In the novel, The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, cross cultural medical communications are addressed through the story of a young, Hmong girl, Lia. Through her medical journey with epilepsy, the book shows how traditional boundaries and medical beliefs can clash and at times, bringing some negative outcomes to patients and their families. The novel introduces us to the Hmong culture, stressing their dire need to hold on to their culture so much that even some older traditions can make the Hmong people seem extremely stubborn, even when up against the science of the doctors working to save their daughter’s life. Traditional Hmong birthing traditions are both interesting and daunting to think about. Hmong birth practices encompass some
