Ticked: A Medical Miracle, a Friendship, and the Weird World of Tourette Syndrome

(Hardback)

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When Jeff Matovic burst into the office of Dr. Robert Maciunas, he had very few options left. Matovic had suffered for years from Tourette Syndrome, his full-body spasms and outbursts getting progressively worse, to the point that he saw suicide as a viable option. Drugs, physical therapy, prayer--nothing was working. But Dr. Maciunas was a pioneer in deep brain stimulation (DBS), a new therapy that had worked to correct other brain disorders. Could it fix Matovic's Tourette's All Matovic had to do was convince Dr. Maciunas that he was a perfect candidate for the procedure. That, and have several electrical leads--a "brain pacemaker"--implanted into his skull. Author Jim Fussell is uniquely qualified to tell Matovic's story--he suffers from Tourette Syndrome as well. Fussell's job as a feature writer for the Kansas City Star brought him in contact with Oprah Winfrey, who first told him about Jeff Matovic, the "Miracle Man." As Fussell learned about Matovic's remarkable journey, he vowed to seek him out. This is their story.

Reviews

"A graphic but inspiring depiction of the ravages of the disease, their bravery and the sustaining love of their families."-- Kirkus Reviews "An extraordinary and inspiring account of personal courage in the face of unimaginable adversity. Emotional shock waves live on every page of this book" -- Hal Friedman , coauthor with James Patterson of Against Medical Advice: One Family's Struggle with an Agonizing Medical Mystery " Ticked is inspirational, well-written, and surprisingly witty." -- Lowell Handler , author of Twitch and Shout: A Touretter's Tale "The people who make a difference in our world are the ones with courage. This is a wonderful story of the daily courage of two men with Tourette Syndrome. Ticked is vivid, wrenching, funny, and, most of all, inspiring. I trust it will notch up the courage in everyone who reads it." -- John Rosenow , founder and CEO of the Arbor Day Foundation

Author Bio

Jeff Foxworthy is one of the most respected and successful comedians in the country. He is the highest selling comedy-recording artist in history, a multiple Grammy Award nominee, and best selling author of more than 26 books. Widely known for his redneck jokes, his act goes well beyond that to explore the humor in everyday family interactions and human nature.