Day 12 – Santiago de Compostela – October 9

Today was a good and amazing day.

Today was a hard day.

Today was an emotional day.

I had planned at staying at Hotel Castro in Formaris outside of Santiago, but I messed up the bookings, felt good, and so booked Hospedaje Juan Rey in O Mexionfiro. It was a fine room, small, but the bed was comfy. By the way, the hotelier was very helpful. And, the restaurant/cafe is closed, they don’t serve breakfast, and the key to the pool didn’t work.

What I didn’t know is that TaxiCaminoIngles doesn’t transfer luggage into Santiago. I am a little unclear on where they stop doing transport, but my hotelier had no idea what I was talking about when I asked for a luggage transport envelope. (That is not good news).

I called the phone number TaxiCaminoIngles had given me, unaware that it was to a different luggage transport, CaminoFacil. They require you to make arrangements the day before (and they cost a little more).

I left the luggage and said I would be back, and they were okay with that. It was not the best start to a day, however. 

I walked on, feeling tremulous about finishing the journey. Of course, I met loud construction, got lost about 6 times, etc., but I found myself arriving at the cathedral. The wrong door of the cathedral. I was sent around to the next door. (So I didn’t actually arrive the last few 100 meters on the Camino Ingles until the next day.) 

When I arrived to this second door, a kind English speaking person told me they had a service starting in 20-30 minutes, someone else said they thought that it would include the swinging of the the Botafumeiro. I was there, so I decided to go to the service. 

Then, out of nowhere, someone called my name! One of my Facebook Camiga’s friends was there! What luck! It was so neat to …well, to know someone and have a friend know me!

We chatted and then I went in and sat for the service. 

It swept me away that I started crying. I had no idea I had anything to cry over. Total Surprise! 

I wasn’t sitting there crying because I was ‘at the end’ of this journey. (I wasn’t.) But rather that I had unwittingly taken on so much. It has been no walk in the park! 

And for me, it wasn’t the walking that made the trip big or hard, although that certainly was more challenging than I expected. Instead, it is the walking AND ALL THE OTHER STUFF. Everything else from flying internationally, navigating new cities and transportation, new languages, new relationships coming together and letting go, some loneliness, all the effort and worry about booking accommodations, the luggage transfers, self-promotion to raise awareness of Coronary Microvascular Disorders (CMD) (behaviour that is very foreign to me), etc. All of it. Looking back, I could now see that it all was so much! 

I am glad I didn’t have the foresight to see all the challenges, because I might not have come – and I am glad I did. 

In March, I thought I was going to die. In April, I had been house bound, unable to walk 20 feet, and living with constant chest pain. I got a provocation angiogram with a challenge heart cath, got on medication, and started training to walk the Camino. I worked up to 5-6 miles a couple of times a week. 

Four weeks before I came to the Camino Ingles, I had had another flare and stopped being able to walk much at all. Two weeks before I came, I couldn’t walk 2 miles a day. But I had booked the tickets, so I knew I was coming. 

I never thought I would be able to walk 8 miles in day, now that I had this heart condition. 

I never thought I would feel better. 

I never thought all the rest of the trip would entail so much work. And now, I was here, crying, as if arriving at the chapel had been a lifelong dream. Being able to walk freely, that has been a dream, one I took for granted my whole life. One I had lost belief in.

After mass, I went to the square, got my picture taken, and took other people’s picture. 

I felt a bit dazed to be here.

I think my arrival was both a bit of a shock, and also, not the high point, spiritually, personally, of the journey. The high point was the point where I came to believe I could survive my Coronary Microvascular Disorders (CMD).

I also had not had any breakfast, no coffee or cocoa or tea…and no water. And it had been a bit of a morning. But, before those other, really important things, I had another job to do – go get my Compostela.

I found my way to the Pilgrims Office. I had gotten a QR code. When I got there a man just handed me a number and suddenly, I was only 2 people away from the desk. It didn’t take long at all. I got a travel tube at the gift shop. Then I was done. Everything else is as a tourist.

I met with my Camiga friend at a cafe, quiet a hike away from the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, after arriving there at the end of my Camino. We had a nice breakfast and talk, sharing bits more of our stories. It is so nice to meet and hear from other people why they are here, what it means, and how they came to the idea. Then we parted ways. (Hi – Shelley!!!)

I went to the Pilgrim House and got help finding out how to get back to my luggage (3 miles away and uphill). They were very helpful. They even took some of my CMD pamphlets. (I have now given away at 75 of them. Yay!!!)

They even loaded an app so I could find a bus…and oh, look! The bus is leaving in just a few minutes!! I zoomed out and caught the bus, confirming with the driver that it was the right bus. This is the cool bit. I got OFF the bus on one road, like an H, imagine. Walked down the horizontal street, got my bags, and GOT ON the same bus, with the same driver, as he came back down the other vertical section of the H. This was really nice, because he knew me and was watching out for me. When we came to the stop I had gotten on at, he asked if I wanted to get off. I told him no, and where I was going. I had a little guardian angel looking out after me.

Unfortunately, I got off about ¼ mile before I needed to. It was some of the hottest work I had done. I was so very, very thirsty and it was really warming up. 

I drug my heavy suitcase uphill all the way, mostly in the sun, to the nun’s hostel. Then I couldn’t find the front door. I went to the 2 most obvious ones; the ones google maps led me to – but those weren’t the entrance. I was now crazy with thirst. I spied a water spigot on the side of the building and filled and drank from my water bag! 

It likely helped my brain – water…it does that. I tried again, actually seeing the sign that said “Entrance thata way!” 

Guess what? That was where the entrance was!

I showered and got myself out to get some food. The nearest place was the college cafeteria. Of course, I didn’t know how it worked, so I got corrected a bit…enough that the man doing it became friendly. I really wanted to order food, get a beer and an ice-cream. But when I got food and tried to get a beer, they told me (in fast, wordy, Spanish) I could only have water. Tried to get a desert AND fruit, but I could only have one. So many mistakes!!! (I am laughing here). When I tried to go outside to sit, they told me I couldn’t. They guided me over to where I could pay. I ate inside…I did get my ice-cream and beer…later.

Payment accomplished, food, beer, ice cream eaten, I got up to leave and my new friend called out Adios and have a good day, as I left. I guess it wasn’t a total wash!

I am pretty much done for the day.

But – I did it! I did it! 

And now – I am done.

Thank you God!

I can’t wait to go home and see my daughter and husband. I just have to get through a few more days of navigating in a foreign land…Did I mention it would be a good idea to learn more Spanish?

I hope you will mention Coronary Microvascular Disorders to your aunts, church members, social clubs, golf friends, etc. when they complain that they or someone they know keeps having chest pain, but it isn’t a heart attack (because they were good and went to the ER, right!?). 

Those darn small vessels of the heart get problems, too. They are so small, though, it makes getting a diagnosis hard. Remember Fred Sanford (in the sitcom Sanford and Sons – if you’re old enough). How he would garb his chest when he got upset? …well, that actually is a thing. A real thing. A set of disorders called Coronary Microvascular Disorders. Go to INOCA international for information. I have a (layperson) video. Let’s help take this out of the dark and get people the help they need.

I will have more posts…just more erratically. 

Thanks for journeying with me. I hope you’ve enjoyed it. I know it has been an amazing journey for me. 

Bless you all – Be well. Live fully.

Day 11 – O Mexiofrio – October 8

I slept well at the Albergue Camino Real. Which isn’t to say I didn’t still get up at 6 am. I think most of the pilgrims were out the door before I was.

This morning I left alone, yet still was part of a group of peregrinos. Most of them passed me, it’s true. But a set of 5 or 6 people stayed at my hiking speed, though we passed each other numerous times. 

I walked past a small barn that smelled of sweet feed, corn, and cow poop. Going past, I noticed they had Holsteins. Margaret was telling me how most cows here in Europe are A2 milk producing brown cows. They don’t produce quiet as much milk, but the milk is more digestible.

In US of America, we like things big… So, we have Holsteins. They produce a huge volume of milk, but it has different milk proteins: A1 milk. That is why I sometimes can get away with American milk, but most often, not. Also explains why I can generally tolerate European milk products.

This is not the only cow poop smell assaulting me on this trip. I am sorry to say, it is the season of sh*!… fertilizer. The season of freshly turned fields, that have been topped with ….natural fertilizer.

It is also clearly a season that smells like summer turning into fall. I hadn’t realized that had a smell. It does. It is round, mellow and sweet; more relaxed than summer, when everything is super busy growing and producing. 

One of the ladies in the group hiking at my pace was stopped on a rock on a very steep hill. The background was delightful, so I asked if she would like me to take her picture, which I did. From then, periodically another woman, Brenda, walked beside me and we chatted. This was fairly shortly before we reached Hotel Castro. 

Hotel Castro was supposed to be my stop for the day – at about 5 mile (7 -8 km). But I had screwed the booking up, and had it booked for tomorrow. Because I was able to cancel, I did. 

I booked myself in to Hospedaje Juan Rey, which was another 3 miles up the road (6-7 km). I didn’t know if I could go that far, but figured I could call a taxi if I couldn’t. It was going to be hot again – 84F.

So, I was chatting with Brenda as we came up to the cafe at the Hotel Castro and she said she would sit with me! Her group was made all of expats from Venezuela, Ecuador, Guatemala, etc., who now lived in Chicago. 

I told her a bit about CMD and she said they all had worked at big pharma, so she found it really interesting and wanted to know more. 

On one of the last big hills, I was talking with the other woman. We discussed my condition. She was a research biologist too, so we could actually talk about studies and lack of studies. She could understand when I said I had looked at the research…that I meant I had looked at the original articles, not done a search on Google. Still, they are meta-analyses…so…Eeeeh!

It is actually hard to bring up my condition and a shock when I can discuss it rationally with someone. Not many people feel comfortable discussing the possibility of death. I like it when they are able to do so – but it is shocking that they can. 

Further up that last big hill, I started getting sharp chest pain and had to put on a second nitro patch. I believe that is Coronary Artery Spasm and the trigger was the hill and the topic. My heart felt better, but that much nitroglycerin gives me a stuffy nose and a headache.

I walked with them until I got to my hotel, and by then it was hot. Though I wish I could’ve walked on with them, even thought about doing so, I was glad to be done. I had done my longest day 13.8 km or 8+ miles. I was glad not to be going on, and happy to have had the experience of meeting and making friends along the Camino. 

Now – I am complete. (I thought.)

I chatted with my friend back home, Leah. She recalled a name I was trying to remember. We DO have an example of CMD in an old television sitcom – Fred Sanford and Sons. Whenever Fred’s son, Lamont, would say something liberal, Fred would grab his chest and say he was coming to join Elizabeth, his wife. That – right there – that is CMD. And it is common enough to have a stereotype.

(I think there was a Grandma type character that did the same thing, but can’t recall who it was. Hit me up with the answer if you know.)

One more day to the big finale. I am so close…and yet, stopping and resting is what I need to do. It will leave me fresh and ready tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing the cathedral! 

While I am looking forward to finishing, I feel like that is not the important part of this journey. The important part is what I have done along the way. 

Hopefully I’ve done good in the world for others. 

Definitely I have done good for myself!

Photo Credit: Tama Cathers

Links:

Day 10 – Finding My Personal Reason for My Pilgrimage – MidDay: October 7

In March of this year, I was suddenly ill with a worsening chest pain over my heart. I was so debilitated I needed a handicap placard and was trying to figure out how to get a wheelchair to take me from my car to the cardiologist’s office, when things finally eased up a bit. 

I had knew something had been going on for a while; I’d had signs of heart failure for over a year, but all normal tests. Then, ever since my covid booster, I had heart pain when I went up inclines. Now, I was in pain all the time, and unable to do any thing.

From the time I started complaining about the heart failure signs (shortness of breath, weight gain not in alignment with calories and pitting edema), it took a long time to get a diagnosis of Coronary Microvascular Disorders: 30 months, to be exact. I did all the tests, until finally, someone mentioned coronary microvascular issues, and I got scheduled for the diagnostic for that. Turns out, that is what was going on.

Coronary microvascular issues, are often overlooked and under-diagnosed causes of heart pain. (I almost didn’t do the test because every other test had come back normal!) Often women have them, and their pain is written off. I was lucky to have a great heart specialist, Dr. Ziada, at the Cleveland Clinic.

I was put on medication and improved dramatically. I knew I had possibly had limited time to do anything really active so I decided to walk El Camino Ingles, a pilgrimage trail in Spain, and to raise awareness of these not so uncommon Disorders. 

Today, Day 9 of my walk, I realized my personal purpose for this pilgrimage.

After first light, daybreak and sunrise, it suddenly came to me – what the point of my pilgrimage is. 

I had just done several km/miles of long hills. I thought of the Karma post (last Blog). I thought of how I was actually able to do these hills, these km/miles, these days. I realized I was feeling good; better and better. It seems like either no exercise or a lot of exercise (like this) suits my heart. That recognition that I was feeling better and better, made me break down, a bit, in gratitude. I didn’t think I would be able to do this walk a month ago. 

That was when I realized that this journey has given me the belief that it may be possible for me to live more than a few months. (I was thinking 2 – 24 max, depending on how poorly my heart was functioning.) 

Previously, my hopes were that I could do something to make a difference while I am vigorous. Do good in my life, my daughter’s life, my husband’s life. God knows, I am trying to help other people with heart pain by raising awareness of Coronary Microvascular Disorders (CMD). I really want to help others.

For Seven months, I’ve known the likely outcomes of my disorders: (75% Hfpef patients dead in 5 years… I am already about 3 years in.) Seven months of learning to accept what ever comes…like death. It’s all actually been great stuff and I think I have done a good job. I don’t like the possibility, but I am no longer upset about the possiblity. 

In those seven months, I’ve spent a good deal of time preparing to leave; updating my will, counseling my family and friends, counseling for myself. I am very practical and my job has me steep in the reality of death in a very practical way. I’d rather know the worst/most common case, and be surprised and grateful for any and everything else. 

And that is all good… But I want my family to not lose me.. I want that even more than I want me to not lose me. 

I don’t much like being a PollyAnna nor a Eeyore, but I do like belief and possibility. Suddenly, it seemed possible that I would get to see my daughter off to college next August. 

I haven’t lived with that positive possibility since March this year. 

I stood on the road and cried. (Seems like I do that a bit on this trip.) That is what this pilgrimage has given me. I believe I could be part of the 25% that live more than 5 years. That is huge. The belief is huge.

After a bit, I got myself together and walked on. 

I want to go to a cathedral and sing, as that soothes me, but finding an open one that is also empty, well that is a challenge. The nearest one is almost 2 miles away, so I will just have to keep singing in tunnels, as I come across them in my hike.

Here are links to the video from the day, just after I start to realize I can live the rest of my life.

Here is a link to my YouTube channel Video #3 – explaining Coronary Microvascular Disorders and A GoFundMe page – 100% of funds will go to raise awareness of these conditions.

https://gofund.me/530d0757

Photo Credit: Light at the Tunnel – Tama Cathers

Day 10 – To Sigueiro – Morning and Evening – October 7

I decided to leave later in the morning, because what is the point of missing a good breakfast, which is included in the cost of the room at Rural Casa Anton Veiras, only to get done walking at 10 am? 

It’s not the getting done early that I mind, it is the missing the breakfast. 

I still woke around 5 am and was ready to go early. Anton brought me breakfast promptly at 7:30. It was good – sweet cake like pannetone, cafe (which I shouldn’t have drunk), and fresh strawberries and pineapple, which go together wonderfully. 

I had forgotten to take off my nitro patch last night, and it needs an 8 hour break each day to continue to work. So, I couldn’t wear it until 1 pm. I also chose to only take 1 ½ beta-blockers as I am trying see if I can go down the dose scale, instead of speeding through them. I don’t know what happens when I reach the max dose. I don’t want to know. Live with a lot of pain, I suspect.

The taxi got me back to Baxioa by 8:10. It was still delightful to walk in the dark and it was again misty and cold. 

Of course, there was an alternative path. And I took it. Margaret would have loved THIS alternative path, as there was no ambiguity about where it was. The main path followed the noisy, big highway. This one paralleled it, but about a 1/4 mile away. It was a paved road, but through a production forest. I walked for 2 hours and didn’t even see a car. I didn’t see a person walking until I got to town. In fact, I didn’t even see toilet paper – a sure sign of walkers. 

I love that we got ‘pee clothes.’ When I first heard of them, I was put off. But using one, and knowing I am leaving no trace behind…and no white paper… I really appreciate them! You can tell when many people have gone before you, due to the spots of white paper along the sides of the road. I was feeling happy about leaving no liter behind. These cloths are easy to launder everyday and dry quickly. They are just so smart!

I read that some perigrinos want a solo individual journey… a solitary journey, and are dismayed by the crowds. I pondered how it is that I have had that isolation. I’m not sure why, but I have it. So, walking and pondering…

~ Insert Realization of my Personal Reason for My Pilgrimage ~

I stayed at Albergue Casa Real, Sigueiro. I liked it very much. It was my first real social overnight. The busy time of day at the albergue is from abut 4-5 pm. That is when all the peregrinos come in. There were a lot; A big crowd. I have to admire how far almost everyone walks each day! I got to talk with two British young ladies and that was nice. 

The albergues have some advantages, other than just potential friends. They have a kettle so I can boils some water for my CPAP. Finding de-ionized water here has been impossible. They have a kitchen area, a dining area, a couch/lounge area. I washed my clothes and they are hanging to dry in some little back room. 

The albergue in Sigueiro, where I am staying, closes in a bit, so I asked the proprietor if I could leave my CMD brochures, explaining that they were just information about a condition that is hard to diagnose. That I have it. 

Once I said “It’s just information. No sales. Just information to help people,” and said it enough times that he got it, he was glad to let me leave them. I am so grateful to be able to give these out. Maybe someone will read it and later, their mum or aunt or friend will have these signs, but get diagnosed sooner than later. I like that thought.

So – big day. Not the miles or the hills, but the internal work.

A big sigh of relief.

Belief.

Possibilty.

Video Link to me on this day:

Additional Links:

Here are links to Video #3 on my YouTube channel – explaining Coronary Microvascular Disorders and A GoFundMe page – 100% of funds will go to raise awareness of these conditions.

https://gofund.me/530d0757

Day 9 – Good Karma – October 6

From MindJournal

I found this as a meme in my FB feed today. I pondered it for a while. The thing that stuck with me was the first sentence, the question: What is my purpose in life?

I think I have found it: raising my daughter, making a loving family (without yelling in the household), and now, raising awareness of Coronary Microvascular Disorders. Living to see my daughter into college.

But maybe there is more. Why am I pondering the question. What more could there be?! I mean, this is more purpose than I feel like I have had ever in my life before!

Day 2 Xubia/Naron – El Camino Ingles

Sept 29 Friday 

Today was a much better day! 

7 am came too early, but I had slept well. We spent a lot of time packing, eating breakfast and talking with Emily, the owner of Hotel America. She spent her teen years in America, then migrated back with her family. She was so encouraging. Anyway, we finally got out the door around 9 am. 

According to the guide book, we had about 4 miles to walk. Our watches said 6 (though that might’ve been km). We did it! And I did it all without a nitroglycerin patch, because – I ummm – I forgot to put it on.

~

The walk was nice! We had some city, but soon moved out to the fringes along the estuary. It was green and quiet. 

At about 3 miles, I realized I was pretty tired. We took a long break and had a 10:30 second breakfast. Then came some big hills (for me). I think the guide book says 70 m. Margaret says that a rough estimate is 3X so that makes 210 feet. Not so big a hill, but I had to stop and catch my breath – a lot. 

However, I did not get chest pain, despite not having a nitro patch. I do feel my ability to walk with or without pain is both random – nothing I do really can make me not have it. And it has triggers – some things definitely will make it happen; heat, cold, big emotion. But… I think it is mostly random.

We leap frogged with several sets of younger persons. Oh sure, they walk faster, but we stop less, I guess. Otherwise, I don’t know how we could have leapfrogged anyone!

I enjoyed the eucalyptus forest and Margaret’s long story about how she decided to go to vet school. 

The last bit of the section was harder. It had been the perfect temp for hiking – in the 60’s and cloudy to misty. But after 12 pm, the sun came out and it got steamy. We finished up just in time: 12:30 pm; before it got too hot. We checked into Hotel Marcial – it was fine, but not …personable like Hotel America.

Now, I feel even more like a peregrina. I walked 4-6 miles!!! YAY!

Travel to Ferrol & Our First Camino Miles

Day 1 Sept 28 – Thursday – Ferrol

We made it! Margaret and I took the train from Madrid to Ferrol!

It is no small feat if you are handicapped, even if your handicap is invisible. I was grateful for the elevators, when present. But boy howdy! Getting down the multiple stairs to the metro with a suitcase was not easy! 

I am envious of all who CAN carry all they need in a backpack. I am grateful that despite the difficulties, I CAN make the hike over to the train.

We got up early. Since we aren’t really sleeping deeply it’s hard to tell if it’s early, but even so – it seemed early. We packed up the last of everything, cleaned up and headed out. It was still dark. 

We got to the subway station down the road and there were 3 sets of stairs leading down. It was a huge amount of effort to get my heavy bag down the stairs. Then we had to walk, dragging luggage behind, for about a mile. Yeah, the subway took us a long distance, but every non-subway moment I was lugging a ton of pounds of luggage using one side of my body or the other. My back hurt from this by the time we got off the subway. 

We had a long walk over broken concrete to get to the train station. We got there and could see the train to Ferrol listed, but no gate. It was 7:30 AM; the time they were supposed to list the gate. We had to go through baggage security then go to a different waiting. And we waited and waited. There must’ve been 100 people standing around looking at the boards. Occasionally a group of 40 would exit all together for a gate. I think it was around 8:10 when the gate was finally listed for the Ferrol train. 

I have to say we had very nice seats, much more spacious than the regular area. Margaret spent some time telling me the story of her whole family, going back generations – fascinating! 

The landscape was interesting. As we left the city it was arid scrub land, which then turned into an ecosystem much like south Texas: scrub & mesquite turned to yellow grass and low round trees in the draws. The trees increased, then they became forests, and soon we were in forests like Flagstaff Arizona. Soon, we were in very green mountainous country. The cities, which I expected to be small town were quite large and most were industrial looking. We went to A Coruña and then backed back out and around the coves to Ferrol. I loved looking at the areas in which we would soon walk. I saw the big hill outside of Pontedueme. Yeah – not climbing that!

I had a fair amount of heart pain in the morning, so I put on a nitro patch. That reduced the pain to an acceptable amount. 

I was also feeling a bit off emotionally, because of some comments on my posts: things like telling me I shouldn’t skip any of it, that the whole point was to carry all my stuff, that I shouldn’t worry, just carry me stuff and drink wine and meet people, and that I shouldn’t post at all because I was self-promoting. Yadayadayada… 

We got out at Ferrol. I saw a few other peregrinos. Some were young and marched off as if they knew what they were doing. Others were older; but they too appeared to know what they were doing – and their packs were small. (They weren’t lugging a suitcase behind them!)

We, on the other hand, didn’t know what the heck was going on. As soon as we got outside the train station, we started to head to the wrong bus stop. Fortunately, we stopped and used our phone for directions and turned around – just as the younger folk were coming back from the wrong bus station. (I didn’t feel quite so clueless anymore.) 

The pictures I’d seen of Hotel America’s outside did not make it seem attractive, despite nice inside pictures. I picked it because it was in the right spot to hike 2 miles the first day, then to the hotel for the night, then hike the rest of the way to Xubia the next day, breaking up our start into small pieces. In case I couldn’t do the hike at all.

Hotels generally, all have nice ‘inside’ pictures, but that doesn’t make them nice. Well, Hotel America was nice! It was clean, well painted, well lit, light colors and the hosts were so friendly. The woman checking us in was Emily and she had grown up in the USA, partially. We told her out plan to check in eat then go walk the Camino from the starting point back to the hotel. She said that was a great idea! She was just so encouraging.

It was then time to go up a flight and a half of stairs to our rooms. I just couldn’t do it. I was going to, but Emily, the hotel owner, said she would carry my bags up. I declined. But when I got to the stairs without the bags – I just couldn’t. I was still having a bit of chest pain, despite the nitro patch. So, I let her carry my suitcase up. 

I felt like such an imposter!!!

Not only did I need my bags be carried up the stairs; I also needed them to be transported from accommodation to accommodation. I was a loser and wasn’t doing any ‘good; for the world,’ wasn’t helping people by raising awareness of Coronary Microvascular Disorders (CMD). I was just a bellybutton gazer, a self-enamored, self-promoting, mirror-gazing stupid-head. (Man, my inner critic was having a day!)

Well, I tried to let that go. 

We’d replanned our day around the Spanish clock, eating while the restaurants were open in the afternoon (instead of hiking when planned), then going to the Tourist office at start of the Camino at 4:00PM when it opened. 

Since it was afternoon, we decided to eat during the Spanish lunch. We went to a very nice restaurant: Taberna o Tristan (I think). Margaret got a large salad and I got a smaller salad and some parrochitas – whole fish in the sardine family, fried. 

Our salads were both the same size and delicious. I realized then why oil and vinegar dressing became popular. They had drenched the lettuce with olive oil, applied just the right amount of vinegar and topped it off with the perfect amount of salt. The fried whole fish – well I ate them, because I am brave, and because I ordered them. They were fine, but I declined taking them home. Like French Fries, I can’t imagine they would be better after cooling and sitting for hours.

Unfortunately, I had taken my diuretic (for my pitting edema from heart failure associated with CMD). It was a day the diuretic lasted forever! Hours and hours later, I was still peeing. I peed every 5 minutes through dinner and the same for several hours after our return to the hotel.

I think I was not having a good day; tired and over stimulated. I kept forgetting and losing things. However, I did want to go for our hike and if I didn’t stop peeing soon, we would miss getting Margaret a Credential and maybe not even hike today.

Finally, I felt the end of the diuresis come and we left for the port area where the tourist office is located. Of course, we got lost. There is all this construction (have I mentioned this?) and our bus stop was a temporary unmarked one. Well, we didn’t know this and hiked all over looking for it. We made it to the bus, then walked all over the place using Apple Maps, trying to find the tourist office. Turns out the bus dropped us right in front of it and we’d walked away looking for it! 

It was now 6 pm. Fortunately, the office was open 4:30 until 6:30pm. Margaret got a credential! It is SO much cooler than mine…but heavier. I declined to get a new one because it was ‘heavy.’ (Ha-ha! Yet I am carrying two bell pepper which I can’t bear to throw out uneaten!)

I used a restroom and then we set out. I was so very thirsty, but scared if I drank anything, I would have to find a restroom in the middle of the city. I never have luck with that, so I walked on and tried to ignore my thirst.

It had cooled off slightly and there was a great offshore breeze to cool things down. We started up the narrow village type street, only to meet the ubiquitous loud construction. In one area they had huge holes dug out of the walkways and covered with narrow tippy boards. I would hate for my grandma to live outside of that mess!

We walked through the city as the folks started to come out to meet up and enjoy the evening. It was kind of nice, though it was still loud and still city. It was a very pleasant time of day to do some good walking.

Soon, we started curving away from the city part of the city. This is a mixed blessing. It was greener and we could find soft areas to walk on. The city streets are flagstone, the walkways, cobbled, and they all are made of stone in an array of patterns. These hard underfoot and make steps hard to see. It was hard for me due to overstimulating the visual areas of my brains which are still turn into Swiss cheese under duress: A gift from covid. 

The down side is that apparently one can go into the bars to use the restroom, and there would be no bars, hence no more restrooms. Turns out, that would be okay, because once the medication wore off, I would pee no more all night…. Because I was also now dehydrated. Fun times here – trying to balance between edema and heart failure!

It was much quieter and more pleasant. I felt like I could do it; walk the Camino. I was doing it. I was doing the Camino. My heart wasn’t keeping me for doing this walk, which turned out to feel a lot longer than we expected! It was not 2 miles, but it was 3.3 according to our watches. 

We got to the hotel and I climbed the stairs and guess what? I did not feel like an imposter! 

I felt like a peregrina!

~

On my walk I thought about what ‘stuff’ I was carrying and compared it to carrying all your own gear. I have done that. 

I hiked the entire Appalachian Trail (AT) – and I carried all my gear. And my dog’s gear. 

I’ve hiked on the A.T. and carried all my gear, all my daughter’s gear, and all the dog’s gear. 

I know how to do that. I’m not missing that experience in my life.

Now, I am carrying other burdens: a heart that can’t do all its work, heart blood vessels that can’t dilate, but often constrict blocking my blood flow. I am carrying a medical alert card and medical alert bracelet, nitroglycerin tablets in a waterproof necklace I wear 24/7, and nitroglycerin patches. I am carrying an inhaler, just to get more oxygen to my poor heart (and due to all the smokers around), medication to manage out of control post covid allergies (take 20 minutes before eating – yeah, right!), as well as the regular daypack gear (rain jacket, sun hat, water, snacks, lunch…)

Though it is not on my back, I also need my CPAP machine (and all its assorted hoses, masks, and cords), sterile water for said CPAP (water is heavy), a nebulizer and its solution, and several large bags of medications. Over half the volume of my suitcase is filled with crap I wish I didn’t have to haul, but which I need. 

I am also carrying the knowledge that I have a limited, very limited time during which this kind of physical endeavor is within the realm of possibility – if I have the support (medical and otherwise) I need. 

Oh! To once again have the luxury of being young and healthy! 

Well – I don’t. But that “ain’t gonna stop me!”

Tonight – I will go to bed knowing I am a winner, not an imposter.

CMD Info:

I could not walk 1/2 mile before my diagnosis and medication. See video #3 what the Heck are Coronary Microvascular Disorders or visit INOCA international for more information.

Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction is primarily suffered by women, in menopause, though younger people and men can also get it. It causes chest pain, not unlike that of a heart attack, the pain can go on for moments or weeks or months. 

Normal diagnostics will come back normal. A special test, a provocation angiogram with acetylcholine challenge is required. A normal angiogram will not pick this disease up. These tests are only done at about 20 hospitals in the USA. Patients can be told their heart is fine, despite great suffering. 

The first step in getting a diagnosis is to go to the ER when chest pain presents. The ER screening for typical chest pain causes is vital. However, don’t give up if answers are not found. Getting a diagnosis, and the correct medication is vital. 

Madrid as A Tourist

Day minus 2 from our Camino Walk – Sept 26 – Tuesday - Madrid

We had a long, but not vigorous day, which was just perfect. We went to Margaret’s cousin, Hans, who wanted to take us to one of the old central areas in Madrid city. We went to the biggest plaza, then around a large circuit back to where we started. I got empanada for dinner tonight – I love empanadas! We then went to tea and saw a couple other sights. It was a nice afternoon. Most of our travel was by car, which was perfect for us. We were tired!   

All and all, we walked about 3.5 miles today. I didn’t need a lidocaine patch. But I am trying to be aware and not push it. Not pushing is hard for me!

Tomorrow we are going to figure out the metro, go to a bank, and maybe go to 1 museum. That museum and our walk today will be all we ‘do’ of Madrid.         

We head out Thursday – our train leaves at 8 am. Thursday we will walk ~2 miles, from the start of the trail in town and back up the Camino to our hotel – but it will be part of the trail, despite actually just being us walking into ‘town’.  

The next day, Friday, and we only have <4 miles to go. I think I can do that. Considering that I haven’t been able to walk more than 2 miles since my relapse in August, I hope I can do that. So far, all the walking in Madrid indicates that I can probably go 2 to 4 miles a day.

Cheers!

AirBnb’s

Day minus 2 from our Camino Walk – Sept 26 – Tuesday - Madrid

Airbnb’s are often happily surprising, being even better than the pictures look. For this one…well, the pictures look better. The couch is rather scuzzy, having some unspecified stains and being very not-new. It’s fine for comfort, though. Margaret made half into her bed, as there is only 1 twin bed on the ground floor. The other half she covered in towels, so we could feel like we could sit there.

There are 2 cute little bedrooms, and you could sleep 7 people here on beds, but only one bed (a twin) is on the ground floor. The rest of the beds have to be reached by steep, slippery ladders.

There are things I LOVE about our Airbnb. First, it is quiet. We are officially in the city center, but off the main drag in a residential area. But our place is in the ground/ half underground floor and an interior apartment. It makes it quiet. It also makes it the second thing I love, cool. It is 80 F outside here, but our place is always cool and quiet.

There are a couple things I don’t like about the Airbnb so much, other than the sleeping arrangements. The door seems to have come from a bank vault. It is heavy and has 6 bolts in one, plus a locking latch mechanism. It’s all fine for me, but I worry that the little knob you use to open it from the inside would be difficult in fire. We have no other exits and we are very interior.

Secondly, Margaret can’t open the door from the outside. We were both unable to do so the first time we came back. We had to accost a nice lady resident, who helped us. Even she struggled, but she did know how to open it. It is a little like my garage door back home. You have to pull and push in the key while turning at the same time, adding a little kick to the bottom of the door if that alone isn’t enough. Did I mention it is a heavy door? A very heavy door, if you kick it the wrong way!

If you are coming late to the scene, I am here in Spain to walk the Camino Ingles AND to raise awareness of Coronary Microvascular Disorders, something I have been recently diagnosed with.

I am likely to have a limited time during which I can do this sort of exercise, so I am doing it now.

I want others to be aware of these disorders, for themselves or their loved ones.

These disorders are not actually uncommon, but they are not often diagnosed. See previous posts or my YouTube channel (video#3) to find out more.

View outside our apartment – construction!