A Face for Picasso: Chapters 5–16

by Ariel Henley
In this memoir, the author reveals how she and her twin sister survived the physical and emotional effects of a rare disfiguring condition called Crouzon Syndrome.

Here are links to our lists for the book: "Finding My Voice"–Chapter 4, Chapters 5–16, Chapters 17–22, Chapters 23–31
15 words 67 learners

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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. oscillate
    move or swing from side to side regularly
    My life was constantly oscillating between the two—heaven and hell, surgery and recovery.
  2. facade
    a showy misrepresentation to conceal something unpleasant
    Zan and I were used to having to maintain a facade, to assimilate, to pretend we were just like the other students.
  3. impending
    close in time; about to occur
    It was bad enough to have the stress of impending surgery hanging over us.
  4. feign
    give a false appearance of
    It was easier to feign ignorance than acknowledge the fact that Zan and I had been unwelcome.
  5. ruse
    a deceptive maneuver, especially to avoid capture
    It was all a ruse. A way for them to say they gave us a chance without ever having to actually follow through.
  6. emaciated
    very thin, especially from disease or hunger or cold
    Her once-soft belly was now emaciated. Ribs and hip bones protruded from areas where pockets of baby fat had been.
  7. in tandem
    with one beside or behind the other
    We had always been in it together. When our eyes were swollen shut, we experienced healing in tandem.
  8. quip
    make jokes or witty remarks
    “How are you feeling?” Dr. Kaye asked.
    “Delightful,” I quipped.
  9. oblivion
    total forgetfulness
    It was only a matter of minutes before I’d breathe in the chemicals and hear the hum of oblivion beating in my ears.
  10. catheter
    a thin flexible tube inserted into the body
    On the morning of my second day in the hospital, my breathing tube and catheter were removed.
  11. demeanor
    the way a person behaves toward other people
    When she actually saw him, her demeanor changed entirely. She stood up straighter and softened her expression, keeping her eyes focused on the ground in front of us.
  12. camaraderie
    the quality of affording easy familiarity and sociability
    It was uncomfortable being the only people to look the way we did, but there was also a sense of pride—of camaraderie—in showcasing who we were.
  13. waiver
    a formal written statement of relinquishment
    It belonged to the hospital personnel and to my parents, who signed their waivers, consenting to strangers touching, breaking, molding the very essence of who I was.
  14. refute
    prove to be false or incorrect
    At almost five years old, I knew dinosaurs were not real, but my young mind could not refute what I had just witnessed with my own eyes.
  15. banter
    converse in a playful or teasing way
    As the three of us bantered back and forth, we could hear my nurse’s booming voice from down the hall.
Created on Wed Mar 29 12:39:01 EDT 2023 (updated Fri Aug 01 11:48:36 EDT 2025)

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