Let’s jump into someone else’s shoes. We have met Tony. Now let’s meet Ms. Courtney Noel! She began noticing her tremor right after she had her daughter in 2011. She was diagnosed with Essential Tremor at 20. Her right hand would shake when she would try to hold a heavy glass of water but she could still take notes in school. Now seven years later, both of her hands shake when she holds them up and carrying anything heavy makes it much worse. She can also sense a tremor in her legs as she walks down steps. In the beginning she felt it was being weak, but now she is realizing the connection to her ET.
Courtney was always aware of what Essential Tremor was because it is very prominent in her family. This is a common occurrence; there is a strong genetic component when it comes to Essential Tremor. Courtney’s mother, one sister, a few female cousins and one aunt, all have tremors. Her aunt had DBS surgery done about a year ago and said it was the best decision she ever made. Her aunt has a super slight tremor now, but can hold a cup of water without spilling it. Her mother, however, used to handwrite personalized items for a living and now she can barely write her name due to the tremor. However, it wasn't the diagnosis that was emotional for Courtney. It was the comments that she got and still gets.
“I used to work at a distillery visitor center, where part of my job was to hand shots of bourbon to the people on my tour. Most of the visitors were middle-aged men. Shaking, while handing them bourbon was never a "fun" experience. Lots of "Do I make you nervous?" comments. With them being customers, I didn't want to bring up that I have a neurological disorder, so I would let it slide and just laugh and say no.”
Now that she is 27, her tremor has really gotten stronger. When going out to eat she gets a straw and a lid or has someone carry her drink for her. It is frustrating not being able to do certain things that for most seem so simple.
“I am a very healthy, normal-bodied young woman. My tremor also holds me back from part of my business. I run a custom graphic, t-shirt page on Facebook and would love to put handwritten designs on shirts, but I cannot do that due to not being able to draw a straight line. I used to be the handwriting queen in school and now can barely stand to write my first name.”
When I am interviewing my new friends for my blog I consistently ask them if they have found alternative ways to cope with their tremor. Courtney explained to me that she feels she hasn’t. She’s tried many medicines and feels make they decrease her quality of life. Stress and the weather seem to be her biggest triggers. Courtney is a single mother, with a full-time job while running 3 online businesses and coaching different sports throughout the year. So basically, Courtney is Wonder-Woman!
Courtney is currently considering Deep Brain Stimulation to overcome her Essential Tremor.
In her opinion, while the medication may be available, but the side effects simply are not worth it. I could not agree more. When I asked her about alternative therapies, I received an extremely common response. She is willing to try new things, but money is a hurdle. Most of the therapies are not covered by health insurance and like most, she does not have the out of pocket funds to attend as many sessions that would be needed to start seeing a difference and continue going to see ongoing results.
If Courtney could give advice to anyone newly diagnosed with ET it would be to not be afraid to share with people what you have. “We cannot change this about us and the only way people will be more informed and educated is if we take away the stigma from ourselves first. Don't be afraid to ask for help. It is hard, especially if you're young, but find out your limitations and don't be afraid!”
#shareyourstory #Essentialtremors #staystrong #girlswithtremors #vulnerabilityisstrength #ETawareness #shakingupawareness #dontbeafraid #yourenotalone #ETsupport #supportothers
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