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To order the HBO from the TSA on DVD:

www.tsa-usa.org/news/HBO_order_DVD.htm

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I read the description for the DVD. A little negative for my taste. What do you think TSNW? Lianau

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I don't want to say too much early on ... we need to see it first, and try to weigh, ultimately, whether it does more good than harm. I don't have high hopes that it will do no harm -- I just hope the good outweighs the harm.

I will say there doesn't seem to be anything in the writeup which describes my boys or most of the people I personally know who have TS, or their reaction to living with tics, or their interaction with their peers, but I am used to that by now. These shows typically throw in one sentence about most TS not being mild, and comorbids not being part of the condition, and then they usually go right on to do a show more about comorbids than tics without clarifying that these aren't TS issues, in spite of their disclaimers. The TSA just doesn't seem to be all that comfortable and versed with talking about plain old Tourette's, and they do get more attention by hyping the difficulties of living with the condition for some. I do hope the tone of the show is more uplifting than that writeup. If not, we've still got Brad Cohen's book, which is a first :-))

I have learned from experience with these things:

NEVER watch them with a young child. Always pre-screen them first, since there has almost never been a production about TS that is completely accurate and fit for a young child -- in spite of what they may promise up front, if your child is doing well with tics, s/he may be quite shocked at the way they may portray it as so difficult.

They almost never portray most children with TS: the more impacted cases show better on screen and market better. I wonder if they will show a single child who is doing just fine with tics?

The media (or the TSA for that matter) doesn't always describe these shows correctly, and each person may take something different from the show. So, we need to give it a chance.

I hope everyone has had a chance to see it now. I didn't want to write here until everyone had seen it, so after watching it, I stayed on HBO and saw a great movie with a wonderful ending ... "Spanglish" ...

I know some people new(ish) to TS might be disappointed, but this is an enormous step up from the junk that we had to see back when my son was diagnosed. We've never had something so good, and I wasn't surprised to see that the executive producer had a son with Tourette's ... the TSA has never come up with something that good on their own, and most of the people who have done this before have sensationalized it or misstated things about the condition. (The only exception I can think of is the segment that was on 7th Heaven a long time ago, and not surprisingly, the executive producer of that show knew children with TS.) Finally, someone spoke for the kids ... the kids themsleves!

The only ironic point came because I turned on HBO early, and caught the promos beforehand ... with Polly Draper saying, "I was surpised at how few people knew what Tourette's was." ROFL -- like, starting with her !!! Recalling her multiple gaffes when she was promoting The Tic Code, and how she said things along the lines of how people with Tourette's could lie and get away with it and that we had no inhibitors in our brains. I started to groan as soon as she came on ... I was afraid we were going to see a series of misstatements from adults ... but that was it ... fortunately.

Thankfully, the producer let the kids speak for themselves, and it was all about the kids, and the TSA had no chance to throw their junk at it !!! Loved those kids -- great production -- and that stupid NY Times reporter who wanted more of their "backstory" ... well, whatdya expect from the NY Times ?? I would have watched it with a youngster ... I've Tivo'd it for when my son is home for Thanksgiving, but I would not have been unhappy with it if he had seen it when younger. Many of those kids have it far harder than he ever did, but he's smart enough to figure that part out.

I hope Colin's teacher was significantly shamed LOL !!!

{I'll archive this thread in the media section when we've all had a chance to comment.}

Haejinn, it's probably worth ordering the DVD ... not only because the segment was exceptional, but look at this ... the TSA may have managed to mess up a good thing after all.

I Have Tourette's, But Tourette's Doesn't Have Me-
Non Member's Price
Code: DVD-13NM
Price: $14.99 (Member's price is $9.99)

HBO Documentary originally aired 11/12/05. In every school in America, it's likely that at least one child may have Tourette Syndroem. Many of their parents, teachers, and those close to them are unaware. These children are often stigmatized and almost always misunderstood. HBO and the Tourette Syndrome Association present "I Have Tourette's but Tourette's Doesn't Have Me" - a documentary that dispels the myths of Tourette Syndrome through the experiences of young people. Extra DVD features include a variety of resources dor educators, families, and children interested in learning more about Tourette Syndrome, in addition to supplementary information from experts: John Walkup, M.D., Susan Conners, M.Ed., and Evan Trost, M.D.

Consolidating input here from other threads:

gullydevi
(11/12/05 8:08 pm)
I just finished watching ~ I Have Tourette's But ... ~
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I loved it. Loved the kids, loved the presentation.

IMHO it was very balanced, showed various coping strategies the children used, and it showed kids who had a very difficult time with TS, landing firmly on their feet.

I would like to do a recap for you all, but I think it's something that everyone should see and judge for themselves.

I won't show my child just yet because she hasn't been teased or ridiculed and I don't want to introduce her to the possibility of either at this time. I do plan to keep a copy handy for a time when I feel it's appropriate to show her and I'm so thankful that I have the luxury of doing so someday.

What amazing, amazing children, TS or not.

I'm off to thank HBO.

**************************

lespring
(11/13/05 12:25 am)
Re: I just finished watching ~ I Have Tourette's But ... ~
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Being less than a week into the TS world, we were thrilled with the show. (and Tyler thinks the older girl was hot! LOL) I wish there had been more teenagers with it though. But even so, Tyler recognized tics in the kids that he's had at one time, or that he has now that we weren't aware of. Like touching his foot when he's walking. He's been making it look like he's pulling up his sock! LOL

For us, this show was great.

realfam5
(11/12/05 9:01 pm)
Re: I just finished watching ~ I Have Tourette's But ... ~
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Hello, we all watched together as a family, my son and I looked at each other a few times and we just smiled at one another, it was almost reassuring for him to hear other children talk about tics, some of course even had the same sounds as him at one time or another. He is still on his orap medicine and has his tics somewhat under control, he still has social issues being in middle school and being a teenager he has some rough days, after the show I did say to him " see look at those children , they were all doing somekind of an activity, whether it was piano or drums or surfing, these children were showing that tourettes is not going to run their life, and control them, they are taking control of their tourettes and their life"! this is something I have been trying to work on with my son. Maybe seeing these children will motivate him. We still take every day one step at a time and I don't push, I just try and in courage him the best I can.
I had my in-laws here watching also(they were the ones that could not believe that our son their grandson had tourettes in the beginning).

I was very impressed by these children, I have to admit I had tears in my eyes as some of them were talking. I forgot to tape it, so of course now I will be looking for it to be on again so I can tape it.

I'd also like to give a big THANKS to HBO also.

hbool
(11/13/05 1:45 am)
HBO SPECIAL
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OK.

1. My eyes are still wet. I've watched it 3 times.
2. My husband will watch it tomorrow. nudge nudge. Grrr.
3. I love Seth with all my heart and would bring him and the ballerina (such a delicate creature) home in a second without a single question.

:: sigh ::

I'm still wet eyed. My husband is sound asleep, because NOTHING can't wait until tomorrow, even this.

OMG. I feel almost strung out, It is like I've said before, this TS thing can be so isolating that when you are confronted with a bunch of others that are affected too, well frankly it is unnerving (sp).

Anyway, I will most definitely watch this with my son tomorrow. I'm hoping the couple dozen or so people in his schooling and his outside world that I gave the heads up to will also check it out. I hope. Really.

Truthfully, maybe I should have waited to report on this because of how emotional my response was -- is. I feel a bit angry -- with my back up that those and our kids are suffering inside on a day to day basis because of societal norms. ::sigh again:: i KNOW, I know... deal with it.. work through it.

I mean, what about that poor little princess that would kick her pencil under the chair so that her tics would be hidden? omg !!! It crushes me. Her breathy account made me think of Martha's Cossette and some of the descriptions of her stuttering &/or trouble "getting it out."

Helene