It took me six minutes to say this:

Lost for Words

‘I’m having trouble speaking at the moment. My muscles are fine but speaking is difficult. This is more than just tics interrupting speaking. The sentence is fully formed by my mind.…

A few weeks ago Ricky Gervais used the word ‘mong’ on Twitter. This is an offensive and derogatory name for people with Downs Syndrome and a lot has been written about why it’s unacceptable. For Ricky Gervais to use it is specially surprising because of the programmes he’s made that draw attention to the bigotry faced by disabled people, in a humorous and engaging way.…

Part 1
A couple of weeks ago my appointment letter from wheelchair services arrived. My instinctive reaction was one of sadness and fear. Initially I wanted to cancel the appointment and throw the letter away, not because my mobility had improved but because seeing it in black and white on the letter was upsetting.…

Today my social worker presented my proposed individual budget and support plan to the panel that decides whether or not they will fund it. She also explained the impact the new ‘ticcing fits’ are having on my life.

The panel agreed the support plan I’d drawn up with help and advice from Southwark Disablement Association.…

TH: I’m shutting down now.
Leftwing Idiot: You’re about to lose the ability to speak aren’t you?
TH: Woof.

I noticed from Twitter that someone had translated some of my tics into French and posted them on YouTube, with the translator himself speaking them. I watched a few and they made me laugh.

I laughed even more when Leftwing Idiot, testing my ability to speak during a ‘ticcing fit’ said “What’s your name?”…

It’s November the 5th, so the sky’s lit up with fireworks. Like millions of others across the city, we went off to a big organised display to celebrate Guy Fawkes Night.

“Guy Fawkes in my pants. Bang.”
“Roman Catholic Catherine wheels.”…

This evening I was rolling on the floor having another acute ticcing episode. This included me partially losing the ability to speak and all I was able to say, over and over again, was ‘Pat Cash’. Why the name of an 80s tennis player should become my only vocabulary is beyond me but it was so bizarre that it made Leftwing Idiot and me laugh in spite of it all.…

This evening, with Poppy and my friend Claire, I went to the Hydrotherapy pool at Peckham Pulse. The water in this pool is much warmer than in a standard pool and this helps loosen and ease joints and aching muscles. This is exactly what I need at the moment after my week of ticcing fits.…

I don’t actually have a swimming instructor, but Leftwing Idiot does look a lot like one with the new stopwatch hanging round his neck. We’ve bought this to time the ticcing fits I’ve been having.

Although we went to different primary schools and didn’t know each other as children, it turns out that we did have the same swimming teacher.…