How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Since Foua cannot read and has never learned to recognize Arabic numerals, it is unlikely that she followed these instructions. (1.11)
Foua can't read numbers, let alone words. That doesn't make her dumb, but it does mean that it's going to be all but impossible to communicate with Lia's doctors. Cue the serious, life-threatening consequences of not being able to communicate.
Quote #2
Ten-year-old girls have had to translate discussion of whether or not a dying family member should be resuscitated. (3.11)
Can we get an "um, what?" up in here? That's kind of a lot of pressure to put on a fifth-grader. While most of their peers are playing Pokémon and discussing the finer points of kickball, these Hmong youngsters are forced come face-to-face with the deaths of loved ones.
Quote #3
After you die, why do American doctors try to open up your head and take out your brains? Do American doctor eat the livers, kidneys, and brains of Hmong patients? (4.1)
This is what happens when you have some struggles with communication. Instead of talking to their doctors about their concerns, the Hmong fall victim to paranoia and misinformation. To be honest, the same exact thing is probably happening within the hospitals too, with doctors spreading gossip and mocking Hmong culture simply because they don't understand it. Better than eating brains, but still, not the best way to run a hospital.