Hi, my name is Olivia, and I’m a senior in high school. Looking back, I had a few very minor tics growing up, but my journey with Tourette’s Syndrome started in the fall of my sophomore year. My first tic was a cough that sent me to the hospital for nearly three days until it was finally diagnosed (by my pediatrician) as a vocal tic. Yay for proper medication!<\/p>\n
Well, medication that used to work until it didn’t, and my cough came back for good about six months later. I had the cough, a click and a “tuh” sound for another few months until — you guessed it! — motor tics started. Starting with blinking and grimacing, my tics have since expanded into too many tics to keep track of.<\/p>\n
I had a really rough spring, with really loud whistling, blinking so bad i couldn’t see, and wrist tics that limited functionality in my hands. I’m doing better now, though, and I’m looking forward to a great senior spring! I’m stage managing a show at my high school, will be acting in another, and I am looking forward to another summer spent working at a sleepaway camp and hopefully biking the Pan-Mass Challenge!<\/p>\n
Aside from TS I have anxiety, NLD, executive dysfunction and possible ADHD. Thanks for listening!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"