Mike Grabel Letter

My name is Mike Grabel, I currently live in Cincinnati, OH. I wanted to share my story to help others with TS to never lose hope. Around the age of 3 my parents started noticing that I had quite a few tics, but it was pretty manageable until around 5th -6th grade. By time I was in 7th grade my tics were so severe that I was unable to sit in a classroom, write on a piece of paper, or hold a book without ripping the pages. I was unable to learn traditionally or really be able to take care of myself on a basic level becausemy tics interfered with everything I attempted to do. I also had many self-injurious tics.

Although my parents, teachers, nor I wanted this to happen, I needed to be homeschooled. From mid 7th grade through 10th grade, I attended school at home with my mom as my learning coach. It was very isolating and I still had extreme difficulties being able to use a computer without breaking the keyboard and mouse, to read or to even write legibly. I’ve always liked school and learning so I’ve always tried my hardest to overcome my struggles and continue to learn any way that I could. At that time we were also searching for treatments that would easesome of my more severe tics. We tried countless medications, alternative therapies, traditional therapies, and many, many doctors all over the country. Nothing was helping. It seemed like I was destined to be a prisoner in my own body in which I could not control.

In 2008, I was cleared for Deep Brain Stimulation Surgery in Houston, TX at the Baylor College of Medicine. This is still considered experimental for TS patients and after much research and deliberation my family and I made the decision to go forward with the brain surgery. I was 14 at the time. The surgery is only considered for the most severe cases. After 2 years of adjusting the settings to the neurotransmitters in my brain, I am well enough to attend school in a traditional classroom again.

Last year, I passedthe entrance test to attend Walnut Hills High School in Cincinnati, which is ranked 65th in US News & World Report ‘s list of Top High Schools in the United States. I started my junior year at Walnut Hills High School in August of 2010. On the first day of school my teachers allowed me to speak to each one of my 6 classesso that I could explain Tourette Syndrome and let them know how happy I was to be there.

I still have quite a few tics (DBSsurgery is not a cure, it is meant to reduce symptoms) and I have many challenges to overcome to be able to get through the day at school, but it is all worth it to be able to be back in school and involved in the community around me. I look forward to completing a successful junior year, making new friends, planning for college, and hopefully being able to inspire others to not give up trying no matter what difficulties they are facing.

You can find me @facebook.com/mzgrabel You can find out more about Walnut Hills High School @www.walnuthillseagles.com