James, I truly admire your ambition to tackle the Camino with the health challenges you have. There for sure is a way to do your Camino such that you have no additional health challenges when you reach Santiago. I hope you find that way.
It is really good news that your doctor says go ahead and do it at your own pace. Perhaps in doctor language you are at a certain level of pulmonary function that predicts 2,030 feet of vertical gain plus 5 miles horizontal gain (SJPDP to Orisson) will not be problematic for you lungs over the course of 8 hours with lots of rest stops during the walk.
For us lay people to offer opinions on whether this first stage to Orisson is doable for you, we need to talk a language that does not involve Oxygen levels in your blood. As others have asked, are you currently training on significant hills carrying your loaded pack? If yes how far are you going over what period of time with what elevation gain and how do you feel after that hike? How far can you hike on a hill with loaded pack (in time and distance) before you have to stop for a rest and how long of a rest do you need before you can go again? The better you can quantify these variables the better advice you will get from this community.
If you are not able to figure out objective performance data then try to estimate your stamina related to walking up stairs. How many levels/stories of a climate controlled office building could you walk up with your loaded backpack before you needed to stop for a rest…and how long of a stop would you need? Can you recover as quickly standing up as sitting down? Do your knees and hips limit you in sitting down on a low chair, step or the ground when it comes to getting back up on your feet again? Can you imagine yourself in one day climbing with your loaded backpack the 104 stories of the World Trade Center without using the hand rails, taking the elevator back down, then walking back up 65 stories, take the elevator down again, then walking 4.2 miles to Central park in rain or snow or heat? (all possible in late April). This scenario is roughly the equivalent exertion of SJPDP to Orisson in combined vertical and forward gain.
Traveling light is going to be important for you but traveling smart is going to be essential. Knowing when to stop and then actually stopping will be challenging. The pilgrim camaraderie will constantly be pulling your spirit forward long after your body is screaming to stop…listen to your body. There will always be a positive flip side when stopping (in addition to your health) that you would have missed had you kept walking be it a special view, feeling, thought or person you interact with while resting.
You may be exposed to the elements for longer periods of time each day due to your pace. Both the sun and rain can take a toll on you so be prepared with sun screen, a wide brimmed hat and good quality light weight rain gear. Before my Camino last year I thought hiking poles on the Camino were the Second silliest, gadgety, solution looking for a problem, gimmick I’d ever seen. I was wrong, I did use them on my hike, they were great, I will use them again. First place for useless, heavy, expensive, unnecessary equipment, in my uninformed mind was bringing an umbrella. I will be bringing one this fall of 2019. After some research I understand all the advantages I refused to consider in the past…just getting over the whole appearance/image thing seemed impossible but I am a function over form kind of guy so I’ll get used to it quickly. I would only consider a hands free version and the company euroschirm plus a few others make these trekking umbrellas. I still need to do more research before buying and if it turns out to be too fragile…fussy to use then I’ll admit it was a bad design but I really think this has a ton of potential for aiding in your comfort while hiking/walking in most conditions.
I asked earlier about recovery after exerting yourself. Is sitting much better than standing and if sitting in the wild, do you have problems getting back up. If sitting is very important then the last thing that might be useful to you is an “ultra-light chair” and yes, I realize this is an oxymoron. They are available in the 1 lb - 3 lbs range based on materials and seat height. Checkout Helinox. They are expensive but comfortable, they set-up/take down quickly (see videos), they are small & light…relatively speaking…but if you NEED a chair to rest in during your walk, then they are priceless. Pay close attention to the metric “seat height from ground” when shopping for one if squats are an issue for you.
There were many times on my Camino where I stopped at fantastic overlooks in the middle of nowhere. I would have loved to be sitting in my comfy Helinox camp chair with an umbrella blocking the cold rain or the heat of that raging sun while drinking a cold beer. Have you seen these new light weight, super efficient coolers that hold 2 beers and keep them cold all day? Just kidding…neither have I. Even without bringing a cooler to keep your beer in, you might want to look into daily backpack deliver service for your Camino. Bring a second super light and small backpack for your day time hiking essentials and send the rest ahead to your accommodations for the evening. This will free up space and weight and be less wear and tear on your knees, hips, lungs and every other body part that tends to hurt at night.
