Im a 23 year old first generation Asian American female. And I have Tourettes Syndrome. Everyday of my life since I was five years old Ive dealt with this neurological condition where I have involuntary outbursts and physical spasms (also called tics). I’ve had TS since I was five years old and the intensity and frequency of my tics has waxed and waned. My tics are repetitive, rapid (almost every 30 seconds), and include involuntary movements (such as arm swinging, kicking, banging on desks, dropping pencils), and making sounds (barking and screaming), and/or words (swear words and other offensive terms) projected very loudly. See, not everyone with Tourettes yell obscenities and not everyone with Tourettes has it as worse as I do. Only about 10% of Touretters exhibit any kind of verbal Tourettes, My tics increase when there is a sense of imbalance such as stress, anxiety, or excitement. Having Tourette’s has always made school harder because while other students can easily follow a regular pace academically, I need to put in five times the effort to be at the same pace. Imagine having to drop your pencil every other word as you write. Imagine shouting and swinging your arms in class until your entire body and stamina is exhausted. Imagine having to shake, twitch, and scream in public as everyone stares at you or makes rude comments. Imagine moving and never stopping until you sleep. This is what my Tourette’s syndrome is like. Despite my Tourette’s I overcame the public embarrassment and found the courage to advocate for myself and other people with Tourette’s whenever I can. I do this wherever, be it on a bus, at regional and national conferences and even while attending an international conference in the Galapagos Islands, Ecuador where I was chosen to attend and represent Bellevue College’s Model United Nations class. I’ve learned to be active in my community and become a leader by being voted into the Associated Student Government Environmental and Social Responsibility Representative. Other extra-curricular activities I’ve been involved in are the community garden club, Sustainability and Science Association, Rotoract Club, and the Vietnamese Student Association in which I served as vice president. My neurological disorder has built my character, challenging me to not take the easy way out, to be altruistic and compassionate towards the world’s suffering, and despite the severity of my condition, to continue dusting off my knees to reach meaningful goals and develop strong relationships. Tourette’s can be exhausting, but I never let my tics stop me from living fully, passionately, and wholeheartedly. Of you ever meet someone who has obvious tics, please be nice to them.
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 05:39:47 +0000
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