For You Overly Considerate Tourette’s Folks!

Hi all, and today I’m specifically talking to you people with Tourette’s, or parents of kids with Tourette’s.

I’m getting lots of emails from you, which is wonderful. Sometimes you want help, sometimes you want to vent, sometimes you want to ask questions, and it’s all just great.

But! way too many of these emails start with things like:

“I know you’re way too busy, but–”

“You probably won’t even read this, but–”

“I’ll be surprised if you have time for this, but–”

etc.

Listen. I don’t get to feel genuinely useful very often, and when I do, it’s usually because I’m doing something Tourette’s related. So here’s my plea. If you’re dealing with Tourette’s and you think I have anything to offer you, please stop being so respectful of my time.

If you ask for too much, I’ll say “That’s too much.” If I don’t have enough time, I’ll say “I don’t have enough time.” If you ask a question I don’t have an answer for, I’ll say “I don’t have an answer for that.”

But if any of you are not writing/asking/contacting me just because you’ve already decided I couldn’t possibly have time for you, that would break my heart. Snap out of it!

If I can help, I will. If I can’t, I won’t pretend I can. If what you need is someone to listen to you, I will listen. If you want me to listen to you for 100 hours, I’ll say that’s way too much. But until we get there, ask.

In the comments, in email, or on the phone. ASK. (please)