and social issues. The doctors and Lia's parents had many disputes about how Lia's disease should be handled. As a result Lia was soon taken from her parents and put in foster care for about 10 months to ensure that Lia was getting the right care and medications that are needed to rid of her disease. She later lost brain function and was in her vegetative state. Her parents continued to care for her for the next 25 years.
-Lia was a fat baby that has black, silky hair. She grew up and became skinnier and she has brown eyes Neil Ernst and Peggy PhilipA married couple that had two children and were pediatricians on the family practice residency program at MCMC. They were very dedicated to helping Lia to the best of their ability. They couldn't fully help the Lee's because they knew little about Hmong culture and beliefs. They wanted what was best for Lia just like everyone else. As a result of the parents non-compliance Neil sent Lia to a foster home, which ended up being about the same care as when Lia was at home.
-They are both athletic, tall, good-looking people who had similar conditions of idealism and workaholism Roger FifeRoger was favored by most Hmong because he never performed surgeries and when a women asked for their babies placentas' he gave it to them in plastic bags. They also liked him because he let the Hmong practice their own rituals.
-Roger had a very high self esteem and he was very laid back when it came to the Hmong, letting them do what they like. Dee and Tom KordaThese were Lia's foster parents during the year she was taken away from her parents. They took care of Lia well by giving her love, affection, and the medications to make her better. They had met Nao Kao and Foua Yang and they became good friends. They visited often and every time they visited the Korda's learned something new about Hmong culture. They more Lia's parents came the more Dee and Tome realized that Lia should have never been placed under foster care. Lia was eventually returned to her parents, but Dee still managed to stay in touch.
-Dee and Tom Korda are two loving parents that take in disabled kids. May Ying XiongMay Ying was 20 years old and she worked at Merced County Office of Refugee Services. She began working for Anne Fadiman as a cultural broker, basically her job was to teach her how to deal with the Hmong and she served as an interpreter. Her husband was part of the Lee clan, which got Fadiman closer to conduct her research.
-Helpful woman doing everything she can to help Fadiman. Dave SchneiderHe was a doctor at MCMC. He was on duty when Lia had come back from Valley Children's Hospital. He was also on duty when Nao Kao took his daughter and tried to flee the building.
-Exhausted man tired of dealing with cultural differences with the Hmong. Dang MouaDang Moua used to live in Virginia working 18 hours a day at very low pay. He never gave up though. He was the first Hmong to go to Merced, California. He went there for two main reasons: He heard that General Vang Pao was thinking about buying a fruit ranch farm near Merced and because he liked that there were many different ethic groups around this area. Many people did not like him in Merced because he was the reason that all the Hmong are here. Eventually established his own company, which is an interpreting and liaison business.
-Smart, patient and a leader. Martin KilgoreA nurse that usually made house calls to Lia when she was in her vegetative state. He was another person that had disagreed with Neil's choice of putting Lia under foster care. He tried to help Lia's parents a lot by giving them advice such as: putting Metamucil in prune juice (prune juice because it can "unplug anything") and using a watch to take Lia's pulse, although the Lee's didn't have a watch.
-Smart, nice, patient,caring man doing everything he can to help the Lee's take care of Lia the best they can. Dwight ConquergoodConquergood worked at a refugee camp in Thailand. He was also the first to succeed at an environmental health program. He stated that is was because he lived among the Hmong, learned their culture, and took their cultural beliefs in to account.
-Smart man that was a big help to Fadiman's research on the Hmong. |
Foua Yang and Nao Kao LeeThese are Lia's parents. They were form Laos, but had to immigrate to Thailand in 1979. A year or so later the immigrated to the United States as refugees. They had fifteen children, but only eight survived. Their was no doubt that Lia was their favorite child. The believed that Lia's illness, epilepsy, had to do with spiritual things and could only be cured by spiritual treatments. As a result of the Hmong beliefs it caused much tension between the doctors and Nao Kao and Foua Yang. Their issues continued because of the lack of communication. Nao Kao and Foua Yang refused to learn English and to adapt the "American way". They would continue to take care of Lia for the rest of her life.
-Foua was an independent woman who likes to sew. I assume she has brown eyes and black hair like her daughter. -Nao is not a talkative person, but he is high tempered. Dan MurphyThe only family practice resident that was fascinated and knew a lot about Hmong people. Dan was the first doctor to note that the patient, Lia, had epilepsy. He had issues the first two time diagnosing Lia because the parents didn't speak English and the seizures had already stopped.
-Caring, smart man that dealt with the Lee's quite well. Sue XiongSue was the interpreter on duty when Lia was being taken away from her parents by Child Protective Services. She was Hmong, but she did not follow the traditions that all the other Hmong follow. She had married an American man. Nao Kao had must hatred against her because she had recommended that Lia stay under foster care. He got very mad and almost hit her with a baseball bat, but if he were to do that he would have lost Lia forever.
-Rude, interracial woman that didn't care for the Lee's. Vang PaoVang Pao was the leader of the Hmong forces in Laos. He was a great leader. When the war was over he helped orphans and widows get back on their feet. He was a big reason why many Hmong moved to Merced, along with Dang Moua.
-Leader, Caring man that helped the Hmong come to safety, Arthur KleinmanDeveloper of the eight questions used to tell what is the matter with someone. He also gave advice to doctors about the Hmong people.
-Smart man only trying to help the MCMC doctors. |
Jeanine HiltJeanie Hilt was a Child Protective Services caseworker. She was on Lia's case when she was admitted into foster care. When Lia was in foster care Jeanie did all she could to help Nao Kao and Foua Yang understand how to properly care for Lia. If she wasn't there to help Nao and Foua could have lost Lia forever. Jeanie became close with the family, learning about what the parents had thought Lia's illness was caused by and how they wanted to treat it. Unfortunately Jeanie suffered form an asthma attack that also left her brain dead, and she passed away a few days later.
-Jeanine Hilt was a caring, loving, and sweet person towards Lia and her parents. Bill SelvidgeA former chief resident at MCMC. He told Anne Fadiman about the Hmong child in Merced. He studied the Hmong people because he wanted to learn about his patients history. He observed that the Hmong are just average people but can sometimes be difficult when it comes to medical procedures.
-Good friend, helpful and very smart man that helped Fadiman with her research. Terry HutchinsonHutchinson was Lia's neurologist at Valley Children's Hospital in Fresno. Lia was sent there because it was a children's hospital and it was better equipped for what Lia needed. Hutchinson had different beliefs than the doctors at MCMC. He believed that Lia's parents had nothing to do with her last seizure. He thought it was septic shock all along. He also had given thought to Lia's parents idea of it being because of to much medicine. He thought that they may be right.
-Intelligent man that figured out why Lia is this way. May LeeMay was Lia's older sister. She was one of the first Lee's to learn English. She ended up interpreting for her family most of the time. She also interpreted for Jeanine Hilt.
-Very helpful, smart girl that has black hair and brown eyes. She was the most Americanized. Blia Yao MouaBlia was the one who taught Anne Fadiman about the Hmong people. He arranged for Fadiman to talk to Nao Kao and Foua Yang Lee. He was also there to answer any questions Fadiman may have about the Hmong people.
-Helpful man to Fadiman Sukey WalkerSukey Walker was the most trusted American amongst all the Hmong people in Merced. She helped Fadiman earn five leaders trust. She also helped Fadiman with talking to the Hmong.
-Caring women that looked out for her friends and was nice to the Hmong. |