Porker Stalker
Thanks to Poppy at one end and Chopin at the other, Leftwing Idiot and I have made it safely to Edinburgh. Leaving a scorching London this morning we were very soon reminded that it’s much colder up north.
We’ve settled into the flat, our home for the next week or so, and we’ve been taking the opportunity to have a look around. We’re renting from someone while they’re away so of course we’ve been trying to work out something about them from the clues around us.
Chopin was in the kitchen just now and I heard her gasp with surprise, and then laugh. The reason? This little porker.
Anyone who’s been reading my blog for a long time will remember my mysterious Piggy collection. The Pig Fairy would reward me with a new pig for every full day I had without a ‘ticcing fit’. That all stopped last year when my fits became less frequent, but as soon as Chopin showed me our unexpected flatmate I started squealing with surprise.
We’re in Edinburgh for a short run of Backstage in Biscuit Land as part of the Fringe Festival, with the first show on Monday, so if you’re around please do come and see us – the details are here. And if you can’t wait that long I’ll be doing my first ever stand-up (from the comfort of my wheelchair) tomorrow night, with some other Abnormally Funny People.
Zannadoo16 says:
What exactly IS a ticking fit?
Zannadoo16 says:
I am not someone with TS, but my boyfriend has it. I’ve known him since elementary school, but didn’t know he had it till about 6-8 months ago. We are about to start our freshmen year of college now. I will be honest that when we were younger, I was a pretty big bully to him about many things and when he’d tell me he had Tourettes, I told him, "I’ve known you since 2nd grade, you are such a liar." I moved and we didn’t talk for a few years, but got contact with each other in this past year again. We’d both changed a lot in those few years as I wasn’t so rude and disrespectful and neither of us were so socially awkward. In other words, middle school ended lol. I didn’t really do much to try to understand what he was going through still because I didn’t see it that bad. He seemed fine. He seemed happy. Like a normal guy with a few flaws just like everyone else. As I started spending more time with him, I started noticing more things in constant actions and comments he’d make not as a tick, but In response to his ticks. He made a website a long time ago that I kept meaning to look at, but as time went on, it became less and less a priority to me. I didn’t mean for it to, but that’s what happened. Finally, many months later, we are now dating and I looked at his website. It brought me to tears with the things he shared. He is such a blessing and my asshole self wasn’t making him a priority bc I’ve had a lot going on and was focused on myself. In all honesty I still am. He knows what’s going on though and has been understanding and supportive and so much help while I’ve not even taken serious time to understand what’s going on. He has been and is the best thing that has happened to me. I love him so much and even more now that I understand more about what he’s going through. Tourettes is a lot more serious than I ever imagined. I want to do more research and understand him more, so I made this account to be able to see what others with Tourettes go through. And as time goes on I’ll be better at helping him and maybe one day I can help him as he helps others with TS. And help them have hope that everything will work itself out and they can still have hope.
Zannadoo16 says:
That’s y I’m asking lol
Touretteshero says:
A ‘ticcing fit’ is the term I use to describe a distinct period of overpowering and constant motor tics. The ‘fits’ generally last between 10 minutes and an hour, although the longest was over seven hours and required emergency treatment in hospital. During these ‘fits’ all parts of my body may move, shake, contort or lock into painful positions. Most of these episodes are accompanied by a distinct repetitive noise that sounds like the word, “How!”
My ‘fits’ look a bit like an epileptic seizure but there are some key differences. I stay fully conscious and know what’s happening around me, and although I can’t always speak I can usually communicate in some way with whoever’s helping me. Most of the time my ‘fits’ can be managed with the help of a friend or support worker.
Although they can be exhausting and put a huge strain on my body, once they’ve stopped I’m fine immediately afterwards and can carry on with whatever I was doing.
It’s great that you’re researching Tourettes, understanding and support from friends has been really important to me.