Imran

The author walks us through his experience with prostate cancer by describing his surgeries and the resultant painful and humiliating side effects. Anyone who has been touched by prostate cancer can relate to his story.

This account is a cross-cultural exploration of the Hmong population, originally from Laos, but now living in Merced County, California. It follows the case of Lia, a Hmong child with a progressive and unpredictable form of epilepsy, and maps out conflicts between Western medicine and holistic healing traditions of Hmong immigrants. Unable to enter the Laotian forest to find herbs that will “fix her spirit,” Lia’s family uses the Merced County emergency system, which has little understanding of Hmong animist traditions. The book holds lessons for caregivers on understanding and appreciating cultures different from the mainstream.

These stories capture the medical and emotional aspects of being a patient, and offer powerful messages about the essential ingredients of “good” health care: respect, compassion, collaboration, open and honest communication, family involvement, and flexibility and responsiveness to individuals and their needs.