Today it was pouring rain and I forgot to put on rain boots before leaving for class. My feet and bottoms of my pants were soaking wet by the time I got to class and one of the things that sets my sensory system off the most in having one part of my body be wet. I'm fine if my whole body is wet, but if just one part is wet and the rest is dry, my sensory system goes pretty haywire.
During class my tics were very active, and my sensory system was very overwhelmed. I don't know if any of you have experienced something similar, but when my sensory system is overwhelmed by something (like in this case having wet shoes and pants), all my muscles tighten up and can't relax, and I check out mentally. When i'm overstimulated like this, its just like my body can't take any more sensory stimulation and I tune out things around. I tune out other people's voices and I stare at things for long periods of time trying not to move my eyes around too much (probably my body's way of trying to limit visual input). I wasn't able to participate in class at all because I was so checked out and after class I rushed back to my dorm.
My coordination also seems to check out. I fumbled with my key and dropped it while trying to open the door and struggled to take my pants off in a coordination fashion.
Anyone else experience anything like this because of sensory issues? Checking out mentally? Staring into space? Not being able to relax you muscles? Loosing coordination and proprioceptive abilities when overstimulated?
Welcome to my life thus far with Tourette's Syndrome with all its ups, downs, and sideways moments.
Monday, October 13, 2014
A Strange Encounter about TS while getting food
This week is a strange one. I've never had a stranger out in public comment about my Tourette's in my life and then suddenly it happens twice in one week. Craziness. I was getting food and did a facial tic and the server asked me "what was that?" I hadn't even realized I did a facial tic so I said "sorry, what?"
He then said "that thing you did with your face." So I told him I had a medical condition. He responded with "oh I thought you were upset with me". I assured him that I wasn't upset with him and I had tics which were involuntary. I guess he felt kind of awkward and didn't know what to say next so he said "do you cuss people out? Like in me, you, and Irene?" I told him no. I later looked up the movie and found out it's not even about Tourette's. it's about multiple personality disorder.... Lol i just laughed. Definitely an interesting encounter
He then said "that thing you did with your face." So I told him I had a medical condition. He responded with "oh I thought you were upset with me". I assured him that I wasn't upset with him and I had tics which were involuntary. I guess he felt kind of awkward and didn't know what to say next so he said "do you cuss people out? Like in me, you, and Irene?" I told him no. I later looked up the movie and found out it's not even about Tourette's. it's about multiple personality disorder.... Lol i just laughed. Definitely an interesting encounter
Monday, October 6, 2014
Going Out in Public with Tourette's
Today was the first time someone has laughed at me in public because of my tics. I was riding the metro back from the medical school coming back from working in the lab and was standing in the front of the metro. I was minding my own business and doing some eye tics such as blinking and rolling my eyes upwards when this guy started talking to me.
He was laughing and said to me "I see that look in your eyes" and then kept laughing. I didn't really no what to say so I just ignored him. He kept laughing for another minute or two and then when we got to the next stop, some people got off and some seats opening up so I went to sit down away from him.
I understand that he probably had no idea what Tourette's is and thought I was rolling my eyes on purpose, but it was just a new experience having a stranger comment on my tics like this. I wish more people could identity what tics are and understand that people with TS are not doing these things on purpose.
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