Can I still walk the Camino two weeks after neck operation?

[laurence]

I have been planning this walk for over a year. I am walking with my two sons and each of us have taken a month out of our busy lives, to do this.
I like to think that I am embracing the ethos of the Camino, by only planning the first and last day.
On my recent post, I had very helpful advice(thank you all) and I elected to have no plans for the balance of the 26 days.
I am a fit healthy middle-aged man and the one thing I did not factor in was my own health( I am a doctor.... We don't get sick).
I have an acute disc lesion in my neck(I did nothing wrong to get this...unfair!) and need to have an operation this week( last medical problem was 50 years ago)
I'm hoping that I will find some person, who has had a similar experience and can tell me whether I can still do this walk, beginning in three weeks time.I can get my sons to carry my pack, if necessary.
Am I being stupid?
Should I just go for it?
Should I postpone for a year? .....Will we ever get this opportunity again.
I welcome any suggestions and advice.

 

[Kanga]

I can't answer directly but can suggest a couple of things that might help.

No need for your sons to carry your pack - there are bag handling companies up and down the Camino (I'm assuming you will do the Camino Francés) They are very easy to use - see Caminofacil here and Jacotrans here for two companies. There are probably others.

The other thing you can do is break up your walk into very short stages until you know how your body is handling the walk. Most villages are only 7 or 8 kilometres apart - have a look at the Gronze and plan accordingly - here . That is also a good site to find non-albergue accommodation if you think you need a private room and bathroom.

There are also buses that parallel much of the route (although not to every village), and there are always taxis. As you are passing through different towns and villages, take note of the telephone number of the local taxi service, in case you need to call them from out on the track. The camino is never far from an access road.

Finally, pain killers in much higher doses than we can get are readily available! Although as you are a doctor you will know that is a slippery slope.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Your best advice will be from your doctor. He/she should know the stresses of backpacks. A baggage service may be more reliable than your sons. It doesn't cost much.

 

[laurence]

Hi
Thank you for your advice to the above question.What has transpired is that I've learnt several things of interest in the future
1) to put it bluntly, you cannot walk the comino so soon after an operation.
2) often the most stupid questions are asked by supposedly intelligent people( like myself..)..... if my patient came to me and asked that question I would have given a resounding "no," but sometimes the obvious solution in front of you, is the most difficult one.
-- after having gone to the supermarket for an hour yesterday and had to spend the rest of my day in great pain and exhausted, gave me a very graphic insight into the well-known (too all, except me) fact that an anaesthetic knocks you for several weeks. I guess some things you have to learn via the " University of hard knocks".In these sort of cases, the correct route to follow, is to ask the policeman/the common man and you will get the right answer. Most medical personnel (including me) have this romantic idea that we do not have to follow the mere mortal's path as we are healers. We learned that doing stupid things.
3) no matter how odd and carefully you plan, there is always an eventuality that you have not planned for and accept that this is life

After thoroughly depressing beginning to forum reply, I'm pleased to do that I'm convinced my two children to do the walk next week. I have asked them think of me every day and have a wonderful time. They do not have to feel guilty that I'm not there as We have all agreed that we will try and do The Camino at the same time, next year.
I do feel a bit like Charlie Sheen in the movie, as I will hopefully get some enjoyment from a daily two minutes discussion on the phone.
On that note I will reveal that is only 372 days until I begin the Camino
Regards to all

 

[NualaOC]

Sorry that it didn't work out for you this time, Laurence. I hope you enjoy the 'vicarious' Camino this year and the countdown to your real Camino next year.

Next year's Camino will probably be an even better experience that you could have imagined, as it will be your triumph over setbacks and adversities. Not that this will be much consolation to you at the moment - it's so disappointing when our best laid plans are thwarted by circumstances outside our control.