How Our Quality of Life Improved in Panama

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                Our move to Panama happened after the economic downturn of the Obama administration took its toll on our quality of life. Yes, it was more than that, too. The cost of medical care skyrocketing, the cost of everything going up never down. Increased taxes, poor air quality, too many sick days and frankly after two years or more of intense research I could not find a single place in the USA we could live on our social security alone.  Sounds grim, but for us Panama was the answer!

 

We have had a wonderful side effect of good health here in the mountains near Boquete, Panama. My husband Arne has cut his medications for diabetes in half or less than that his blood pressure meds in half.  He still takes blood thinner, but less than when he was in the states. He was able to get off his heart medication. His A-fib has been so much less, his blood pressure much lower, his sugar level good to great. My health issues were mostly stress-related due to poor air quality and allergies. I used to have bronchitis every year to the point of being bedridden for a week or more with a usual recovery of weeks or months. I was recovering from the last bout in December 2012 when we arrived here in Panama. Since that time I have had only minor allergies, no serious problems and a brief attack of kidney stones. Otherwise the doctors here would starve if they depended on my visits or Arne's.

 

We pay about the same rent we would in the USA for a 1,200 plus square foot condo just outside the village of Boquete. Our rent, electric, and cable are affordable. After we pay that we have money left for groceries, cabs, coffee and treats. We enjoy wine and beer, we enjoy dining out, we go to town and shop or browse. Our home is not elegant but is comfortable and our friends enjoy visiting. Most of the time we have all our meals out on the large patio. We live in gated community with wonderful neighbors; we mix and mingle well. What is nice is that there is always someone home and it offers an added sense of security. We can walk into town without any problems at all. 

 

Our children and friends use SKYPE or Magic Jack to keep in touch; we also use Facebook to see the latest pictures of grandkids and relatives.

 

So it is easy to say we have a lot less stress here. You know that stress kills and with all the external stress in the US from the climate, the water and air, the government, lack of money and jobs, topped off with a nightmare medical mess you can see how much better off we are here in Panama.

 

We have the ability to travel, to enjoy this beautiful country and enjoy foods, places and things we could never afford in the USA. There are schools, churches, even a number of fast food American brands here. You can watch American TV; purchase American brands in appliances and groceries, cars, trucks, and fly American airlines. 

 

We are 5 to 6 hours from Panama City, less than an hour from David, about and hour and half from Costa Rica. When you fly from Tocumen International Airport in Panama City you can be in Florida in 2 hours or so and you can be in DFW International Airport (Dallas- Fort Worth) on a direct flight in four hours. 

 

Panama is a friendly country; the people are kind, helpful and smart. It seems many people view the Panamanians as third world stupid; yes they do things different but they are not stupid. The laws are easy to live within, the country is pro-American in general and especially in the tourist locations.

 

We get an occasional earthquake but no hurricanes, tornados, or hail. Sometimes they have flooding that does damage here but it is infrequent. There are a number of micro weather patterns in locations high above the lowlands. Ours here in Boquete is exceptional!  I highly recommend this location as a wonderful place to live. No need for a heater or air conditioning, spring-like year round.

The pictures tell the story better than I can. We love Panama!