Tremor

I have an intention tremor. This means that my hands shake � all the time. People tend to mistake it for nervousness, which it is not. (It�s actually just one of several things about me that tend to give the false impression of perpetual nervousness � I also crack my knuckles a great deal, and drum on any nearby surface.) Some days are worse than others for the tremor � especially if I have not slept well. Today is a particularly bad day � it�s funny like that.

By and large it has little effect other than being frustrating. It means I have to use two hands to do something like screw in a screw, or else my shaking will make it fall to the floor. It also severely limits my career options kin the field of surgery.

My intention tremor is one reason (one of many) that I will never touch a cigarette. I have this fear in my mind that nicotine would make my shaking go away � as it has been known to do � and this would make cigarettes hopelessly attractive to me. It is a baseless nightmare, really � I would eventually realize that the smoking just makes the tremor worse and worse over time � but I am afraid nonetheless.

I have genetics to thank for my intention tremor � my mother has one, as do both her parents. My grandfather�s is the worst of all, to the point where he has great difficulty manipulating a mouse. If fear that fate as well, although with any luck, mice will be obsolete before I reach that ripe old age. I suppose I should not be too bitter at genetics for giving me a tremor � after all, it has also provided me with many things I would not care to be without, such as, to name a random example, a brain.

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