Original Publication Date: 1997
Ghostwriter? Yes, Suzanne Weyn
Synopsis:
A school health screening reveals that Abby and Anna have scoliosis. Abby's isn't severe enough to need treatment, likely because of athleticism. But Anna will need to wear a brace under her clothes for two to three years. Abby feels guilty for not needing treatment and is worried about Anna, and goes overboard trying to cheer up Anna. But she does things that she herself would enjoy, not what Anna would enjoy. It takes Anna calling out Abby for her to realize that treating Anna like an invalid isn't helping, it's making her feel worse. Once everything's out in the open, the sisters reconcile and Anna agrees to accept helpful help from Abby.
Subplot: the BSC shovels snow to raise money for a party to help them and their charges through the winter blahs. There's concern that it won't snow but just in time, it does.
Established or continued in this book:
The Girls (and Logan):
Claudia candy: Doritos under her covers
Abby theorizes that if she were to land on Mars she'd find some spore or something to be allergic to. That's pretty funny in light of recent scientific findings.
Anna thinks it makes sense for both her and Abby to have scoliosis, and I agree. What doesn't make sense is that Anna has zero allergies or respiratory issues while Abby has those in spades.
Having to move back a grade really does seem to have taught Claudia that's okay to ask for help. She has Stacey help her with spelling, unprompted.
Their Families:
The Pikes' dog is overweight.
The Club (and clients):
Abby didn't enjoy her time as BSC treasurer. However, she DID like being president.
SMS:
The school just randomly has a health check in the middle of the day, without indication that the parents have been notified. Especially strange since the scoliosis screening is done shirtless.
PSA Time: nothing stood out.
Misc:
This book used to belong to library in Kentucky. The stamp reads "Smiths Grove/North Warren Branch."
The numbers:
Starting 8th grade: 9
Halloweens in 8th grade: 6 (plus one in seventh)
Thanksgivings in 8th grade: 3
Winter holidays in 8th grade (that BSC members celebrate, not just reference): Christmas-3, Hanukkah-1, Kwanzaa-2
Valentine's Days in 8th grade: 3
Summers after 8th grade: 9
BSC Fights: 11
SMS Staff and Faculty: 60
Students (other than the BSC): 187: 118 8th graders (not including Amelia Freeman, who is deceased), 9 7th graders, 44 6th graders, 15 unspecified. Baby-sitters' Winter Vacation tells us that SMS has about 380 students.
Clients: 37 families
Types of candy in Claudia’s room: 123
Crushes:
Stacey-12
Claudia-9
Dawn-5
Jessi-3
Mallory-2
Mary Anne-2
Kristy-1
Abby-0
ER 15.15, The Family Man: Step Up
2 days ago
2 comments:
I wish I had this book to help me feel better when I was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 12 in 1997. It was suspected I had scoliosis during a health checkup I had to have before going on a two-week trip to a horse camp during Summer 1997. I sold 300 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to earn the trip (the most cookie boxes I ever sold as a Girl Scout :D). Eventually it was confirmed I had scoliosis and the treatment for it would start in the fall. After summer ended, I was casted for a brace and a month or so later, it was ready for pick up. I had to wear that thing for two years. I was allowed to take it off for two hours each day and it was preferable the time I took it off and the time I put it on were the same each day (ex: 7PM to 9PM). I hated not getting to swim in our pool at home as much as I wanted because I had two measly hours free from the brace per day and there were other activities I wanted to do free from the brace so I had to spend the two hours wisely. Also I hated how uncomfortable the brace was to sleep in. I remember breaking down in tears on Christmas that year because having to deal with the confinement of the brace spoiled what was suppose to be a fun and happy time and I was envious of everyone else fully enjoying the holiday without a cage squeezing them. When I didn't need the brace anymore, I sold it to a man for twenty dollars, he was a collector of arm/leg casts and body braces. Good riddance, torture chamber. I'm still struggling to recover from the large blow to my self esteem from those miserable two years.
Wow. Two years, and only two free hours a day. And trying to sleep in it; I can't imagine. I'm glad you were able to get twenty bucks out of the ordeal, at least.
Also, as a former Girl Scout myself, I'm impressed with 300 cookies! I don't remember any of my yearly totals, but I did make one sale of about 60+ boxes to a Navy ship that was about to go off to sea.
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