BSC #43: Stacey's Emergency

Tagline: Stacey just can't win.

Lately, the pressure's really on Stacey. She hasn't been feeling well. Her schoolwork and baby-sitting jobs are almost out of control. And Stacey's tired of being in the middle of her parents' fights.

Then it happens: Stacey ends up in the hospital because of her diabetes.

The Baby-sitters are so worried. So is Stacey.

Why does she always have it so hard?

Stacey's baby-sitting for Charlotte, and reflecting on how things have been lately. Charlotte finds an article in the newspaper she's reading about diabetes, which prompts Stacey to think about how not only does she have diabetes, it seems to be worse than usual. She's been experiencing incredibly high readings when testing her blood sugar, plus she's been super hungry and thirsty all the time, as well as tired and getting sore throats. She hasn't mentioned anything to her parents yet though, because of how the divorce is going. Even though it's been months, and Stacey's gotten used to living in Stoneybrook with just her mom, things aren't getting any easier. Because Stacey hasn't been feeling well, she hasn't been seeing her father as often as he'd like. To make matters worse, Stacey feels like her parents are constantly putting her between them: they're always grilling her about the other parent's life.

Feeling bummed, Stacey goes to hang out with Claudia before the Club meeting. Everything goes well, and Stacey even lines up another job with Charlotte. However, she's hungry. Incredibly hungry. In a moment of weakness, when no one's looking, she sneaks one of Claudia's Ring Dings into her bag. That evening, her father calls her to remind her of their plans this weekend. Much to Stacey's dismay, every minute is scheduled, meaning she'll have no down time in the apartment to breathe and rest and do homework. He then asks about her mother, leaving Stacey to feel caught in the middle again. In her stress, she takes a chocolate bar out from her drawer and eats it.

Stacey is then baby-sitting for Charlotte again. Charlotte wants to make fudge, and asks if she can invite Becca over. Stacey really doesn't want to be tortured by the chocolate, but agrees. The girls have a grand time, and make a huge mess. While they go to watch TV, Stacey stays behind in the kitchen to help clean up. She guiltily sneaks a few pieces of fudge into her purse.

That night, Stacey eats the fudge. She also admits to having eaten another chocolate bar that day in school. She's tired and thirsty and can't focus on her homework. Suddenly, she remembers that she needs to pack for her visit with her father. As she's packing, her father calls and has another argument with her mother. Exhausted, Stacey gives up and goes to bed.

It's time for Stacey to head to New York, which is the last thing she wants to do. She's tired, she's stressed and she's falling further behind in school than ever. Her mom notices that she looks a little pale, and Stacey vows to rest on the train ride and get some homework done. However, she ends up falling asleep and doesn't wake up until halfway to New York. Upon waking, Stacey finds that she's incredibly thirsty. She ends up spending the rest of the train ride getting water and going to the bathroom. Upon arrival in New York, her dad can tell that something's wrong, and actually takes Stacey seriously when she asks for dinner at home. They end up having a nice relaxing evening in, getting a chance to actually talk and connect, which Stacey enjoys a lot. Unfortunately,by 9pm she's completely exhausted and goes to bed.

All night long, Stacey again keeps getting up for water and the bathroom. Her father is now completely worried and suggests that she test her blood sugar at that moment. Stacey, still exhausted, asks if it can wait til morning. When the morning comes though, her father doesn't hesitate: it's time to go to the hospital.

Stacey's admitted, and the doctors aren't too sure what's going on with her diabetes, so it's decided that she'll stay awhile in the hospital. Her mom immediately takes a train to New York and stays with the Cummings to be closer to Stacey. Stacey is aghast, as her parents can't stand to be in the same room for more than a few minutes. The moment one of them shows up, the other one immediately leaves. Finally Stacey asks for some time alone. She's about to start thinking about her parents and her situation, when she starts spiraling down into a pit of despair over hospitals and her diabetes. Just when she's almost too far gone, Laine shows up for a visit! Laine brings with her a few trinkets and news from Claudia and the girls to cheer Stacey up.

Stacey spends several days in the hospital. At her parents' suggestion, she tries to set up a routine for herself, so as to not go crazy. She wakes up, gets dressed and attempts homework. Of course, there's all sorts of interruptions from her parents visiting and doctors and nurses checking up on her. On Wednesday, just before the Club meeting, she gets a phone call from Claudia and everyone. Upon hanging up, she gets a care package from Charlotte. It cheers her up, and she decides to call Charlotte. Everything seems to be okay.

Friday though, Stacey has a setback. Although she was more-or-less fine all week, she wakes up to find she has zero energy again. A nurse looks at her, and Stacey almost immediately falls back to sleep. When she wakes up, her mom is there, and the doctors run a bunch of tests. Stacey confronts her mom about her father not visiting more during the day, and her mother confesses that the two of them agreed that they couldn't be in the same room together and that her mother would visit during the day and that her father would visit in the evening. This upsets Stacey, but she decides not to push it. Laine comes to visit with more treats, and after awhile Stacey starts to feel better emotionally. However, before going to sleep, her doctor comes to inform her that they're going to start her on a new treatment. It scares Stacey, and she starts to cry.

The next morning, Stacey wakes up and is surprised to find the entire Club there visiting her. She's really happy to see them, and everyone fills her in on what she's missed at school that week. Stacey's really not feeling well though, and as she's opening up the card they brought her, her room is suddenly flooded with doctors and nurses. Her blood sugar is dropping and they need to try something new. The girls are ushered out of the room, and Stacey is frightened. They start her on a new treatment though, and by the evening Stacey feels much better. Unfortunately, her friends are already gone. Her mom's visiting though, and since Stacey has all sorts of questions, she loses track of time, and the next thing they know, her father has shown up.

Stacey asks them if they could just please stay in the room at the same time for a little bit. They do so by essentially ignoring each other and speaking exclusively to Stacey. This goes well for about 10 minutes before they start sniping at each other. Finally, Stacey loses it, yells at them, and tells them not to come back for a while, because she needs time to think. Upset, Stacey decides that the best thing for her is her friends, so she calls Claudia to see if she and the girls could come back the next for their visit. They do, and Stacey opens up all the presents they brought for her. She has a great day, and forgets all about her troubles with her parents.

Finally, it's time for Stacey to go home. When she gets there, she's still super tired, but is able to visit with Claudia. After awhile, she finally confronts her mom. She tells her mom that she's tired of being put in the middle of her parents, and that she won't report back on them to each other anymore. Stacey's mom apologizes for having put Stacey through it all. Stacey then admits that she'd been cheating on her diet, and that she feels guilty. Stacey and her mother talk things out, and vow to make things better in the future.

There's really no subplot in this one. Charlotte's super-worried about Stacey being sick, and becomes a hypochondriac because of it. Mostly, she just wants to be sick like Stacey, and go to the hospital with Stacey and know that Stacey is alright. When it's discovered that Stacey will come back, Charlotte's ecstatic and decides to throw a small welcome party for her.

Random Thoughts

• For some reason, this has become one of my favourites. I don't remember having too too much of an opinion of it from when I was younger, but I have to admit: I've re-read it at least 3 times already this year. I just keep finding myself picking it up from my shelves and skimming it. I've definitely been looking forward to blogging about it. I think it's because it's one of the books that centers around more serious things.
• This book always makes me want fudge. God piss haha
• I worked on this entry over a few different evenings, and every single time, I was reminded that I wanted fudge again haha
• I don't have any personal experience in divorce, having never been married and my parents are still together, but I know it's not easy. It's like a really bad break-up, only worse, because there are kids and legal things involved. Anyways. I feel really bad for Stacey when her parents not only put her in the middle, but can't even be in the same room together. DUDE, YOUR KID IS IN THE HOSPITAL. Can't you talk about the weather and maybe a movie you saw or a TV show you watched or something superficial? Just so you can be in the same room together for a few minutes? I dunno. Like I said, I know nothing of divorce.
• How close is Mrs McGill to the Cummings? We always hear about Laine from Stacey, but I still find it weird that their families are really close, despite all the drama of the diabetes, the move, the re-move and then the divorce.
• Where the fuck do the girls get the money to do TWO round trips to New York?? It takes me a good deal of planning just to afford one two-hour trip. I'm sure their parents helped pay for the first one (on account of their friend being in the hospital), but I can't believe they were able to do it a second time. Is it really not that big of a deal? I had lots of friends who had problems affording trains/busses home during university for the holidays, so they would usually skip Thanksgiving and wait until Christmas.
• Damn, it's a good thing Stacey has done the 8th grade so many times. At the start of the book, we know that Stacey has already fallen behind in her school work. Then she misses two weeks of school from being in the hospital in New York. Upon her return, she has to wait another week before she can go back to school. 3 weeks is a lot to catch up on. I know her teachers will make special circumstances for her, extend deadlines or even omit assignments altogether, but damn.