Birds of a feather flock together.

[catherinem]

I’m back at my desk thinking forward to tomorrow, my trip to Birmingham for the start of my HRT treatment, and reflecting on yesterday and how valuable to me my friends (that just happen also to have TS) are to me. Yesterday, after fulfilling my duties as voluntary Policy Officer for Tourette’s Action I’d arranged to meet up with a couple of my fellow ticcers for drink or few in London. (Two couldn’t make it, but I hope to see them soon).

It’s a great feeling to know that you’re not alone and that there are others dealing with a similar set of problems, the biggest usually the prehistoric views of others and we encountered one of these dinosaurs last night. There he was standing behind his bar looking very un-dinosaur like with an array of various piercings and dreads down to his waist. “Um…umm….ummm….are you putting it on or do you three have some sort of medical condition?” “Er, yes…we have Tourette’s”. This fact is blindingly obvious to most. “Could I ask you to try and keep it down?” “That might be a bit difficult as we have Tourette’s syndrome” “Do you have any ID?” (Why would he assume that we would have ID?) so out they came not one but three Identitc cards, he poured over them in turn to make sure we were the people identified on the card. Finally he served us, at this point we were feeling somewhat angered by his prehistoric attitude, had this man been living in some sort of media-free bubble? It seemed like it!

[Hidden]

Having, my Charlie with Tourette's i can appreciate the reaction you get from some people. We usually get hit with the question "does Charlie swear" which i find irritating, because of this assumption. My answer is usally very prompt no he doesnt swear, but if he did he cant help it. So wether he swears or not it doesnt bother us.

[Garryoke Volunteer]

I wish I was there now, i would have been over the bar and rolling around on the floor lol (not really, I'm a softy me).

[Garryoke Volunteer]

It's not all about swearing though is it, the verbal tic is Coprolallia and I have a good few friends that are accomodating this and have done for a few years now. I myself as a mild ticcer still have phonic and breathing tics that produce a noise and a few others that you could hear at times. But "Cop" is not all about swearing is it? The way I see it, it's the initial punch of the word that alleviates the need to tic. Not everyone swears, I have friends and know people that use the words Bingo, Kray twins, Shark, Wank*rs, B&Q and Eeezamana. Then there are the stereotypical swearing ones and above that full sentences.

A lot of mine are mind tics, trust me it does happen. I can look at someone for a minute or two without replying and stare as I'm word ticcing in my mind. I've been pulled up on that a few times before and I can come out with a real Hollywood cussing line at times as well lol

[Garryoke Volunteer]

WoW, I just did it then in my head! Imagine you're boiling some potatoes in a saucepan and you grab the handle and it's red hot - what would be your immediate swear word or first reaction to that? Now to me that must be similar to getting that tic out. Just without the non-stick element.

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Thats right gazza, i like the Kray twins tick lol Charlie makes noises as well. The main problem we've had is not with the Public but lots of GP's that havent got alot knowledge about tourette's. This i find very disapointing as we all need support now and again. So we as a family are not over impressed by some, not all, medical profesionals

[catherinem]

Admittedly to the uninitiated us girlies are quite loud and full on tic-wise as all three of us have cop.

[Garryoke Volunteer]

But there's only one of you TS Charlies Angels that ever explains it isn't there : )

I'm not saying you should appologise as no, you shouldn't. But not everyone does realise what it is straight away or at all in some situations.