5/6/08

Speculation

The other day, my girlfriend was telling me about something that happened at work. She had an argument with a coworker about allergies. The interesting thing is how the argument started. The guy was sniffing repeatedly. She suggested to him that he may be allergic to something. He immediately got very defensive and said he was sure he was not. My girlfriend insisted that he may be and not know it. This is when they started arguing about whether we are born with our allergies or if they can develop over time. That's really what her story was about. What I got out of it was a very different one.
Now, I only received a second hand account of that conversation but I couldn't help thinking that this guy she works with may have TS. He's a "sniffer." That could be why he became so defensive and why he adamantly denied the possibility that he could be allergic to something. In my girlfriend's defense, she doesn't know much about TS. Even if she is aware of my affliction on some level, I'm pretty sure she has not assigned it the label Tourette Syndrome.
She was innocently trying to help this fellow. But if in fact he is a touretter, he knows all too well, that allergies are not his problem.
It was awkward hearing this story. I didn't say much about it. I let it go. I never like drawing any attention to anyone else's TS for it might turn the focus to me. But I wonder if my girlfriend is in the loop about what is really up with me; how that conversation with her coworker may have been different...

5 comments:

Tony and Rett said...

So she still doesn't know?

Tony and Rett said...

Oops, and meant to say...glad you're back...

Anonymous said...

Exactly!! You could have helped possibly another Touretter if you would tell her and educate her on it.

How can you two have lived together all this time and her not know about your tics? I know during the week you can hide it more with going to work and all, but how in world can you be around each other all weekend long for two days and not tic? And when you hold them back, don't you just go on a "tic tangent"? How long can an adult actually hold back their tics? Do you take meds for your tics? My guy is still a little one (not sure if that is why), but he can only hold back his tics for 10 minutes tops!

Let us know please..I am so curious to the answer.

Missing you and your blog!

Unknown said...

jeff is a sniffer and he tells everyone that its either a cold or allergies to get out of a lengthy explanation,he does tell his co-workers and close friends, but that's another story. Anyways, I can see how you can still hide it from your girlfriend. My boyfriend tried, but what he didn't know was that I wrote a major paper on TS and I was taking a abnormal psych. class and it was easy for me to piece it together. I can see if you didn't know what to look for, you wouldn't be able to pin point it. Good luck my friend.


you know where to find me :)

Anonymous said...

I don't really understand why you wouldn't tell your girlfriend you have Tourettes, I found that after the first few people it was easy to tell everyone I have Tourettes. I have even made an info sheet to help explain to people (find it here: http://www.mythoughtsontheworld-k.blogspot.com)