Trigger Warning – A medical anniversary is the year or years following an accident, medical procedure, hospital admission, medical change, or traumatic medical experience. As chronically ill people, we become pretty numb to the everyday blood tests, and our brains form their coping mechanisms; however, medical anniversaries are more significant dates or periods that can often be incredibly challenging.

I choose to call my Tourette’s anniversary ‘Trish’s Birthday’ as a day to celebrate all the positive things that having Tourette’s has brought to my life. Sometimes, the most difficult things end up being the things that change us for the better.

One of the most frequent questions I get asked about my Tourette’s is why I call it Patricia or Trish. Well, I know full well it’s not a person, but it became very clear that my tics had a different voice therefore it made it much easier to differentiate, especially in the early days for me and those around me. ‘That wasn’t me, that was Patricia’. I later discovered that many people in the Tourettic community also name their tics.

For me, I can easily fall into a negative mindset, so I like to have things to look forward to. I try to surround myself with positivity – I allow myself to have bad days every now and then, but make a conscious effort to pick myself back up.

Many medical anniversaries can be difficult, and honestly, they are days I’d prefer to skip entirely. However, in reality, that’s not possible. With my Tourette’s anniversary, at least my tics can be a little bit humorous. I like to turn a negative situation into a positive one. So we began to talk about all the funny tics I’ve had and all the good things Patricia has brought me — yes, it’s annoying and painful, and I hate having Tourette’s, and it’s not all toxic positivity, but I’m much more confident now — I find laughter in everyday life, and therefore, it’s not a ‘sad anniversary’. It’s the almost new me and Trish’s birthday. I might cry, and that’s okay — but we celebrate Trish and all the amazing opportunities she has brought me.

If you’d have asked me three years ago if I was grateful to have Tourette’s, I probably would have cried. I’m proud to say I’m now at a point where I can see such a dramatic change in my confidence that I don’t know who I’d be without my tics. Trish has become such a part of me that on non-ticcy days, it feels strange when she’s not around. It might sound silly to some, but being disabled can be really tough at times. It would be so easy for me to sit here and list all the things I dislike about having Tourette’s, but instead, I’d rather make a list of all the positives.

Therefore, the purpose of my Tourette’s birthday is to celebrate all the love and light Trish has brought me and many others. But it has taken me some time to develop this mindset. So, if you’re new to your Tourette’s journey, here are a few things I’ve learnt to love about having Tourette’s.

• I didn’t quite realise how resilient I was until I had Tourette’s.
• I used to hate people looking at me before I had Tourette’s, so I had to quickly get used to it. Even though I still don’t like it, I’ve realised it’s okay and no one is paying that much attention.
• I always have a ‘friend’ in the room to keep me company and make me laugh.
• If someone’s upset or having a tough time, I’m the best person to cheer them up, and I love that.
• I can laugh at myself, which is such an essential quality. Life shouldn’t be taken too seriously.
• On my poorly days, things can still be funny.
• In situations where everything goes wrong, Trish will speak up and say what we are all thinking. It’s a great ice breaker.
• Nothing is ever ‘too much information’ because, chances are, Trish will say it sooner or later. This means that all my relationships with friends and family are open, and I love that.

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