My dad has end-stage COPD. We’re very anxious, obviously, and we’re so isolated we’re like bears in hibernation.

Fortunately, having almost no neighbors makes that pretty easy.

One thing we’ve learned, though, over the past few years, is that when you’re having trouble breathing, anxiety is deadly.

When Dad has a breathing spasm, the panic is the worst. We have to treat the anxiety as much or more than the actual physical symptoms.

If he can’t stop panicking, he can’t breathe, no matter what the underlying problem is.

His doctors and nurses take anxiety very seriously. When they ask about it, we now know why, and just how critical it is.

So please don’t feel like being anxious is a weakness to be ashamed of. To a medical professional, it’s an important symptom they can treat and help with.

Here’s to ALL of us getting through the next few weeks as comfortably and as well as we can!

Peace to you guys.