ET is not confined to the elderly. Children and middle-aged people can also have ET. No matter the age, people with ET lead active lives. They use their intellect, gifts, innate talent, and cultivated interests to make the most of their life. The IETF is proud to share their stories with you.
I Get Frustrated Sometimes, but There are Still Many Things I Can DoMarch 20, 2023
Cathy’s Story I was diagnosed with essential tremor 15 years ago at 50 years of age. My primary care physician sent me to a neurologist to be sure my symptoms weren’t Parkinson’s. They weren’t. The neurologist prescribed a couple of medications, but the side effects were worse than the tremors at the time. We finally settled on a beta […]
The Journey of Life is Never a Straight PathMarch 9, 2023
Kiahna’s story I first started to notice changes in my movement around 18 years old. I was trying to pay with cash at a self-checkout and my hands were shaking so badly I couldn’t get my money into the machine. Being so young I didn’t think to pay much attention to what was going on […]
My ET Journey is Multidimensional and Multilayered
Anna’s Story Hello… where to begin this story with essential tremor. Let me start by giving a short bio. My birth name was Sarah Brock, and then changed in July 2009 to Anna (Enya) Brocein. Born on the Gulf Coast of Texas in a small coastal town in 1962. I had three much older siblings. […]
Sharing My Experience Helps Me Advocate for OthersMarch 7, 2023
Jennifer’s Story One day I went to put on nail polish and my left hand could not stop shaking for me to do so. This moment completely scared me. I couldn’t stop the shaking no matter what I tried. I inquired with my primary doctor who then referred me to a neurologist. He then did […]
After 50 Years of Battling ET, My Life is a Series of Daily MiraclesFebruary 25, 2023
By Mark Honeyman My journey to DBS surgery was a long time in the making. I’ve battled essential tremor since I was a young boy. When I was 12 years old, I had to give a speech for one of my classes, and I noticed that my hands were shaking far more than even the […]
Service Dog Becomes Life-Changing Hero for Teen with Essential TremorAugust 11, 2022
It was the most meaningful gift Gracie Key has ever received. In 2019, her former teacher gave her a German Shepherd puppy named Saber. Saber became a “Life-Saber” for this Missouri teenager. Saber was not an ordinary pet. He was a service dog, trained to support individuals with disabilities. Gracie’s disability is essential tremor (ET). […]
ET Taught Me to Work Hard and Never Give UpJuly 27, 2022
Each semester, the IETF awards four $1,000 college scholarships to students who have essential tremor through its Catherine S. Rice Scholarship Fund. As part of the application process, students are asked to write an essay on the topic, “how essential tremor has affected my life.” The following essay is from one of our fall 2022 […]
Essential Tremor Has Turned Me into a Problem SolverJune 29, 2022
Each semester, the IETF awards four $1,000 college scholarships to students who have essential tremor through its Catherine S. Rice Scholarship Fund. As part of the application process, students are asked to write an essay on the topic, “how essential tremor has affected my life.” The following essay is from one of our fall 2022 […]
I Was Fighting an Invisible Enemy, and I Was Losing
Each semester, the IETF awards four $1,000 college scholarships to students who have essential tremor through its Catherine S. Rice Scholarship Fund. As part of the application process, students are asked to write an essay on the topic, “how essential tremor has affected my life.” The following essay is from one of our fall 2022 […]
ET Has Taught Me about Self-Acceptance
Each semester, the IETF awards four $1,000 college scholarships to students who have essential tremor through its Catherine S. Rice Scholarship Fund. As part of the application process, students are asked to write an essay on the topic, “how essential tremor has affected my life.” The following essay is from one of our fall 2022 […]