I was very lucky to have a relationship with a truly remarkable neurologist for more than 12 years. I started seeing her right after I was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease. The first time I met her, she told me, “You’re too young; you have too much to do.
The Unshakable Optimist
— Mollie Lombardi
In 2013, at the age of 36, Mollie Lombardi was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Six years later, she underwent brain surgery to implant a deep brain stimulation device that now helps manage her symptoms. She writes about the challenges of young-onset PD, including working full time, travel, and navigating the joys of being a wife, daughter, auntie, sister, and friend. Her column, “The Unshakable Optimist,” is about not letting the tremors of life get you down and the benefits of a positive attitude when battling a chronic illness every day.
Featured Post
I have spoken previously about how lucky I am to have such a strong support network, including my wonderful husband. No one signs up for a devastating health journey when they say “I do” and promise to love through sickness and health. But you come to learn the true…
I have written about both of my parents before, and the lessons their own lives have taught me about living with Parkinson’s disease. I’ve also written about how much my dad’s support has meant to me over the years. Now it’s my turn to support him. If you looked…
If you’ve been a regular reader of my column over the past few years (thank you!), you may have noticed I took some time off this summer. I work full time at another job, in addition to writing this column weekly. And, you know, I live with Parkinson’s disease.
This month, Michael J. Fox turned 65. And I’ve had a crush on the man for almost 40 years. Back in the 1980s, when I grew up, the show “Family Ties” was at its height. It starred Fox as the teenage son of two ex-hippies, and he had…
Parkinson’s disease takes a lot away from you. And when you are diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s, it can steal so much of your future. I feel lucky that nearly 13 years after my diagnosis at age 36, the majority of my symptoms are well controlled. I have…
One of the first symptoms I noticed before I was diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s disease, besides a tremor in my pinky fingers, was difficulty managing a knife and fork. It’s one of those weird experiences that you can’t quite imagine until you experience it. And even when you do,…
For 11 wonderful years, we were blessed with having a beautiful Bernese mountain dog called Kona in our lives. He’s been gone nine years, and I still think about and talk about him nearly every day. He was 97 pounds of love, joy, and fur. He was goofy — as…
My birthday is this month, and I’m turning 49. I’m not doing anything particularly exciting to celebrate, just dinner with some friends and my husband. Low-key birthdays are fine by me, but it is a big deal to be entering the last year of my 40s. I started this decade…
A vanity isn’t just for the vain. If any of you are like me and watch a lot of home improvement shows, you probably have some bathroom envy. My house was built in the 1970s, and our primary bathroom is definitely a “before,” not an “after,” when it comes to…
If you’re a regular reader of this column, you may have noticed I haven’t published anything new in a few weeks. You see, I was sick. I had the flu — the same terrible one that seems to be affecting people all over the country. I always say that having…
This year, I’m celebrating Parkinson’s Awareness Month by saying, “F— Parkinson’s!” If you watch the Apple TV show “Shrinking,” you’ll get exactly what I mean. The show features a group of multigenerational friends, three of whom work together at a psychiatrist’s office. (Get it? “Shrinking?”) Harrison Ford plays…
Explore More Columns
Discussion
Discussion
Discussion