Camino Miracles

One little experience I haven't noted regarding this Camino was a problem I encountered back in August. I was noticing soreness in my hips when I bent over. Brushing my teeth or washing my face became very painful. Soon anything but sitting was nearly horribly taxing. I couldn't decide if walking or lying down was more painful.

The pain began moving from the back of my hips to the front of my leg.

In all of this, I was moving from the US to England. I'd ended one health care plan and not yet arrived to my new one. For once, a plane ride was a relief. Sitting was the least pain off all.

I didn't need to move any boxes. They were all sititng in my flat when I arrived. Bit by bit, I unpacked. Shopping in my little town had to all be on foot. I had to walk to work. I was relieved when I finally could just sit at work.

The pain had moved down to the top of my calf and down into my foot. My foot began to flop like a flat tire. This is how I spent my September.

I prayed. I let my friend know our trip was at risk. How could I walk the camino when walking to work was painful and sounded liked a sea lyon's flipper? I couldn't even wear my boots as my foot didn't want to bend enough allow me to tie it. I booked my tickets anyway, figuring it that being in the UK, the financial loss would be relatively small if I couldn't go and I truly had faith, that somehow, I'd make it.

I "felt" I needed to be working my back more. I needed to get my foot to bend. I needed to fight the pain, without ibuprophen and aspirin. I had insurance, but not my National Insurance Number. I didn't have enough energy to try to navigate the system.

Every morning and everynight I did "mini" yoga. I overdid it at one point and lost ground. I focused on getting my hips and back flexible again, straightening my leg and getting my foot to have some range of motion again.

Slowly, but surely, I increased my speed and reduced my the "flop". I began to walk some distances. It wore me out and often set me back. But each setback allowed me a little more gain.

Now you know why walking into Santiago de Compostela that last day was so important to me.