The Unshakable Optimist - a Column by Mollie Lombardi

Developing a chronic, degenerative condition like Parkinson’s disease is a raw deal. It’s also horrible when it comes at the age of 36, as it did for me. You’re entering the prime of life and career, and BLAM! Hello, early-onset Parkinson’s disease. It’s totally unfair to young spouses…

The fear of falling is a common phobia, particularly among people over 65. Between 20%-85% of seniors have anxiety about falling, and up to half of them say the fear restricts them from their daily activities. Aging and Parkinson’s disease are risk factors for falling. And of course,…

I have always been a voracious reader. I was in love with books even before I could read them, and always wanted the grown-ups to read to me. The Mr. Men and Little Miss books were an early favorite. With titles like “Little Miss Somersault” and “Mr. Nosey,”…

Well, it was bound to happen at some point, but my neurologist is moving away, and my primary care doctor is retiring. It feels like two members of my family are leaving me, and I cried with both of them when I heard. Even though I spend only a few…

The end of the holiday season and the beginning of a new year are always a time for reflection. As the first month of the year rushes past us, I wanted to pause and highlight some unexpected gifts from this holiday season. I’m fortunate to have wonderful friends and…

I know I say it all the time, but Parkinson’s disease is just weird. It can affect you in strange ways you never imagined, like when you’re out in a crowd. When I was diagnosed, the only Parkinson’s disease symptoms I knew of were the visible ones.

I was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease when I was just 36 years old. At that time, my life was moving quickly. By all accounts, I was headed toward the peak of my career and traveling most of the time, often internationally. I’d been married for just five years,…

I have long been fascinated by the idea of being “in flow.” Many of us have experienced a state of flow without realizing it, or even knowing what it is. Flow state was first identified and studied by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi, one of the founders of positive psychology. So what…

While more than 10 million people are estimated to be living with Parkinson’s disease globally, many people still don’t know much about it. My grandfather was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in his 70s, yet I knew very little about its symptoms or treatments until I was also diagnosed with it.

I have a neurologist appointment coming up soon, which has me thinking about how lucky I am to be able to say that. I’m fortunate to have a great neurologist who treats me for Parkinson’s disease. I’m also fortunate that she is just one part of a medical…