Take as Directed
- Lia spends a lot of time at MCMC. Although most of her seizures are minor, each one takes its toll on her brain.
- Most of the time, Lia is cared for by Neil Ernst and Peggy Philip, a married pair of doctors. How adorkable. Neil and Peggy are great doctors, but Nao Kao and Foua are not big fans of their seemingly cold and uncaring demeanor.
- Lia becomes a minor celebrity at MCMC. You know when Lia is there because you'll undoubtedly find her running "up and down the corridor in the pediatric unit, banging on doors" (5.14). Exactly what every hospital needs.
- Peggy and Neil prescribe a host of medications for Lia. But Nao Kao and Foua can't speak or read English (or trust Western medicine, for that matter), so they don't keep up with the regimen.
- Once this becomes clear, MCMC starts sending nurses to the Lees' home to monitor the medication schedule. No matter what they do, however, the Lees simply won't conform to their recommendations, even choosing to give Lia some pills and not others. Hey, they can't help it that some of them are just prettier colors.
- After Lia has "the most severe episode of status epilepticus" yet, Peggy and Neil notice signs of slowed mental activity for the first time (5.36). This is only going to get worse.
- Several years later, Neil and Peggy are still working on the case and little has changed. Nao Kao and Foua still refuse to follow their medication regimen and Lia is still having seizures. Guh.
- Then Neil learns that Foua is pregnant once again with her fifteenth child (although only eight are still alive) (!). Fed up, Neil contacts Child Protection Services and requests that Lia be placed into foster care. The State agrees.