If foot fails, can I volonteer?

[Anemone del Camino]

My fascia started giving trouble two weeks ago next Monday. And I fly to start the Primitivo in a week, next Monday. Last year, when I started to limp I just kept walking, thinking that, after all, I was not about to park myself at the Parador for 2 weeks waiting for my flight. But know that I will just cause more permanent damage, I am thinking that even if I cannot walk 25km a day I could do house work and help in an albergue. Who and how would I contact someone en route if my foot fails me to offer a hand? Fluent in French and Spanish, English used throughout boarding school and graduate school. Good cook. This will be my 5th 3 week long outing on the Camino: CF done, CDN from San Sebastian to Llanes.

 

[SYates]

Good point to start would be: http://www.caminosantiago.org/cpperegrino/hospitaleros/hospitaleros.asp

Buen Camino! SY

 

[naplesdon]

My fascia started giving trouble two weeks ago next Monday. And I fly to start the Primitivo in a week, next Monday. Last year, when I started to limp I just kept walking, thinking that, after all, I was not about to park myself at the Parador for 2 weeks waiting for my flight. But know that I will just cause more permanent damage, I am thinking that even if I cannot walk 25km a day I could do house work and help in an albergue. Who and how would I contact someone en route if my foot fails me to offer a hand? Fluent in French and Spanish, English used throughout boarding school and graduate school. Good cook. This will be my 5th 3 week long outing on the Camino: CF done, CDN from San Sebastian to Llanes.

I sympatize with you and do not want to diminish the problems you are having. I know very little about fascia, but I have walked the Camino for the last two years with severe neuropathy in my right foot. To put it simply, it is debilitating and hurts like "hell". Last year I limped from SJPdP to Santiago for 45 days. This year I plan to take it "easy" and walk from Oloron-Sainte-Marie to Logrono and later in the year from Burgos to Astorga and then Ferrol to Santiago. That doesn't make me a hero or special, I just did it with lots of rest days and shorter treks. This year I decided to add volunteering in early July at San Anton to my Camino experience, perhaps Reb Scott can give you some suggestions about places to volunteer.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

[QUOTE="biarritzdon, post: 302242, member: 18618" Last year I limped from SJPdP to Santiago for 45 days. This year I plan to take it "easy" and walk from Oloron-Sainte-Marie to Logrono and later in the year from Burgos to Astorga and then Ferrol to Santiago. .[/QUOTE]
Thank you Biarrtzdon, I also plan on short days. I have 3 or 4 of them, that are between 8 and 9 kms so hopefully that will be good. The 13 "traditional etapas" on the primitivo will be 17 according to what I have mapped out to accomodate my foot. And yesterday I went to the Dr's to pickup serious meds. But I know this is not a walk in the wilderness, that I will be amonsgt people and services throughout (except the Hospitales route if I opt to take it) so all will be fine. I just think that I would rather volunteer on site than sit in a hotel for days, or come home early, in case of complete refusal on the part of my foot to cooperate. While I cannot committ to a specific two week stint anywhere at the moment, if I can be of assistance somewhere by not. If not .... I think I hear the riefs and fish of the Red Sea calling ;0) Must remember to bring my bathingsuit!

 

[naplesdon]

[QUOTE="biarritzdon, post: 302242, member: 18618" Last year I limped from SJPdP to Santiago for 45 days. This year I plan to take it "easy" and walk from Oloron-Sainte-Marie to Logrono and later in the year from Burgos to Astorga and then Ferrol to Santiago. .

Thank you Biarrtzdon, I also plan on short days. I have 3 or 4 of them, that are between 8 and 9 kms so hopefully that will be good. The 13 "traditional etapas" on the primitivo will be 17 according to what I have mapped out to accomodate my foot. And yesterday I went to the Dr's to pickup serious meds. But I know this is not a walk in the wilderness, that I will be amonsgt people and services throughout (except the Hospitales route if I opt to take it) so all will be fine. I just think that I would rather volunteer on site than sit in a hotel for days, or come home early, in case of complete refusal on the part of my foot to cooperate. While I cannot committ to a specific two week stint anywhere at the moment, if I can be of assistance somewhere by not. If not .... I think I hear the riefs and fish of the Red Sea calling ;0) Must remember to bring my bathingsuit![/QUOTE]
HaHa! The beaches on the Red Sea sounds like a nice alternative; just like the beaches here in Biarritz. I guess you could always "stumble into" an albergue that is short handed and there you are with a job for a few days while your foot takes a breather.

 

[Anemone del Camino]

HaHa! The beaches on the Red Sea sounds like a nice alternative; just like the beaches here in Biarritz. I guess you could always "stumble into" an albergue that is short handed and there you are with a job for a few days while your foot takes a breather.

Oh, no, no beach, liveaboard diving boat! Just like the Camino, pure escape ;0)

 

[naplesdon]

Oh, no, no beach, liveaboard diving boat! Just like the Camino, pure escape ;0)

Sorry, we only surf here!

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Anemone, you've gotten some good advice here. I have never been a hospitalera, though it is definitely on my list for the first year after I retire, but I have helped out in albergues randomly when they were short staffed and I had arrived early enough in the day that I had time. Sometimes in municipals (Arca do Pino, Logrono, Melide), sometimes in privates (Fonfria, Ages). In fact, a couple of times the owner asked if I would stay on for a while, but I always had to move ahead. So my guess is that it would be easy to find a place to help out. Speaking Spanish will be helpful.

I think this is a great back-up, but I certainly hope you do not have to resort to it. Buen camino, and hope to hear how it goes when you're walking! Laurie