Dao Nguyen finds confidence after surgery
When she first arrived in Spokane in 2006, Dao Nguyen couldn’t look people in the eye. Badly burned as an infant, Nguyen had spent nearly a quarter century being shunned by the people in her small Vietnamese village. Her left hand was a bulbous stump and her face so badly disfigured she couldn’t open her mouth more than a sliver. Three years later, Nguyen is back in Spokane for her first visit since plastic surgeon Dr. Frank Walchak and his wife brought her here for medical treatment.
Section:Gallery
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Phyical therapist Cheryl Jones implores Thu Dao Nguyen to extend the range of motion in Thu Dao Nguyen's elbow through repetitive exercise and hard work, during a session at the Northpoint Medical Building, July 17, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen is asked to rate the level of pain she is feeling during physical therapy session in north Spokane, July 17, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen listens to physical therapist Cheryl Jones outline some of the arm and elbow movements Dao must practice during a session July 17, 2006.
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Physical therapist Cheryl Jones measures the range of motion improvement in Thu Dao Nguyen's elbow, during a session July 17, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen gives a thank you hug and receives a congratulatory embrace from physical therapist Cheryl Jones, after a session on July 17, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen and Carolyn Walchak walk hand-in-hand after Dao's physical therapy session, July 17, 2006, in north Spokane.
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Thu Dao Nguyen is pleased to learn that she is being elevated to Level 3 in her ESL class from her instructor Petko Belchev on the final day of the quarter, Aug. 16, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen get the thumbs up from English instructor Petko Balchev as they review her work on an assignment at the Institute for Extended Learning Adult Education Center, July 25, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen works on an English language assignment at the Institute for Extended Learning Adult Education Center, July 25, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen embraces her ESL classmates and says goodbye on the last day of the quarter, Aug. 16, 2006. Dao was promoted from Level 1 to Level 3 for the next quarter.
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Thu Dao Nguyen receives a comforting touch from Carolyn Walchek as Darrell Liston of Schindler's explains to Dao how her new prosthesis will work, Aug. 8, 2016.
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Darrell Liston of Schindler's Orthotic and Prothetic Services checks the healing of Thu Dao Nguyen's stump as he prepares her for a fitting. The healing had not progressed enough to proceed with a casting of her arm Aug. 8, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen grimaces with pain as Darrell Liston of Schindler's places a sock over her arm as he prepares to makes a cast mold, Aug. 16, 2006.
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Carolyn Walchack and Thu Dao Nguyen wait in a patient's room at Shindler's for final measurements for her prosthetic hand, Aug. 30, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen takes a long look at hand glove, similar to one she will receive to cover over her new prosthetic hand. The color of the glove has been matched to Dao's skin.
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Thu Dao Nguyen watches Darrell Liston of Shindler's page through a book of prosthetic hands to located a match in size to her good hand, Aug. 30, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen has her right hand measured so a close match in dimensions can be made with her prosthetic hand.
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Darrell Liston of Shindler's use color swatches to match Thu Dao Nguyen's skin tones. Her new hand will have the matched color. Carolyn Walchack tries to warm a shivering Dao as the weather took a turn to the cooler side, Aug. 30, 2006.
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Dao Nguyen tries on her new prosthetic hand with the help of Darrell Liston of Shindler's, Nov. 21, 2006. She came to the United States in June 2006 and has changed her life for the past five months by taking English language and driving classes and embracing American culture.
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Dao Nguyen is comforted by Carolyn Walchak when she received her new hand, November, 21, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen receives a pedicure from Stephanie Nguyen (no relation) at Regal Nails in Northpointe Wal Mart, Aug. 30, 2006. Stephanie is also from Vietnam and was able to converse with Dao in their native language.
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Thu Dao Nguyen receives a pedicure from Stephanie Nguyen (not related) at Regal Nails in Northpointe Wal Mart, Aug. 30, 2006. Lorraine Myers, left, shuttled Dao for the appointment, and then to Dao's English class.
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Thu Dao Nguyen shows off her pedicure.
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Thu Dao Nguyen gives a hug of thanks to Stephanie Nguyen after receiving a pedicure at Stephanie's business, Regal Nails in Wal Mart at Northpointe. The two were able to converse in their native language of Vietnamese.
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Thu Dao Nguyen tries to decide between choosing the pink or tan boots while shopping at Target.
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Thu Dao Nguyen spends time each day studying her English lessons in an upstairs room at the Walchak home, Sept. 12, 2016.
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Thu Dao Nguyen spends time each day studying her English lessons in an upstairs room at the Walchak home. Sept. 12, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen sings a song in Vietnamese to Korel Krauth in the home of Frank and Carolyn Walchak. Dao often babysits Korel during the day.
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Thu Dao Nguyen visits the north Division Y McDonalds riding in Laura Krauth's yellow convertible, Sept, 12, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen visits a McDonalds at the north Division Y for lunch, Sept. 12, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen hoists Korel Krauth in her arms as they pay a visit to McDonalds at the north Division Y, Sept. 12, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen and Laura Krauth launch a happy meal spinning toy at McDonalds, Sept. 12, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen cruises up north Division in Laura Krauth's yellow convertible after a stop for lunch at McDonalds, Sept. 12, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen studies an English writing lesson that highlights words of items found in the kitchen in the office of Dr. Frank Walchak .
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Laura Krauth and Thu Dao Nguyen laugh about all the calls Dao has made on her cellphone. Dao cradles the phone in the crook of her arm, Sept. 12, 2006.
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Thu Dao Nguyen gets a swimming lesson from Laura Krauth in the backyard pool of Laura's parents, Frank and Carolyn Walchak. Dao was learning to float on her back.
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Dao Nguyen practices her swimming in the Walchak pool, July 23, 2009.
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Dao Nguyen is learning to swim in the Walchak pool, July 23, 2009.
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Dao Nguyen comforts Cassidy Walchak Sloan during a long wait at Waves Hair Studio July 23, 2009.
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Dao Nguyen loses a few inches of hair at Waves Hair Studio, July 23, 2009.
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Dao Nguyen checks out her new hair style she received at Waves Hair Studio in Spokane, Wa., July 23, 2009.
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Carolyn Walchak embraces Dao Nguyen after Dao recieved a new hairstyle from Waves Hair Studio, July 23, 2009.
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Dao Nguyen, along with Laura Krauth and her daughter Korel, visit Polka Dot Pottery, so Dao can make a gift for her "mother " Carolyn Walchak, July 24, 2009.
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Dao Nguyen and Korel Krauth visit Polka Dot Pottery to make a gift for Dao's "mother " Carolyn Walchak, July 24, 2009.
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Dao Nguyen show off the ceramic cross she painted for her "mother and father" Carolyn and Frank Walchak, July 24, 2009.
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Dao Nguyen visits Polka Dot Pottery to make a gift for her "mother " Carolyn Walchak, July 24, 2009. She paints "I Love You " on the back of a ceramic cross.
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Carolyn Walchak and Dao Nguyen have developed a mother daughter realtionship over the past few months.
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