Each semester, the International Essential Tremor Foundation presents four scholarships to students with essential tremor. The scholarships represent hope for the future, and provide support to these students during a pivotal time in their lives. As part of the scholarship application process, each applicant is asked to write an essay that answers the question, “How has essential tremor affected my life?” The following essay is from one of our fall 2019 scholarship recipients.
By Madison Young,
2019 IETF Scholarship Recipient,
Student at Arkansas Tech University, Russellville
I think there are about seven basic things that people all have in common. We like to laugh. We have good days. We have bad days. We like to smile. We sometimes cry. We have days where we just feel lazy. We like to be liked. The things that make us different are in no way basic. Differences come in so many forms and varieties and complexities. Differences in human beings are as numerous as the stars. Differences are what make us unique and interesting. My differences make me, me. I am Madison Young, a high school graduate, a full-time college student, a Sunday school teacher, a sister, a daughter and a person with a disability.
Recently I was talking with a sorority sister about my tremors. She has noticed them many times but finally asked the question. I gave her the basics about essential tremor and told her I am technically disabled. Her response was amazing. She told me she was disabled, too! We were both so surprised and excited. We high-fived each other and laughed. Something that made us different made us the same. We realized we weren’t alone. I sometimes find myself trying to hide this that makes me different, but I forget that it bonds me with others and forms a connection. As we started to laugh and carry-on another sorority sister looked at us like we were crazy. We shared with her what we were laughing about and she was surprised about the disabilities. Not only are we both completely abled bodies to anyone looking from the outside, but we also are not ashamed to share it. I could tell this other sorority sister of mine was now sad for us. There is no reason to be, but that is normally the first response. I also know that with her, a little label will go under my name in her mind and that is how she will think of me. It’s not bad of her however. It will be one of the differences she remembers about me. And my sorority sister with the disability – I will probably make a mental label about her, too, but it will fall under a category called common connection. It was a way for us to grow closer even if we do not have the same disability.
When I look at the big picture, and try to think about how my tremors have negatively affected my life, I come up blank. There is no defining moment where I go “oh, there, that’s where tremors ruined my life.” Having essential tremor has given me this connection to others that I never realized I could have. It has given me a different outlook on people with disabilities because not all of them are physical and we all struggle with different things. At the end of the day, we are all just people with a few basic things in common and an overabundance of differences. Differences are what make us . . . us.
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Do you want to help support students with ET during their educational journey? Make a donation to the ET scholarship fund online.
How do I get the word out, but have your magnesium checked out. Mine was low started on magnesium infusion it helped at least 50 -60some per cent. To me that is alot.