Content warning: Descriptions of medical procedures and internal anatomy
On Valentine’s Day I wrote about the health issues I’ve been experiencing since the start of the year. To recap, my pacemaker battery box has moved so it’s now in the wrong place, and the leads that run from the box to my heart are blocking a big vein and affecting my blood flow.…
Content Warning: Description of death and hate crimes
Fifteen years ago when I tentatively started writing this blog, unsure of what I had to say or how I wanted to say it, there were a handful of people whose gentle support, tireless encouragement, interest and love gave me the confidence to keep going and to write about complex, nuanced experiences with care and honesty.…
Content warning: Descriptions of medical procedures and internal anatomy
Today is Valentine’s Day so it seems appropriate to give you an update on the state of my heart. At the end of last month I wrote about some new and unexpected changes to my health that I’ve been experiencing recently.…
Back in October 2023 I wrote about relaxed performance practice and the importance of developing tools and approaches that support audiences to access art, theatre and live performance. This is particularly relevant to how we communicate the sensory elements of shows – sound, and lighting, etc.…
It’s a Sunday evening, I’m at home in bed, reflecting on a week that’s taken unexpected turn. Because these developments have implications for the weeks ahead, I’m writing this as an update for my friends, colleagues and collaborators, so you know what’s going on, and why things might need to shift at short notice.…
The sun brought a gentle warmth to my face as I weighed up my next move.
To my right, Scarbrough’s cliffs rolling up towards the sky, echoes of grandeur sprinkled over Victorian hotels.
To my left, the rhythmic rumble of the sea and a satisfyingly simple horizon.…
In April 2023 Touretteshero became an Arts Council England (ACE) National Portfolio Organisation (NPO). This means we get funding for the next few years to support our creative activities. It also means we’re able to grow our team, making loads of exciting projects possible.…
A couple of years ago the child of one of my colleagues got an official Tourettes diagnosis. When they told us over Zoom, we all cheered. My hope is that our joyful response will have sent the message that they’re perfect exactly as they are and that Tourettes doesn’t have to be something that’s sad or scary, but instead can be the start of an adventure of self-discovery.…
Happy World Book Day!
As a child I spent hours secretly scouring libraries, looking for stories and characters I could relate to. I was secretive about it for two reasons – I didn’t have the words to describe what I was looking for, and by the time I was eight I’d already internalised the idea that being disabled or neurodiverse was shameful and not something to be celebrated.…
I’ve never written an online dating profile. I did start one once but found the mix of expectation, self-promotion, and the pressure to be funny overwhelming. So, I abandoned the idea. But I’m also finding writing this post, which has some similar qualities, quite daunting.…
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