When I was sorting through stuff in the lair yesterday, I found a letter from my school to my parents written when I was 10. It followed an accident in which I’d injured my wrist throwing myself to the floor during musical bumps. I was struck by how similar the letter was to one my GP wrote to the social work team recently.

Summer 1991

Dear Mr and Mrs Touretteshero,

I am writing to you to express my grave concern about Touretteshero and her present vulnerability to accidents.

Since hurting her wrist she seems to have lost her sense of balance to an alarming extent. I am anxious for her safety going up and down stairs, or walking to the park in line with other children when she has to have constant supervision. She has already fallen over and been unable to pick herself up.

I cannot help feeling she may do further physical damage to herself even though we have taken all possible sensible precautions to protect her. It is a great concern to us that far from improving, the situation seems to be deteriorating.

Yours sincerely,

Head Teacher

Summer 2011

Dear Social Work Team,

Touretteshero suffers with severe constant involuntary tics that affect her whole body. Recently she has developed a tic that affects her legs and makes her fall on her knees. She has one flight of stairs indoors and the flat is on the third floor. She needs someone with her to be able to get into her flat or get out of it. This condition is severe, ongoing and deteriorating.

Yours sincerely,

Dr GP