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Interview with Robert who has Tourette’s Syndrome
My Name is Robert I am 50 years old. I was 22 years old when I was diagnosed with Tourettes Syndrome, I also have Dyspraxia. I enjoy plane spotting and listening to music. I also like playing the electronic keyboard and listening to murder stories on audio books. I fancy myself as a bit of a comedian. Here is my latest joke. A man goes to the Doctor’s and says “Doctor, I think I have got Tom Jones syndrome. Is it common?” The doctor says “It’s not unusual.”
The hostel where I was staying when I was 22 didn’t treat me very well. I now live in an Outreach house which I share with 3 other people. Outreach also do groups activities and provide independent living for people with learning difficulties and mental health issues. The staff at Outreach are very helpful - most of the time.
My Tourette’s has stopped me going to the theatre and places like that. Sometimes the staff at Outreach don’t want me to use public transport where I get bullied because of my verbal tics. I can’t go to my local synagogue as I have been banned from there because of my involuntary noises due to my Tourette’s. However, I never swear I am not very happy about being excluded from my
synagogue, in fact I am very angry. One or two people have tried to help me and they have written to the synagogue but nothing has been done about it. I decided not to take any further action because I felt it would be a waste of time. However, recently I went to see my solicitor and she said that she would write to the synagogue. However, I am treated very well at the synagogue that I go to with my mother. I had my Bar Mitzvah there and used to teach Bar Mitzvah boys their piece and gave extra help to those who found reading Hebrew difficult.
I was asked to leave a Chinese restaurant recently because of my involuntary noises. Other customers were outraged and stuck up for me. My solicitor has written to the restaurant to complain.
I think having Pete on Big Brother is very helpful for people with Tourette’s. However I don’t think that the general public have acted any differently towards me since Pete was on Big Brother.
My Name is Robert I am 50 years old. I was 22 years old when I was diagnosed with Tourettes Syndrome, I also have Dyspraxia. I enjoy plane spotting and listening to music. I also like playing the electronic keyboard and listening to murder stories on audio books. I fancy myself as a bit of a comedian. Here is my latest joke. A man goes to the Doctor’s and says “Doctor, I think I have got Tom Jones syndrome. Is it common?” The doctor says “It’s not unusual.”
The hostel where I was staying when I was 22 didn’t treat me very well. I now live in an Outreach house which I share with 3 other people. Outreach also do groups activities and provide independent living for people with learning difficulties and mental health issues. The staff at Outreach are very helpful - most of the time.
My Tourette’s has stopped me going to the theatre and places like that. Sometimes the staff at Outreach don’t want me to use public transport where I get bullied because of my verbal tics. I can’t go to my local synagogue as I have been banned from there because of my involuntary noises due to my Tourette’s. However, I never swear I am not very happy about being excluded from my
synagogue, in fact I am very angry. One or two people have tried to help me and they have written to the synagogue but nothing has been done about it. I decided not to take any further action because I felt it would be a waste of time. However, recently I went to see my solicitor and she said that she would write to the synagogue. However, I am treated very well at the synagogue that I go to with my mother. I had my Bar Mitzvah there and used to teach Bar Mitzvah boys their piece and gave extra help to those who found reading Hebrew difficult.
I was asked to leave a Chinese restaurant recently because of my involuntary noises. Other customers were outraged and stuck up for me. My solicitor has written to the restaurant to complain.
I think having Pete on Big Brother is very helpful for people with Tourette’s. However I don’t think that the general public have acted any differently towards me since Pete was on Big Brother.
