Larry Parks
Message 1 of 1
I will tell you what I know, have heard, and have experienced after research, chasing around looking for answers, phone calls, editorials, research papers that do not give much hope and questions after questions asked. I am a pastor with a 17 year old son with 'T'. We noticed the tics around his 4th grade year and like most you thought it was just a 'kid' thing of extra energy and bad habits developing. Rather than go through all the details of what all of 'T' victims have gone through (memory loss, tics, loss of control, falling, outburts, suicidal thoughts etc.) I will mention some observations and experiences. I hope these will help. My son is a classical pianist and can play anything he hears at any time. Anything a teacher plays, he plays. When focused while playing 'T' is not evident. While he drives 'T' is not evident, while he waits tables at El Chico, 'T' is not present while concentrating without physical effort 'T' IS present. Keyboarding on the computer, though mentally demanding, does not qualify as physical and therefore 'T' is present. Hope the research guys can get with it. I have heard conflicting reports on the damage of the nerve sheath surrounding the nerves . Some agree that it is degenerative and non- replacable and yet there have been some cured with no apparent reason other than when stress is reduced and the home being a safe harbor. Take hope. We are. Just what I heard. I have a pastor friend whose own pastor has a son with 'T'. We met the other night (both pastors and the son)and had the pastors son talk with my son. Tha pastors son is the foreman of one of the largest ranches in Texas (and that is big) and showed no sign of tourettes. He said only occassionally when stressed or tired it manifests. The solution they found was that the demanding father backed off and brought peace in the home which allowed healing of the emotions. Henry Wright of the book 'Spiritual Roots of Disease' is from Georgia. He had a seminar in Dallas and we all went. I wanted him to talk to my son. I asked him about 'T' and he he said 'We have a 100 % success rate with 'T' victims. He personally interviewed my son and prayed with him. I was somewhat upset how casual he was with us about the disease but later said to me "let him go dad, release him to be whatever God intends for him to be". He also told my son to take his peace and learn not to be so hard on himself. Those that they have been healed attend the week or two week seminar on healing at the clinic in Georgia. Many doctors confer with Henry Wright on other diseases including MS an Cancer. We are planning on attending and see if there is anything to it. I have noticed alot of kids with 'T' are creative, caring, giving, deep thinkers, precise, perfectionist and it is noticable in one or both of the parents. Fear of failure and fear of the future and many go to the negative side naturally. Self induced performance orientation? A family history might be helpful. Trauma, rage, anger,divorce, abandonement and frustration? Just trying to help. I am a father raised fatherless and had ulcers and stuttered as a kid in kindergarten. My anger was released in gang involvement. I was healed of both those things when I gave my life to Christ. I continued in perfection and performance orientation for acceptance even as a pastor. I have thought that possibly my spirit and attitude could have been picked up by my son. If a depressed spirit of the mother can be transferred to a baby in the womb why not after? Fathers be careful (and mothers too). I have recently backed off being a 'pusher' and have tried new approaches to discipline and instruction. My son is hard enough on himself and really does not need me to push him but just love him more. Tough pills to swallow. Please do not get upset with me, just telling what we went through and I believe that if we really care for our kids, consideration of any avenue of healing and health would be beneficial. I have heard from most sources that any medication for 'T'has harmful side effects. Most is just a sedative from what I understand. Somewhat like ritalin and prozac. Unknown longterm effects. Watch the nerve stimulators. MSG, Sugars, caffein etc. My wife was told by the folks at the Institute of Basic Youth Conflicts (Bill Gothard) that the rare cases that they have had, that when the home is at peace and the parents have settled their differences and have peace with God that the symptoms slowly wane but appologized for anything that might sound like an accusation. I am just repeating what they discovered in their cases. It might be helpful to look at DOTS' e-mail on 10/8/2001 16 of 16. Very insightful. As a counselor it might be good to consider the family history of violence, domestic instability, trauma, and/or situations of parental mishandling (we all could do better)of one spouse or the other. You would be amazed the reaction to fights or arguments in the home or in relatives homes. Are some kids more sensitive to conflict? I always do a family history when in session. I do prison ministry and deal with teenagers and on occasion shot and damaged kids. We know what conflict can do. Even in 'good' homes. Now the last and worse thing. There have been some that attributed this to the work of demonic influence. Do not be too hasty to blow this off. You would be amazed at what some clinical psycologists know but aren't saying. There is a Bible story in Matthew 17:15 about a father that brings his son to Jesus concerning the self destructive spirit in his son. Read it. Tourettes? I have seen my son fall to the ground or have a reflex kick that knocked the slats out of the panty door. Though my son has never cursed with on outburst, he has grunted and made sounds. I often wondered why kids with 'T', with the vocal kind and have good clean mouthed parents, would shout obsenities and not just regular words? I have been around the criminally insane and have seen demonic influences at work. Are these tormenting spirits at work in good kids. Just thinking. Well of course a pastor of 30 years could not keep it short! You might say physician heal thyself but you see, I am another broken hearted parent who loves their son and not some pro who has all the answers. We continue to search and seem to be getting closer. We continue to take notes and observe 'stressors'. My son is still a little in self denial and this totally hinders the healing process. I might need to get a little more understanding too and perhaps I am learning patience through my son. Our search continues. When I get THE ANSWER to our questions about 'T', I will shout it to the rooftops and e-mail and call all I can for the health of our children.