As a child growing up with Tourette Syndrome, I never thought it possible, that one day, I would look at the disorder as anything other than a curse. I mean what child would ever look at ticking, grunting, head-jerking, and constant teasing and ridiculing as something positive, let alone a gift?
I can remember the ticks starting as far back as second or third grade. At first they were slight, and the other kids actually thought they were kind of cool. That changed when I was in about 5th or 6th grade. At that age, the ticks increased in frequency and intensity. The other kids began to look at me in a much more ridiculing light. I was kind of an outcast, though I did have at least a handful loyal friends.
I wasn’t diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome until I was 19, even thought the symptoms began years earlier. This was a disorder that was not very prevalent. I was an oddity of sorts. Tourette Syndrome first started really gaining attention in the mainstream media in the ‘80s. Unfortunately, much of that was sensationalized and somewhat inaccurate. However, there was at least one piece that was responsible for changing my life! As I was watching television one night, shortly after graduation, an ad came on that was hosted by William Shatner. That ad would forever change me. It was a public service announcement that detailed symptoms of a disorder of which I had never heard. Of course, he was talking about Tourette Syndrome, and they showed clips of other children with the disorder. These symptoms fit me to a T. It was almost like an instant diagnosis, and it offered me a renewed hope for a normal life. I made an appointment with a neurologist shortly after, and within a couple of days of starting on medication, years of ticks, twitches, and grunts were almost completely gone!
That was the beginning of a journey that has allowed me to re-invent myself over a period of two decades. It is a journey that continues today. I have learned so many life lessons and so much about myself over the last 20 years. More than that, I have realized that all of those years spent twitching, ticking, grunting, and shaking my head were not wasted. In fact, they helped mold me into the person I am today. I have come to see Tourette Syndrome as a part of who I am, and even something to be (gasp!) embraced.
It is far too difficult to condense all of the lessons learned through my Tourette’s into one single post, so I am going to write about my journey over a period of time. Check back often, to learn how something that is unfortunate, embarrassing, and ultimately humbling, can change your life for the better. Ok, I’ll get off my Tony Robbins & Joel Osteen soapbox….at least, for now.
A clip from I Have Tourette’s, But Tourette’s Doesn’t Have Me.
Go to the original Youtube link.
Visit the Tourette Syndrome Association website.
Daily Adventures 