Kissing Doorknobs – Flashcards
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What was the first indication that Tara had OCD? How old was she?
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Counting cracks; 11 years old
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Why did thw actual rhyme bither her?
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She was worried about hurting her mom
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How did Tara deal with the rhyme?
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Repitition; counting cracks
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How did Tara react if someone talked to her or stopped her while she was counting?
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She had to go home and restart
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Why was she late to school so often?
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She had to start recounting cracks from home if interrupted
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When Richard and Kevin, her classmates, saw her having to stop and talk to her neighbor, she began to cry. Why did the crying upset her?
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The tears were uneven
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Describe Tara's nightmare
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There is a giant monster and all her friends run, but she can't
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What skin disorder did she have and how did her mother try to keep her from further aggravating it?
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Eczema; she wore kneesocks on her arms and legs
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What did Tara do when she had the nightmare and how did her parents react?
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She made her mom say "it was only a bad dream" perfectly; parents were mostly patient
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Who were her 3 friends?
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Kristin, Keesha, Anna
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Why was starting Kindergarten difficult for Tara?
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She was separated from her mom and the drills made her nervous
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What did Tara begin to obsess about in kindegarten?
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What could happen to her family; original sin; baptized babies/fetuses; Catholicism
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Because her parents were of different faiths, how did she get her Catholic instruction?
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Weekly catechism lessons
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Why was she 'proafterlife'?
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She wanted all souls to go to heaven
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Describe Tara's confession experiences
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Confessed everything, was very detailed, took a long time
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Why was Tara thrown off the volleyball team?
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She counted the number of times the ball hit the floor, got distracted, and didn't hit the ball
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Describe Tara's OCD regarding her schoolwork
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her handwriting had to be perfect, so she couldn't finish her work in time
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Why did Tara's teacher think she had ADD?
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She drew families together in class and didn't seem to pay attention
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Tara promised her mom she wouldn't draw pictures anymore in class. What did she do instead?
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Collected and talked to troll dolls
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why did she tell her teacher that her troll dolls were on drugs?
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They were talking about drug abuse in class
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Describe Tara's reaction/behavior after her mom told her she had smoked marijuana
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She prayed for her mom and watched her to make sure she wasn't doing/taking any drugs
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Why did Tara stop hanging around her friends?
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She didn't want them to know about or distract her from counting cracks
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How did her friends react to her at lunch when she told them she had a counting problem?
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confusion; didn't take her seriously or understand
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Why was there tension between she and her mom?
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Tara was lying about why she had to go home and recount; mom was worried about Tara taking drugs
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What was Keesha's name for Tara?
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Count Taracula
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What was Tara's impure thought?
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Keesha is an *******
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How did she react to her impure thoughts?
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ran to confession
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How did Tara go about 'saving souls'?
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prayed for them
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How did her mother react to all of her praying and crossing herself?
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hostility
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Describe her conversation with Greta when she was sent to her room
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asked Greta if she was nuts
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What was the diagnosis given to her by the psychiatrist?
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insecurities and self-esteem problems
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Even though she had a rather normal summer with her friends, why did she always arrange to meet them, rather than go along with them?
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she was free to count alone
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Why did Greta become her hero with the obnoxious girl?
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punched her in the stomach
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Why was Paulo a problem and how to Greta react?
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he assaulted/molested Tara, so Greta attacked him
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What happened to Paulo and Greta after that?
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Paulo transferred to a new school and became a ballerina Greta got suspended and became popular
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Because Tara's parents argued so much about her, they started looking for reasons to stay away from home. Discuss how they did this.
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Mom-got a new part-time job Dad-worked for American Legion
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How did Tara react to her parents being at the American Legion so much?
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hated the legion; always nervous about her parents she would: call her parents, pray to Virgin Mary 5 times, stand directly in front of the clock, turn the doorknob with equal pressure on all ten fingers, stand in the middle of the road, and repeat
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How did her parents find out about her ritual? What did they do?
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Phone call from a neighbor; sent her to another psychiatrist
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What was the diagnosis given to her by the next doctor she saw?
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ADD and immaturity
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By 7th grade, what kind of relationship did Tara have with her friends?
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they ignored her
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Why was the snow such an issue with Tara that winter?
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the snow covered the cracks
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Discuss the conversation between Keesha and Tara
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argument about Tara's counting; crying and semi-friendship formed
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What happened to Tara's dad and how did Tara react to it?
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dad had a heart attack; Tara prayed for dad
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How did Tara's behavior affect the amount of cursing in the house?
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increase of cursing
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Discuss what happened when Tara's mom cursed in front of her?
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immediate praying; punishment for Tara
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How did her father define PMS?
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Periodically Mean Syndrome
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Discuss what happened at the St. Francis of Rome Carnival?
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Tara prayed on a ride, her mom yelled at her after
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What new fears did Tara develop?
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dark, wind, being alone, sound of trucks
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Describe Donna
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"bad girl"
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How did Tara react to Donna's behavior and cursing?
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She didn't pray
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What nickname did Donna have for Tara and why?
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Twinkie-Tara "looks blonde, packaged, and spongy"
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Discuss the reprimand about not smoking and how Donna reacted to it
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T-"why are you smoking after the Holy Communion?" D-"it's not a commandment that I shouldn't"
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Discuss the summer with Donna
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the summer was almost normal; Tara was always at Donna's house
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How did her friendship with Donna that summer affect her OCD issues?
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issues decreased
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Why was Tara 'not worried about having sex' with a boy?
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she didn't like the germs
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How did Keesha and Anna react to Tara's friendship with Donna?
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they were angry and jealous
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Discuss the shoplifting episode
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Tara was pressured by Donna to steal, but felt guilty and returned it
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Discuss her obsessive thought and compulsions that occurred at the school play
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stage fright-would look left and right; didn't say her line
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How did her mother react?
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applauded enthusiastically
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Why did Tara freak out prior to the Christmas dinner?
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everyone was sitting in the wrong spot
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Why did Tara say Greta was like a warrior angel?
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she protects Tara
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Discuss Tara's reaction to the number of snow angels?
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odd number-ran outside to make it even
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Discuss Tara's new ritual with the doorknob
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kiss fingers and put them on the doorknob
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Explain Tara's mother's use of Pavlov's theory
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associate pain with kissing fingers/doorknob
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Why did her mom's decision not to slap her affect the ritual?
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there was never any pleasure with the ritual
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Discuss Tara's eating ritual at the Chinese restaurant
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all the food had to be organized
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How did Greta get Tara's fortune cookie?
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spills her drink and says the cookie could be contaminated
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Tara was sent to another doctor. What ritual was she involved with there?
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tap fingers-3 times each hand
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What diagnosis was she given by this doctor?
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borderline anorexia, anger issues
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How many times did Tara have to touch the doorknobs/her lips before she could actually leave?
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33
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Why was Mr. Jacobson's visit to Tara's home significant?
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he knew about, and recognized her, OCD
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Did Mr. Jacobson say Tara's problem was psychological or chemical?
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chemical
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What was Sam's obsession and how did he deal with it?
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germs; washing hand, desensitization therapy
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What part of the brain did Sam say was malfunctioning?
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basal ganglia
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Explain the 'hiccup of the mind'
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keep thinking same thoughts and doing same actions
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What therapy was used on Sam?
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exposure and response prevention therapy
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Did Dr. Leonardi tell Tara her disorder was biological, neurological, or psychological?
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neurological
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Why did Dr. Leonardi tell Tara it would probably take 4 years to 'cure' her?
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she has had OCD for a long time, so it will take a long time to unlearn her obsessions/compulsions
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Why type of therapy was going to be used?
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behavior therapy
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What was on Tara's list of things she wanted to stop?
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stop doorknob ritual, stop praying, stop thinking about terrible things that could happen to her family, speak on stage, stop counting, stop arranging food
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Discuss how Dr. Leonardi wanted her to confront those ferars
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think about injured/dead parents 3 times a day for 5 minutes and don't do any compulsions after
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Discuss Tara's reaction to the first 'confrontation' therapy
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crying and screaming
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Discuss the drug store scene with Tara and Donna
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Tara tried to help Donna buy condoms, but were denied because of age
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As the chapter opens, what compulsions is Tara still doing?
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kissing doorknobs, counting cracks, praying, tapping, arranging food
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During the walk home with Keesha and Anna, what did Tara do that she would have never done before?
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stepped on every crack
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How did she handle Keesha's swearing?
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praying
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What did Tara do in the hardware store?
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ran her hands across the doorknobs
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What prompted Tara to start counting cracks again?
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learning about Kristin's continued eating disorder
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What gift did Sam bring to Tara?
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a crystal doorknob
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How did Sam demonstrate contamination therapy?
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made Tara bite the Kiss, then ate it
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How did Sam want to celebrate his 1st year anniversary of being able to hug?
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celebrate with someone who understands
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Why did 'Uncle Joe' make Tara feel uncomfortable?
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he was the pharmacist that refused to give condoms
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Why was the scene between Tara and Sam in the park significant?
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they kissed
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What was the monster in Tara's dream?
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her OCD
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How has she adjusted to high school?
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walks with her friends
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How are her friendships with Keesha and Anna?
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improved
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How is her relationship with her parents? What about between her parents?
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better; worse
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What happened to Donna?
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got pregnant
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Who did they jokingly blame for Donna's pregnancy?
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Uncle Joe
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Which of her rituals had she stopped?
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doorknob, praying, terrible thoughts, counting, lining up food
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Why is the death of Sam parakeet significant? How did it affect him?
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reverted back to fear of germs
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Describe Sam when Tara went to see him
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wearing mask and gloves
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Why was Sam skinny?
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scared of germs on utensils, plates, and food
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Discuss the last scene with Same and Tara
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working together to fight their OCD
