Trip home

[Guest guest]

wow, looks like I've missed a lot over the last two weeks! I went

home to visit my family and returned to the dinner table where it all

began for me 23 years ago. I did pretty well with my father... he's

improved his eating habits a lot. I went to lunch at a noisy

restaurant with my mother, older sister and her daughter. I wanted

to discuss 4S. I know my mother has it but I've never discussed this

with anyone but her. I started to tell my story to my sister (age

45) and niece (age 26). I mentioned nothing about the sounds that

bother me or most of us here. Immediately as I asked them if any

certain sounds bother them, my niece said... " you mean like gum

smacking? " She also mentioned that cat's licking, and chewing noises

bug her to the point of extreme anger. She interestingly enough is

also bothered by her own chewing except only if she's in a very quiet

environment. My sister hates dogs barking (and she's an animal lover

like myself), people sniffing or clearing their throats, and her

first memory is also of our father eating his grapefruit. They all

have felt like I have felt... crazy. My sister is just like me...

she notices every sound in the restaurant and hears them all

equally. She can hear things others can't. They were completely

facinated by the fact that I have found this group and that there is

a name for this. After talking to them, I am convinced that now

myself, my mother, my sister and my neice have this condition. My

niece is probably the least mild of us all. I am the worst. But I'm

covinced this is genetic. I am also relieved to have gotten this off

my chest and opened up the communication with them. We've not

discussed it with our father because we firmly believe he would laugh

at us and think we are crazy. My husband is that way too. So, us

women will stick together!! Anyhow, it's good to be back on this

group again and just wanted to share this update.

Darlene

[Guest guest]

It's great to get it out in the open, isn't it? When I told my mom, she asked around the family a bit, and I found out that my uncle had it when he was alive. I had no idea--it was amazing to find that out, after feeling so alone for so long.

Too bad about your dad and husband, though. My dad's the same way, but thankfully my husband's mostly pretty understanding about it.

Speaking of my dad, we had a family birthday party yesterday, and my dad was SUCKING HIS TEETH. What a horrendous sound. I thought I would cry.

[Guest guest]

Oh my gosh... that IS a horrid sound. It's funny but I don't remember

hearing that sound growing up but that is one of my mothers worst

triggers and it did bug the snot out of me when I was there. I never

witnessed my mother having 4S growing up, I think her's developed later

in life. Plus, I only see her once a year but last week I witnessed

what happens when my dad sucks his teeth. I saw my mothers reaction

and I saw myself in her. All it took was one little click of his

tongue on his teeth and she dropped her pan that she was washing and

literally left the house. I of course knew at that moment what was

going on and went out to talk to her about it. She never knew what

this was she was experiencing either. I have convinced her to see her

doctor to find out what he thinks and at least try something for

anxiety to see if it works for her (meds don't work for me). But I can

see this is really causing her a lot of stress and anxiety and she's 78

years old so that's not good. Plus she already has high blood pressure

and we all know what hearing the sounds does to our blood pressure!

Anyhow, yes... it feels great having others in my family to talk to

about this. My husband needs a swift kick in the rear though. LOL.

> Speaking of my dad, we had a family birthday party yesterday, and my

dad was SUCKING HIS TEETH.  What a horrendous sound.  I thought I would

cry.

>