TS/Tics references

[sis]

I have another question. There is a man at our local Wal-mart who clearly has TS. He is a stocker and I beleive God placed him in my life for a reason. I noticed him 3-4 months ago before I suspected the head shaking in my son. The first time I witnessed his tics, he was standing up against the shelves and the dolly/cart he was using. He had his head down and was leaning forward into/upagainst the shelves and the cart. As he was seemingly leaning so forward his arms/hand were at his sides, and his right hand was clicking/snapping on the thigh-seam of his pants. Some people would think he was touching himself inappropriotly or something. But having worked at a State Mental/Developmental Home of 174 residents---where I saw more problems then I want to remember---Well I knew he was having a tic or a seizure.

I went up to him and gently touched his shoulder and before I could ask if he was ok (I was feeling maybe it was a seizure) He snapped RIGHT out of it and Bam"can I help you find something?" he asked. I was still on the edge of tears for his episode, it took a second to figure out what in the ###### just happened.

I of coursed asked him if he was alright and he said he was fine. I realised if I said anymore, I would act as though I was pitying him, so I just said "no" to the helping finding anything question.

I have seen him a couple times since then and yesterday I watched him from down the eisle, out of the corner of my eye. and I wish there is some references (this board for one) I could do to help him. He seems like a great guy, and I can tell that his tics keep him from stocking very fast at alll.

I just want to do something. Maybe he doesnt know all there is to know and his tics could be lessened. I know I dont know this person. but that is just the kind of person I am. I love to help.

Could I give him a print-out of references that he might not know about? A list of triggers, websites, etc? I feel the need to help anyone who might need it.

Am I crazy?-Ok Ok dont answer that one.

I'll tell you, I am the youngest of ten children and man was it a trip growing up.

I just have to explain my experience ...I'm having a hard time when I think of tics now, because as I was typing the above story about my experience working in the State Home, I was having flashbacks of the people there. And when I think of tics and other disorders, unfortionatly I associate it with the "retarded" people there and their sad, sad existance. I saw so much there, that I'm crying thinking my son might have a disorder that runs rampid in that home. Between the girl (35) who's head was so big, it took three just to move her; to the girl who was twenty-something and only lived to be twenty pounds or so; to the terrible behaivors of a man who watch his mother get drunk and raped all his life-untill he got hit by a car and a day or two later she finally called someone to get him help. He often would have to be in restraints to keep him from beating and biting. Terrible terrible stories. And of course some residents were just born that way. Most of them had TS and/or other neurological problems.-- (That was SUCH a tough time in my life. I had a tough break-up with "the one" (now he is not the one since my sweet husband came into my life) , I lost a pregnancy, my mother had a heart-attack and quad-bypass, I dated a drunk who was physically abusive and was in the mental ward three times for depression.)

I understand the majority of people with tics and ts are living very productive lives, it just hurts me because in my years on the planet, my only experience with tics and ts is at that home. I am so sad for my son.

Thank you for "listening". I just needed to vent. I feel so helpless.

Love Sarah

[Chemar]

Hi Sarah

 

what a kind and caring person you are!

 

I know how you feel about this as I also have encountered people with tics and so long to be able to point them in a positive direction. It is a fine line tho between helping and interfering isnt it.

 

Maybe just take a steady approach to this and pray for the opportunity to open a dialogue with this person.

You could print out maybe that article that Sheila has done on Tic Triggers

http://latitudes.org/articles/finding_triggers.htm

 

as well as other info you have found simple and useful and keep them in your purse when you visit the store....if the opportunity arises to share the info, then at least you have it.

 

And just keep him in your prayers too....when God brings people into our lives for a purpose, and we are open to acting on it, He WILL make a way

[Andy]

Sis,

 

My 40 plus years of life experience has taught me that there is no such thing as normal and that everyone is dealing with one kind of issue of another. The sad thing is most people can hide their issues where our children are hampered by theirs. My heart goes out to you for I like most here have been where you are. Being here is the first thing you need to do. Now educated yourself as much as possible for being proactive is the only way to go. Most of us if not all have had great success with our kids. My kid who was a complete mess and who we thought we might have to do home instruction at one point for health reasons has just been tested into the gifted program where we live. Now are we all the way there yet after 4 years of trying. No. But we have made great strides and with every set back we just suck in a breath of air and move on. We hope someday that this issue would be a small one that won't matter and we think that we are on that track.

However remember the poem and song Richard Cory. Everyone wanted to be like him yet he kills himself in the end. Everyone has issues to deal with in life and even if we get over one another one seems to come up. As the late Gilda Ratner said from Saturday Night Live, "There is always something". The most important thing is that we keep the love alive and strong in our families, our faith in god and what's right alive and strong and we prepare our children to deal with anything that comes up. For there is always something.