Education = Protection.

A lone stare from this man holds me captive within my own thoughts of.... Can he really be the one, the one I just met a few short hours ago? The one who came to help me better understand TS, to understand my own child?

Twenty years earlier, a young boy rides the bus, looking out the window at his mother with a expression free glare. She returns a smile, tears he can't see starting to spill over, she sees the other kids making fun, mimicking his involuntary movements and noises. Why her son? What did she do that God would punish her? What will happen to him? These are the questions of a mother of Tourette's Syndrome (TS). This mother is Deb Larson. Her son Bill Larson just 7, is still a year away from getting the answers of why he does what he does. Another year of torture, with many years to follow.

Deb and her husband Larry received the answer to their questions when Billy was 8. All these years Bill wasn't being naughty or acting out. On top of the TS, Bill also has OCD and ADHD. He has no control over the tics he does experience, which later on become more and more often and intense. The school Bill first attended was not educated in TS and the punishments he received were just appalling. Nor did they do anything for the bullying, but had no problem suspending him for doing things out of his control.

The Larson family relocated to Yorkville. Though Bill was one of the first kids the schools had with TS, they did become educated and worked with the family to allow Bill to get the education he was entitled to. This set the path for kids to succeed in the years to come.  How is it that the bullying can't be controlled? Who would have known that even over the course of twenty years bullying still continues. Sickening. A year passes and the answers are here, but what's to be done with it. A Rx doesn't help the other people involved raising this child. Deb ran to the schools and even wrote in the paper. Here is TS, this is what it is and it's just that TS, Billy is not a freak. He's Bill, age 8, who has TS.

Bill Larson. Age 27. This man is every one of my unanswered prayers come true. My life was just starting over when I got the official diagnosis about Logan. Bill came to me when God knew I needed him most. Bill looked at Logan for the first time and the tears streamed down his face. Bill was looking at himself as a boy, only no one knew what was going on inside of his head.

Bill is my educator and Logan's protector. The endless torment, daily beatings from uneducated kids, and looks of 'whats wrong with him?' lasted all too long. All for what, because he makes movements and noises other kids don't? Hearing what he went through, I instantly thought of Logan getting bullied. I now fear even more for my child. Bill vowed that would never happen to him. I trust with all that I am that Bill will protect Logan in a way that I simply cannot. Until A Tic At A Time was created.

As of today the website has been live for just over 3 weeks, and we have had a great response. I have only had 2 blogs and the response from that has been huge. Word is getting out there! At church this morning I learned of a 18 year old girl that has a pretty significant struggle with TS. I'm grateful I got to meet her step-mom. Plus the sister (not posting names) has a friend, a teen boy with TS.

So it's really happening, and I really could not be more proud. Our first meeting will be with in the month at Harris Hill. Door to site directions are available on our site www.aticatatime.com. You can find the group's Facebook page here.

CHANGING THE WORLD A TIC AT A TIME!!!!