Forget Exposing and Start Expressing

    I was very fortunate in that not only was I raised by an educated, understanding mother, but also that I was diagnosed with Tourettes' when I was very young, allowing me to have a longer adjusting period. I remember the day I told my mum what I was experiencing. She was downstairs doing laundry and over the past several days or weeks I had been experiencing urges to shake my arm or torso or to press on objects, such as the table. I went downstairs, perched on the dryer, and told her what had been going on. She had an inkling as to the cause, so we immediately took me took the doctor and I was fully diagnosed and set up with a neurologist at Columbus Children's within a year.
    All through my growing up years my mum supported me and made certain that that I knew how important it was that I knew that my TS was nothing to be ashamed of and that all I had to say to someone was, "I have Tourettes'." At first it was a little awkward to tell people and I even went through a period where I didn't want people to know that I have TS. I felt like I was exposing myself and that if I told them, they may not accept me. I'm 23 years old now and over the past  few years, I have been working hard to become comfortable with having TS - I had to learn that TS is not what I am, but rather it is a part of who I am. Now I can say to anyone with confidence and a smile, "Yeah I have Tourettes'." The important thing to take away from this story is that when one exudes confidence and comfortability people draw on that. In other words, when you're okay with it, it helps them to be too.

Blanket Hug

Good Morning,
    It's been a busy week - writing papers and putting together my career portfolio. When the stress piles up and tension is high, my tics get worse. Fatigue can be a big contributer to bad tic episodes. A few months back, I started having really bad shaking tics (a type of motor tic) through my whole body right before I was ready to go to sleep. I've always had to wind down for bed hours in advance, because that's how long it takes for my nervous system to calm down. For some reason, my usual routine wasn't doing the trick. So, I started my search.
    I had heard about this thing called a weighted blanket from that show Parenthood with the boy who has Aspergers. I learned that it was originally used for autistic children to quiet the nervous system. So, I consulted my physician and ordered one from Mosaic. I loved it from the start. It was comforting, like a hug, and actually helped to quiet my nervous system. The website explains the different disorders and why it is good for them. To this day, rarely does a night go by when I don't use my blanket.
    Another website to look at is SensaCalm. Both websites have other gadgets and helpful information as well. I encourage you to check them out, whether you have a neurological disorder, insomnia, anxiety, or just need something to help you wind down at the end of the day.
Peace!

Intro

Hey Everyone!
    Welcome to Tourettisms -Observations from an Irish Princess. For those of you who don't know my middle name is Erin, which means Princess of the Isles, hence the name for this blog. I will be posting as least once a week, hopefully more once this takes off. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask.
    My first topic is about a Tourette Syndrome (TS) Awareness Campaign I'm doing in the Ohio Valley. I am taking the message to a number of audiences, because I feel that it is important that we get the word out there about what TS really is and how to deal with it. Back in March of 2012 my dad and I went to the National Tourette Syndrome Association (TSA) conference in Arlington, VA. I encountered others with TS and many supporters. It was a great experience and I can't wait to go back in 2014.
    Have a blessed day!