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Living With Essential Tremors


If you're reading this, I would like you to do me a favor.  Don't worry, I'm not about to give you a tutorial of where the "Donate" button is located.  Seriously though, let's imagine, ok?  Now start nodding, don't stop.  Tense your neck and shoulders, now bounce your legs and maybe begin to shake your hands, keep nodding.  Hard to do? Possibly annoying or maybe getting a little painful?  You can stop now, you probably already did. Now imagine doing all the above while getting dressed or eating lunch, in public.  This is a very small example of the life of a someone with tremors.
Hi, I'm Erika.  I've had 'diagnosed' ET (Essential Tremors) since I was 13; currently I am 25. I have decided to begin this blog as a steppingstone towards my goals for my future. Raising awareness about Essential Tremors and movement disorders has been a passion of mine since I was very young. I began a support group at age 18, meeting almost every other month, while also creating a nonprofit called Shaking Up Awareness Inc. in 2017.  I work for a local Parkinson’s Nonprofit here in Louisville, Kentucky whose goal is to spread awareness about all movement disorders and Essential Tremors to as many people as possible. 
Essential Tremors is a condition that effects your body physically, mentally and emotionally.  The physical effects are quite visible, these include a tremor in one's hand, leg, head and often a vocal tremor etc...  However, the effects not seen by the visible eye are usually the ones with the most impact, the mental and emotional weight that ET can bring upon individuals can be detrimental.  Especially when someone has lived a tremor-free life as one person and then they become effected with ET and cannot live their life as they once did.     
I do not want to discount the physical side effects of having tremors.  I began noticing in college how my tremors were making me physically weak.  Many of my support group members can attest to feeling this as well.  I have found solace in my fitness; ironically the gym is the only place I do not tremor.   Other therapies I have found that benefit me are stretching in a Sauna, yoga and meditation.  Living with ET is a daily rollercoaster, there are the obvious triggers to avoid like caffeine and crazy relatives! 😉 But we all know we cannot control our everyday lives, you wake up and take the day as it comes.  You may have a great day and your tremors are mild, no one may even notice.  Or it may be tough day, and someone may say something, but you know what, if they do who cares. Take the opportunity to educate!

#essentialtremor #educateothers #learnsomethingnew #ET101 #girlwithtremors #alternativetherapies #nonprofit #supportothers #loveyourself #shakingupawareness #createawareness


Comments

  1. UnknownJune 6, 2018 at 7:00 PM

    Thanks for sharing your story. ET is definitely nothing to bargain with. The exhausting effects of my tremors take its toll everyday. As for me I was diagnosed this past year but have had tremors in my hand since around the age of 10. First it felt just like nervousness and then others started noticing the jumping and twitching of my head. Some days are easier than others and I feel that with awareness hopefully we can educate the ones around us. Just recently I noticed after a swim that my tremors were almost gone. It felt great to get a little relief. Journaling seems to help too with the depression and anxieties. It does my heart good to hear others share there stories. #Moversandshakers #Supportofothers#MakeothersawareofET

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