This week I’ve been a complete stress bunny and my tics have much worse than normal, there’s two reasons for this firstly the weather, the cold always seems to make my facial tics worse and introduce a couple of newbies into the mix also. I have recently acquired a tic triggered off by a couple of cold sores which involves opening and stretching my mouth as wide as possible. Couple with the stress that I’ve been under my tics have gone stratospheric leaving me with a permanent headache and a constant dull ache around my neck and shoulders that has been caused by my “Mr Susan” tic ( jerking my head from side to side) and “Garry Hobbs” ( clenching and bearing my teeth like the Eastenders character).
I’m coming to the end of my first week of my “mandatory work related experience” which any unemployed person would need to undergo if they have been unemployed for over a year like myself. It’s been both an eventful and uneventful week full of tics and frustration.
Monday was spent in London attending a Parliamentary reception held by the Neurological Alliance, an umbrella organisation representing a number of charities that represent people with neurological conditions, Tourettes Action is one such charity and I went along as policy officer with our chief executive and a trustee. From a ticcer’s point of view these events are tough going as you feel very much under the microscope and as I was along with 2 others one of the first people that the MPs and charity types would meet, it was very difficult (probably a 9 measuring the strength of urge) not to sing “Mae hen wlad fy nhadau” (Welsh national anthem) at John Redwood and got a very strange look from a Tory MP who’s name escapes me. The worst tic related incident happened during the speeches, amongst the speakers was a gentleman from the Cure Parkinson’s trust who was introduced to the room of about 200 MPs and charity types and then in Mosey tic style I shout out his name, there’s a unison sharp intake of breath from everyone and then I realise that everyone’s looking at me wishing that the ground would swallow me up. “OOpppss! Please ignore me, I have Tourette’s” they seemed to be starting at me for an eternity. Maybe one day I’ll see the funny side of it but not yet, maybe next week.
Tuesday was a non-day, there’s me booted and suited ready to hit the office and my work-experience co-ordinator is out of the office so they’re not ready for me. I find myself unable to do any work as my broadband provider has decided not to provide me with any broadband….ggrrrrrr.
Wednesday I hit the office and it goes swimmingly well, the other people in the office seem to take my tics in their stride and are actually quite endeared by my whistling tic. The only stressful thing being that I’m still unable to get at my emails and I’m unable to use a USB stick in the office.
Thursday, working at home, the perfect working environment for a ticker like me, that’s if the broadband was working, lots of discussions with “provider” not much work done, but quite a bit knitting done.
Friday, today, here I am in the village library writing this but unfortunately I have to pay £2 for a half an hour’s computer usage. So this working in library idea has gone pear shaped. This is why I’ve been a bit of a stress bunny, I’m all wound-up and I’m ready to explode. I hope next week is better.
