Health Matters and the Change Has Been Good
It was two years ago, December 9, 2012 when we landed in Panama City. As excited as I was, the fact that I had bronchitis dampened that feeling a lot. Day two found us looking for yet another round of antibiotics. I bought them over the counter. They worked great, too. I had such severe allergies in the USA, especially in Texas, that I usually had some kind of upper respiratory infection at least twice a year. Odd, but it seemed the doctors had no idea how to treat it. I was given the wrong medications often and it took time to recover. While my immunity was down there was frequently a second infection and on and on. Here in Panama I have been able to see my cholesterol lower by over 100 points! I take no medications at all and I will soon be 68.
The clean air here in Panama has been wonderful. I have had no respiratory infections in 2013, but I had two in 2014. I attribute both to allergies of some kind. I hate allergies but I have suffered from them all my life, so it is not unusual to deal with a bout of sinus problems from time to time. At any rate, the doctors here seem to handle them effectively! Plus living in Boquete, there is no need for heat or air-conditioning so one doesn't have to deal with dirty air ducts or drying heaters.
What I am most pleased with is that my husband has been a veritable rock since we arrived here. He was on a heart medication, diabetes, a blood thinner, two blood pressure medications and was a bit
overweight. He was able to lose to 200 pounds, has cut out the heart medications, one of the blood pressure medicines, and takes less than a third of the diabetic medication he was taking in the USA. He still takes the blood thinner due to A-Fib, and his blood pressure medicine is way down to only one pill a day. He feels so much better than he did just two years ago. He has his INR checked at a local lab every three to four weeks, and he has found a cardiologist in David. He got a very good report in June. I am so happy he seems more relaxed here and is seldom as irritable as he was at home in Texas. Our relationship is definitely more comfortable and loving.
He and I both know that at our age anything can happen. We do our best to enjoy life and to be as
healthy as we can be considering we love to eat, enjoy our slower lifestyle and a glass of wine or beer several times a week. Our value is on the quality of life, not so much the quantity of it. Panama has been good to us and for us. It is a place we enjoy very much and I think that the improved health reflects that we are in the right place for our retirement. With that said, this is a different country, not a clone of the USA, and some people find it stressful and feel uncomfortable. They do not like it here. It is fine, just go home or find another retirement location in a different country. One size doesn't fit all. As for us, we love it in Panama for so many reasons, including better health. Health matters, you know, as much as money or love in most cases.
The clean air here in Panama has been wonderful. I have had no respiratory infections in 2013, but I had two in 2014. I attribute both to allergies of some kind. I hate allergies but I have suffered from them all my life, so it is not unusual to deal with a bout of sinus problems from time to time. At any rate, the doctors here seem to handle them effectively! Plus living in Boquete, there is no need for heat or air-conditioning so one doesn't have to deal with dirty air ducts or drying heaters.What I am most pleased with is that my husband has been a veritable rock since we arrived here. He was on a heart medication, diabetes, a blood thinner, two blood pressure medications and was a bit
overweight. He was able to lose to 200 pounds, has cut out the heart medications, one of the blood pressure medicines, and takes less than a third of the diabetic medication he was taking in the USA. He still takes the blood thinner due to A-Fib, and his blood pressure medicine is way down to only one pill a day. He feels so much better than he did just two years ago. He has his INR checked at a local lab every three to four weeks, and he has found a cardiologist in David. He got a very good report in June. I am so happy he seems more relaxed here and is seldom as irritable as he was at home in Texas. Our relationship is definitely more comfortable and loving.He and I both know that at our age anything can happen. We do our best to enjoy life and to be as
healthy as we can be considering we love to eat, enjoy our slower lifestyle and a glass of wine or beer several times a week. Our value is on the quality of life, not so much the quantity of it. Panama has been good to us and for us. It is a place we enjoy very much and I think that the improved health reflects that we are in the right place for our retirement. With that said, this is a different country, not a clone of the USA, and some people find it stressful and feel uncomfortable. They do not like it here. It is fine, just go home or find another retirement location in a different country. One size doesn't fit all. As for us, we love it in Panama for so many reasons, including better health. Health matters, you know, as much as money or love in most cases.