Do you have the hiccups?

When standing in line at the grocery store, or sitting in a doctor's office, even sitting here at work, it is amazing how many time I have been asked if I have hiccups. Sometimes I will educate those that don't know, other times I just sigh and say yes. "Yeah" I'll say, "Hiccups..." I will smile my knowing smile and try hard to suppress the monster within. But it's hard, dear readers. It is hard.

Tourette's Syndrome is what it is normally called. I would rather call it a pain in the ass. Although it has been a little blessing in disguise I guess. Growing up a single child, I was a tad spoiled. Always wanted my way and probably knew I was king kid back then. Being given a weird social-dibilitating dysfunction can knock a person down a peg or two. So looking back, I could have grown up into a real jerk. As opposed to the only-sometimes-jerk that I am today. :-)

The reason I am bringing this up? I'm going to the doctor today to see if there is a medication that is better than the one I've been on for the past 17 years or so. I've been to two doctors already about this, and I seriously doubt this other one will do anything other than just drain my wallet. But I'm willing to try, and there's some small hope that they might give me something to look forward to. My last visit to a neurologist cost me $75 out of pocket, and when I asked him if there was anything new on TS, he gave me a very quick "No". He even confided in me that I was his first TS patient, so he didn't know JackSh*t about Tourette's. He refered me to a psycho-something, which is what I've seeing tomorrow.

Checking out the internet tonight, and I'm looking for literature to educate myself better on this condition, and I see a book out there that sounds perfect, were it not $240.00! Come on! How in the world can a book that was just published be that freakin' much? Michael, I'm looking to you for an answer. You can find it here for a look at it over at Amazon. It sounds nice and all, but that's just a crazy price for a book. I could get the children's book Let's Take Tourette Syndrome to School, which would be worth the cover alone. And why is it people leave off the "'s" in Tourette's? Weird...

Anyway, didn't mean to get off on a rant here, just thinking about it tonight, gearing up for what to tell the doctor later today. When I was a kid, my mom and dad would be there with me, telling the doctor everything, now I'm batting for myself. Something that is both exciting and frightening. I hope I can get some good news, as anything would be that would give me hope for living 'ticless'. Wish me luck!!