Letter to the editor: Dr. K wrong

But the part he got wrong is very wrong. His comments are damaging to the spirit of those who struggle with ET, and misinforms those who are looking for answers to their shakes.

“Essential tremor is an aggravation that occasionally interferes with a person’s life. “ This is an egregious understatement, with 10 million ET sufferers in the US alone. (Please see International Essential Tremor Foundation for information, and referrals to support groups.)

Even Dr. K contradicted his own words when he told the story of an electrician who had to quit his job because of ET. This story could be repeated over and over, because often someone who develops ET as a child or young adult becomes quite incapacitated over time.

Less than 40 percent of people are helped by the meds, and there is no med developed specifically for ET. There are several surgeries, but most are new and somewhat risky since so little is known about the etiology of ET.

Lastly, your statement, “The shaking is not always dramatic...” would probably make you blush if you could see me flinging salad when I eat, or holding a glass of water with both hands to slurp it and even then spilling as I put it down. Or trying to write, putting a key in a lock, a credit card in a slot, and chopping vegetables. It is drama of the worst sort!

Thank you, and I hope you make some corrections for the sake of your regular readers, especially suggesting they contact www.ietf.org.

Jan Mosgofian

Novato, Calif.