Deal with it!

Picture taken by Gypsy Lee Kemp

Often people ask how I cope with Tourette's, does it make me tired? How does my boyfriend cope? Can I drive? Can I leave the house?! Now, don't get me wrong, living with Tourette's is hard work! But I think I cope with it well(ish).

My main strategy is to approach my Tourette's with humour. My neurologist, during a meeting, once said 'people with Tourette's have the best sense of humour', it makes sense. We have to have a funny bone! You can't take yourself too seriously when you can't stop shouting camels!! I have to admit some of my best/funniest stories have occurred due to my Tourette's.

I once got stuck in a public bathroom because of my Tourette's. I was sat on the loo when my arms, guided by the  broken part of my brain, got stuck above my head... So I'm sat, trousers round my ankles, arms on high, wondering how I'm going to wipe my arse, when somebody knocks on the door. A voice from behind the door asks if I'm okay - I've been in this stall now for about 20 minutes. So I have a choice, either I lie, say I'm fine and hope and pray that I regain control of my limbs soon or I ask her for help. I've been here for a while and am pretty sure I have a red ring on my butt from my stint of bog perching... So I ask for help. I calmly explain, to the somewhat startled woman behind the door, that I have Tourette's and that my arms are stuck and I needed her help. She cheerfully responds, 'no need to be embarrassed, were all women here!' and enters my stall. She calmly pulls my arms down, checks I'm okay and then exists the stall as if it was a standard part of her weekend, rescuing stranded people from toliet peril. I never saw her again... I wiped my arse, washed my hands and left the loo as though it had never happened. 

This story always amuses me. It could have easily been an embarrassing and stressful experience but at the time and now I found the whole thing rather amusing. It also demonstrates the 2nd reason I feel I cope, I'm not afraid to ask for help and usually people are kind. There have been countless occasions where I simply couldn't do it myself and I am often very grateful to those who have helped me. 

Asking for help is hard, it can sometimes fell like admitting a great secret, I must say sometimes I find it very difficult. However sometimes it's less of a want and more of a need and that is something I just have to get over! 

Sometimes we all need a little help and humour, so I want to encourage you. Next time you have a problem try laughing instead of crying and reaching out instead closing off and you might find, with a little joviality and help, that problem feels a little less big!