LIVE from the Camino My Camino with the shattered foot

[Becky 59]

I am excited to be leaving Seattle tomorrow, and after a week at a family wedding near London will head down to SJPdP to start my Camino! I have been dreaming of this for 2 years, following a devastating car crash (tree fell on car) that shattered my right foot talus bone and crushed my right forearm. I was determined to regain enough function to do at least part of The Way! I want to cross the Pyrenees on the lower route, and cover the last 100 km, at a minimum but hoping to do more. I won't be keeping up with you 20-30 km/day walkers, but I can handle at least 10 km on my training hikes. I thank many of you on this forum for good advice (@Kanga for macabi skirts, @davebugg for foot care and packing lists, and lots of others as well). If you see me on the road with a purple pack and a Tulley's hat, smile and wave!

 

[Deleted member 67185]

My best wishes and prayers go with you, Becky. You have a great attitude, and I look forward to reading about your Camino adventure. Buen Camino

 

[Anamya]

Buen Camino, Becky! You will have a lovely, challenging, unforgettable time! Keep us posted!

 

[domigee]

Buen Camino, Becky! You will have a lovely, challenging, unforgettable time! Keep us posted!

Buen camino, Becky

 

[Anamiri]

Enjoy your Camino, in a way walking slowly only means it lasts longer and you have more time to look around.

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

Wish you well Beckey .
The Cathedral will be there to welcome you.

 

[Frances Bat]

Buen camino, Pilgrim

 

[IngridF]

Buen Camino, take it slow and lots of rest and ice... my special medicine is Orujo... but that's just me.

 

[texano]

Buen Camino!

 

[Gerard Carpenter]

I am excited to be leaving Seattle tomorrow, and after a week at a family wedding near London will head down to SJPdP to start my Camino! I have been dreaming of this for 2 years, following a devastating car crash (tree fell on car) that shattered my right foot talus bone and crushed my right forearm. I was determined to regain enough function to do at least part of The Way! I want to cross the Pyrenees on the lower route, and cover the last 100 km, at a minimum but hoping to do more. I won't be keeping up with you 20-30 km/day walkers, but I can handle at least 10 km on my training hikes. I thank many of you on this forum for good advice (@Kanga for macabi skirts, @davebugg for foot care and packing lists, and lots of others as well). If you see me on the road with a purple pack and a Tulley's hat, smile and wave!

Hi becky, my wife and I begin on May the 8th in sjpp, she has not fully recovered from a broken ankle in november, have you checked out if buses are available along the route, I cant find much info, enjoy and be safe

 

[musicman]

Very best of good fortune on your Camino - don’t forget your Ibruprofen!

 

[nycwalking]

Buen camino.

 

[gittiharre]

I am excited to be leaving Seattle tomorrow, and after a week at a family wedding near London will head down to SJPdP to start my Camino! I have been dreaming of this for 2 years, following a devastating car crash (tree fell on car) that shattered my right foot talus bone and crushed my right forearm. I was determined to regain enough function to do at least part of The Way! I want to cross the Pyrenees on the lower route, and cover the last 100 km, at a minimum but hoping to do more. I won't be keeping up with you 20-30 km/day walkers, but I can handle at least 10 km on my training hikes. I thank many of you on this forum for good advice (@Kanga for macabi skirts, @davebugg for foot care and packing lists, and lots of others as well). If you see me on the road with a purple pack and a Tulley's hat, smile and wave!

All the best to you and I hope your body will continue to gain in strength.

 

[Deleted member 73892]

Buen Camino brave and strong pilgrim. You sound as though you have a wondeful reserve of determination and strength. You will get through as much and as far as you want, and surprise yourself too, I'm sure. Its a wonderful blessing, with many along the way. God bless.
Love, Light & Nature, keith.

 

[JennyH94]

Buen Camino Becky. Best wishes too for your family wedding in gorgeous London. I can second Ingrid's comments about the excellent medicinal properties of Orujo - it's available at any bar and unlike medicines from the pharmacy, you can buy it 'after hours'!
Take much joy on those ancient and sacred paths - be a Camino snail and savour every magical moment.
Cheers from Oz - Jenny

 

[Scarlet Fez]

Hi Becky, you should have been here in London last week. Warmest April days in 70 years.
Good luck on your Camino, slow and steady is the answer. Friendships made will carry you through some of the uncomfortable bits.
I crushed my big toe at the beginning of March, 'Tuft fracture' minor in comparison to what you have endured. Seems to have healed well and been given the all clear to trek. Probably foolishly I have booked a flight to Biarritz on May 1st and will be commencing the Del Norte from Irun on May 2nd. No real training preperation but am reasonably fit for my age. The first 2/3 days are supposed to be really hard work so this could be a real challenge, but l intend to take my time and if necessary draw inspiration from the scenery and hopefully some company met along the way. Not sure how far I will go, only bought the flight for one way. I'll listen to my foot and see how things turn out.
Buen Camino on your special adventure.

 

[Marcus-UK]

I am excited to be leaving Seattle tomorrow, and after a week at a family wedding near London will head down to SJPdP to start my Camino! I have been dreaming of this for 2 years, following a devastating car crash (tree fell on car) that shattered my right foot talus bone and crushed my right forearm. I was determined to regain enough function to do at least part of The Way! I want to cross the Pyrenees on the lower route, and cover the last 100 km, at a minimum but hoping to do more. I won't be keeping up with you 20-30 km/day walkers, but I can handle at least 10 km on my training hikes. I thank many of you on this forum for good advice (@Kanga for macabi skirts, @davebugg for foot care and packing lists, and lots of others as well). If you see me on the road with a purple pack and a Tulley's hat, smile and wave!

You did not say whether you were going to be using Trekking poles? One of the advantages of trekking poles is that you can support a percentage of your body weight through the pole and alleviate some of the stress going through your injured leg. Some pole designs like the "Pacer Poles" seem to be able to transmit more weight through the forearms.

Good luck with your Camino

 

[Scarlet Fez]

Marcus makes a very good point about the use of poles. I as a general rule only use them to ascend and descend the steeps but it shares the load, takes strain off the joints and helps keep an energy efficient rythym when I'm struggling .

 

[Becky 59]

Yes I am walking with poles which I will buy in SJPdP. Another advantage of using poles is decreasing swelling in hands (important for me because my right forearm was also shattered and has poor lymph drainage). Good advice on poles all around.

 

[Becky 59]

Very best of good fortune on your Camino - don’t forget your Ibruprofen!

Good advice. I prefer Aleve (12 hours vs 8 hours duration), is that available in Spain?

 

[Becky 59]

Tomorrow is my start day! I'm excited and nervous, of course. We are in SJPdP tonight, called this morning to book 2 bunks in a private Gite (Chemin vers l'Etoile, down the street from the pilgrim office).. A volunteer at the office told me overflow lodging would be on the floor of the gym.The whole town is pretty full, and they are expecting lots of long-weekend travellers because of the Ascension Day holiday tomorrow. The non-peregrine tourists at the next table at dinner wished us Buen Camino as we wished them Bon Vacance.

 

[mylifeonvacation]

I prefer Aleve (12 hours vs 8 hours duration), is that available in Spain?

"Naproxeno" is available in 500mg tablets in Spain (I can't speak for France) pharmacies, so that should work for you. Buen camino to you!

 

[Becky 59]

I'm 3 days into my Camino and I made it over the Pyrenees! We took the lower route and stayed in Valcarlos at the alberge (there were only 7 of us on Thursday night). We had awesome sunny weather to go over the pass, and lots of very nice views. Given that I walk very slowly, we didn'tget to Roncesvalle (sp?) until 5 pm. We had no reservations but did get bunks in the overflow basement (which is now divided into cubicles of 5 bunk beds). The alberge was packed (Friday night weekenders), but not noisy or rowdy.

I was so exhausted at the end of those 2 days, I must have looked horrible, because the hospitalers hustled me into a chair and got me water. They noticed my compression sock on the shattered-ankle side, and a compression gauntlet on my injured right arm, and asked if I was alright. After sharing the story of my car vs tree accident, she and I were both in tears! I was so proud to have walked over the Pyrenees!

Today we walked another 12 km to stay in a Casa Rural. I heard that Zubiri is all booked, at least everything bookable on booking.com...

 

[Frances Bat]

That's great! I'm enjoying the updates.

 

[Becky 59]

After the first 3 days at the beginning of the Camino Frances, we skipped ahead to Sarria. I am averaging 12-13 km per day; the one day we did 17 I limped badly all night. I share my story with other peregrinos we meet as we stop for food, wine, and beer, and so many people comment how inspiring my story is. That I itself is so gratifying, that I can give someone a "warm fuzzy" type of story. Tomorrow night we are shooting for O Pedrouzo, and anticipate 2 days after that to SdC! My new trail nickname is "Tortuga", which is Spanish for tortoise.

 

[Frances Bat]

Sounds brilliant!

 

[Becky 59]

The tortuga has arrived! I made it to Santiago yesterday, and the pilgrim office calculated that I had walked 160 km! What a feat! Now if only I could find Casa Ivar...

 

[Bala]

Congratulations!!

 

[Frances Bat]

Well done! A great achievement!

 

[SYates]

The tortuga has arrived! I made it to Santiago yesterday, and the pilgrim office calculated that I had walked 160 km! What a feat! Now if only I could find Casa Ivar...

Another time: Welcome to Santiago! It was lovely meeting you yesterday! Buen Camino de la Vida, SY