Most of my tics are completely random and not triggered by any external factors, but there’s a strange cluster of tics that do respond automatically to prompts from other people. They include:

• Jiggling my legs in a frenzied fashion if someone hums a jig
• Hitting my head if anyone says ‘Hit head’
• Meowing loudly if someone asks ‘What noise do cats make?’…

We’ve been having miserable weather recently with persistent grey skies and so much rain that large parts of the country are under water. We have to hope that before too long these grey days will give way to brighter drier ones as spring drifts in.…

Usually I have a very wide audience in mind when I write posts – parents, carers, colleagues, and anyone who’s curious about Tourettes, whether they have experience of tics or not. Today, though, I’m writing for a specific group of people – anyone with Tourettes who’s just been made to feel worthless for ticcing by a stranger.…

It’s been a bumpy start to the year so far but things have finally started getting back on track. My hands are doing much better and on Wednesday I was able to start using my much-loved Trekinetic wheelchair once again. It felt brilliant to be back in control and able to get around under my own steam.…

Tomorrow people around the world will be celebrating St Valentine’s Day – since the Middle Ages it’s been the day to celebrate love and romance.

But people I know will be celebrating a something a bit different, something my tics have chosen to call: Alantine’s Day.…

I glanced at the kitchen window earlier and noticed how much the mini geranium had grown. Back in November it was just a broken branch from Leftwing Idiot’s much discussed plant. But I planted it and it’s thrived.

I’m a bit haphazard in caring for this geranium, but I’m not at all mean to it.…

Last night King Russell and I were hanging out at the castle when we suddenly saw a tiny mouse dart under the fridge. Neither of us was too bothered by this, but my tics immediately started chatting to the new rodent resident.…

Disability, like so many areas of life, has a lot of associated acronyms. Here are some examples:

SEN – Special Educational Needs
DLA (being replaced by PIP) – Disability Living Allowance (and Personal Independence Payment)
AAC – Augmentative Alternative Communication
PECS – Picture Exchange Communication System
ASD – Autistic Spectrum Disorder

There are also conditions associated with Tourettes that are most commonly referred to by their acronyms, including:

ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
ODD – Oppositional Defiant Disorder

I’ve described before how I’ve developed my own acronyms to describe different features of my ‘ticcing fits.’…

Ruth’s taken over as my regular Sunday night support worker so she was with me at the castle last night. It’s lovely hanging out with her, and our tics are enjoying a strange camaraderie too.

Her tics tend to add to mine to create new meanings.…

Leftwing Idiot often goes for a run on a Sunday (Sunday Run-day he calls it) and before heading out this morning he was doing some warm up exercises at the castle.

He did some stretches and bends, and I barely noticed.…