Panic attacks and COPD

Good.

Terri ~ It's awful feeling to be assaulted by things that don't agree with us.

Lill

That's really good advice lill, and this is the sort of thing I do at the start of mindfulness meditation:  I am sitting in this chair, I can hear the birds outside, I feel warm or cold or hot and so on.

I also repeat to myself in time with my breathing "I am calm, I am serene, my mind is clear and focussed" ..... takes some practice, but if done often it's fairly easy to take a quick dip back into it in times of stress, even if only for a minute or so.

Thanks Lill.  Definitely going to try that.  Hadn't had an attack for, oh, maybe 6 months or more.  Will try what you suggested if another one happens.  Take care.

I live in a resort town, in the summer it's wonderful, not so much in the winter.  I used to live in Victoria and previous to that in Vancouver, I'm from Vancouver originally.  Yes, it would make sense to live in a larger city, if only for the availability of good doctors and hospitals.  There is no hospital here where I live, nearest one is about 30 to 45 mins. away depending on traffic. 

Thankfully I haven't run into any black or brown bear here, everyday I have deer on my property, also rabbits, and there have been quite a few cougar sightings lately.  There is 26 acres of bush and trees behind my property so there is quite a lot of wildlife. 

As far as moving south again, it doesn't make sense for me financially. Much more expensive in Victoria and Vancouver housing prices and rents are crazy high, out of reach for me.  Thanks for your message David.  Take care.

p.s. (I guess?). I have experienced cabin fever.  Used to live in a place called Kitsault, it's still in B.C., way up north, Ketchikan, Alaska is opposite Kitsault.  There was no road, had to fly to Prince Rupert and then take a float plane into Kitsault.  There was a molybdenum mine there in those days. When making a trip to Prince Rupert to do the yearly Christmas shopping, after having spent months in the bush, I used to go into a kind of culture shock.  Too many people and noise, traffic, etc. 

I had to learn how to shoot a rifle as there was black, brown and a grizzly bear living in close vicinity to me.  Also wolverine, they are nasty little buggers.  Moose, elk, mountain sheep, I loved it actually. People were the problem.  Some would feed the bears, Hello?  do you have a brain?  Apparently not.  A mother bear had to be shot because she kept coming into the town site to eat, her two cubs were left motherless.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.  Way off topic.  Oh well.  

Yes, I realise Victoria is now pretty expensive. But none of us is getting any younger, and some pragmatism has to be applied in readiness for old age. Hence the suggestion. It's no good being out in the sticks when things go wrong.

I remember from having to rush a couple of unexpected emergencies to Vic General on Helmcken, and downtown Victoria, that the attention was first rate for the patients. Both required urgent attention. Canadian healthcare, outside central districts, is now not as good as it was.

By the same token I can not speak highly enough of the NHS. 

I have actually thought about moving to England.  Thinking that NHS is the National Health Service in England? or am I wrong?  Reading the posts on this site about what they have in the UK and in Australia for that matter, with respect to health care, makes me a little angry that we, here in Canada, have allowed our health care system to go downhill.  Each province has their own "health care system" and some are better than others.  You are absolutely right in saying that some pragmatism needs to be applied in readiness for old age.  Just actually doing something about it is another story!

Yes the NIH is in the UK.   It is not idylic though - far from it as it's being run down a lot and parts of it are currently being privatised.  I reckon if we Brits don't stop it it won't exist in it's present form very long.   Ok it's free if you can wait long enough for an appointment and don't die on the waiting lists.  Anyway we have more than enough folk here now and we are only a small island.   x

Ok.  So you don't want me in the UK hypercat?  (my attempt at humour).

Guess nothing is as good as one thinks it is.  A shame.  Always thought that the NHS was good, very good in fact. Thanks Hypercat.

NHS is great. Best hospital in England is Tunbridge Wells/Pembury.

They have probably rescued me twice.

. . . Have messaged you.

Ha ha Terri as far as I am concerned you would be more than welcome in the UK.   The NHS used to be brilliant years ago but this was before certain things got privatised like dental treatment.  And before successive Govts have starved it of funds,  especially the current one which is trying to privatise a lot more of it.  We have just had a junior doctors strike where 98% of them voted to strike against new terms and conditions which would put them under increased stress for less money and would put patients at risk.  This is still ongoing.  The latest I heard is that the Govt are saying they will impose it anyway.  Some of the doctors have had enough and say they will leave the country for a better life.   This will leave us even shorter of doctors.   GP's surgeries are closing down as the older ones retire and there is no one to replace them.  At one time you could get an appointment the same day or within 48 hours.  Now many are waiting weeks. 

However when you do eventually get seen the doctors and nurses are mainly  wonderful,  very caring and kind,  especially in the hospitals.  x

 

he same thing is going on here in Canada, although each province governs their own healthcare system and some are a lot better than others.  In BC, where I live the system is not great.  We have the same problem with doctors retiring and no doctors to take their place.  After two years of looking I finally found a new GP.  He is from Nigeria and has no hospital privileges, so if I end up in the hospital I am at the mercy of the emergency doctors.  My darn computer is freezing.  x