Four hands of different skin tones are stacked together
Mollie and The Family Tree

Mollie and the Family Tree

A diagnosis can change everything. It can turn the simplest motions, holding a cup, lifting a weight, or writing a sentence, into a challenge. As a freelance writer and author, I’ve turned that challenge into purpose, using my story to help others living with Essential Tremors (ET) find balance, confidence, and strength.

The Beginning of My Journey with Essential Tremors

Walk across the office floor to the door and back. Hold out your arms and turn your hands up. Now turn them down. Write a small sentence. Drink from a glass. Draw a spiral. Congratulations—you passed! You’ve just gone through your new doctor’s diagnosis process.
In his words, I sorted myself out of Parkinson’s Disease (PD) and shimmied past Multiple Sclerosis (MS) into Essential Tremors (ET).
My brand-new neurologist said, “You have Familial Essential Tremors.” My brain replayed the words: I have Familial Essential Tremors.
That moment four years ago changed everything. My ET is progressing slightly, and while I'm told it usually increases by a small percentage each year, no one knows what the "until" is. I'm still learning what to expect, but I'm watching, adjusting, and continuing to live with intention and courage.

Finding Humor and Humanity in the Everyday

Having ET brings a whole new meaning to everyday expressions: shiver like a dog, shake, rattle, and roll, or bobble while you eat or drink. It touches everything, how I hold a baby, pick up a pet, carry a cake or pie, hold hands, or even walk across a room.
Genetics plays a major role in ET. Three of my six siblings exhibit symptoms. I've searched my family history for clues, but none have come from my parents, grandparents, aunts, or uncles. My daughter is entering the first stage now, and I worry about my son. Recently, I learned that my first husband, the father of my children, also has ET.
I never had much family medical history to go with. I saw my mother's parents only twice in my life. We didn't have family gatherings, not even birthday cards, and no ET stories were passed down. My father's mother died young, and my grandfather, who raised him, didn't show any signs of tremors. I remember him sneaking candy into his overalls' pockets at just the right height for a child's hands. Nothing about him ever hinted at ET.

Meeting Mollie

A Legacy of Quiet Strength

Then came Mollie. My grandmother Mollie was my grandfather’s fifth wife and not part of our genetic bloodline. Yet, she carried the unmistakable signs of Essential Tremors. Her head never stopped moving, her voice skipped beats, and her hands hovered midair as if she were about to play the piano—treble and trembles.
As a child, I thought she was just old. But Mollie wasn't just elderly; she was extraordinary. A 76-year-old spinster, when she married my grandfather, she had lived her entire life with her two elderly brothers, creating her own version of family.
When my grandfather passed away, Mollie returned to her brothers’ home. She and my grandfather had little to leave each other but an old house with no plumbing, only a coal-burning stove, and an outhouse out back. The only baggage she took with her was her tremors.
Even with her shaking hands, Mollie worked hard. She ran after chickens, harvested hogs, stoked the stove, carried water, and tended to every daily need. I remember huddling in her lap, my head bobbing up and down on her chest from her tremors while listening to her heartbeat.
Mollie didn’t have access to the treatments available today. She bore her tremors with grace and strength. She proved that a woman could live a full, meaningful life, even with a body that refused to stay still. Essential Tremors are a neurological disorder that causes rhythmic shaking.

My Own Diagnosis

When I was first diagnosed, my neurologist suggested an anti-seizure medication, one commonly used for epilepsy. My mind froze. I couldn’t connect my symptoms to epilepsy. I was newly diagnosed with ET, yet nothing about my condition felt like what I knew about seizures.
I left that appointment confused and disappointed. That’s when I began my own journey of discovery. I read everything I could find, from medical articles to research journals. I joined support groups and organizations for MS, Parkinson’s, and other neurological conditions. The doctor said I had ET, but his quick move from diagnosis to prescription didn’t earn my trust.
Later, my family practice doctor prescribed a small dose of anti-anxiety medication. Anxiety often walks hand in hand with ET, and though the medication gave some relief, I realized my anxiety wasn’t just about tremors; it was about life. I knew I needed to understand my body and mind more deeply.
I spoke with many people living with ET. They shared the same story: good days, bad days, and everything. Medications helped some, but not all. I realized I would have to accept this independently and learn how to thrive, not just cope.

My Path Forward

As I move forward, I’ve learned that healthy eating, regular exercise, flexibility, rest, and relaxation are key to living well with ET. I focus on strengthening my body to support me through each tremor and every unsteady moment. As a freelance writer and author, I share my story to help other women living with ET see that they are not alone. My writing, fitness routines, and reflections aim to guide others toward strength, acceptance, and self-compassion. I will continue to share updates about my experiences with doctors, my evolving exercise routines, and the physical activities that keep me strong, such as lifting weights, biking, walking, and staying active. Movement keeps both body and spirit alive. There is good news. I’ve learned that even with tremors, I can live fully, love deeply, and write passionately. Every day, I prove to myself that ET does not define me; it refines me.

Transform Challenge into Confidence

Every tremor tells a story. Every movement has meaning. Join me as I write, move, and live with courage and honesty. Together, we can find strength in every shake, hope in every challenge, and purpose in every story that makes us who we are. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to contact me.
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