Change of Plans Again

We made a final decision today.

After waffling back and forth 

for a couple of weeks,

we decided today we will be walking 

the Via de la Plata.

There were several reasons why.

1) My tumor has shrunk and is no longer painful.

2) The Corona Virus and fewer people on the Via de la Plata.

3) The VDLP was our first choice.

We will leave on Wednesday for Madrid.

From Madrid we bus to Zafra, rest two days, and begin walking from there.

We will take the VDLP all the way to Astorga.

From there, we take a train to Segovia for Semana Santa.

Then back to Madrid to head home.

I've also changed backpacks.

I packed up the Kyte 36 pack that I bought 

back in October and took it for a hike. 

It was NOT comfortable. 

I ordered a Jade 28L 

(which is really only 26 liters) 

and I like it a lot better.

However, that means 

I have to pack much lighter. 

I'll post my new packing list tomorrow 

if I have time, with photos.

It will be a challenge going light,

as the weather is sure to be cold 

in March/April.

About Comments:

I have had to turn comments off for a while because of spam. Some idiot keeps posting a comment on my blog, literally every day, saying, "Do you know what the secret meaning of your name is?"  I can't believe BlogSpot can't figure out a way to turn off this crap, but a Google search led me to a page of quite a number of frustrated people with the same issue.

So I apologize that you cannot comment. 

Hopefully I can try turning the comments back on soon and the spammers will have moved on or gotten bored.

The Corona Virus

I'm not convinced that this isn't 

what my sons and I had two weeks ago. 

We were SO darned sick 

and they hadn't yet begun testing. 

My youngest son ended up going to the doctor. 

My eldest son, who is a surgical nurse, 

thinks he very well could have had it too. 

My daughter in law sells Do Terra, 

and so I'm using their product "On Guard" 

in my water for a few days 

before and during our flight. 

I'm also putting Oregano oil on the soles of my feet. 

I'm cracking up tonight 

because the oregano oil is SO STRONG 

that Joe is nearly choking  :::laughing:::  

But he promises 

he'll use it the day of the flight too. 

We're also going to be taking garlic pills 

that my middle son swears by. 

Everyone in HIS household got the flu except him 

and he takes the garlic every day. 

At any rate, we considered and talked, 

and decided unless they cancel the flight, 

we're going to stick to our plans. 

The VDLP has been calling us both.

 I need this quiet long walk to sort out my head 

after my diagnosis and my upcoming 

double mastectomy surgery.

 So far, I haven't freaked out, 

and maybe I just haven't processed it yet. 

This will give me the quiet time I need.

So that's it.

I hope you will follow us.

I'll post as often as I am able from my iPhone.  

I am not sure how well blogspot app will work from my phone, but I'll do what I can and if I have to, will update with photos when I get home.

See you from the trail!

Love,

Annie

A Rock at Cruz de Ferro

The Cruz de Ferro is a landmark that every pilgrim who walks the Camino Frances knows.  It is set on a gently sloping hill and stands 5 meters high. 

There are many stories about why it is there. Some say it is to mark the way for people walking during winter, as it stands above the snow line.  Others say it was placed here by the Romans to mark the line between two territories. Still others say it was a ritual post placed by the Celts. 

The most popular legend is that it was placed by St. James himself.  As the story goes, he was passing through the area when he came upon pagan priests performing a ritual of human sacrifice.  In anger, the threw a large stone at their altar, which shattered into a thousand pieces.  In place of the shattered altar, St. James erected a large cross.

The tradition today is that as you pass, you stop and say a prayer and "leave your burdens behind" in the form of a rock or object that you bring from home. 

A fellow forum member, Jann, and her family, placed a rock for me at Cruz de Ferro recently.  It was such a sweet thing to do, I thought I would share it (and also keep it for my own remembrance).

I have gotten an amazing amount of support 

from the Camino Santiago Forum. 

I'm humbled and blessed by all the good wishes 

and prayers sent to me.

The forum is my family away from home.

Thank you Jann and Family

and my Camino Santiago Forum family,

for your prayers and good thoughts.

They're working!

I'm looking forward to my own Camino 

coming up quickly.

It will be good to be walking again.

Love,

Annie

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm not feeling too sexy today.

This danged flu is a bad one.

I was up about every hour 

during the night

trying to clear my head and chest.

Fitful sleep.

Hot then cold then hot then cold.

This sucks!

Luckily, I brought back some Fluimucil 

and Fluimucil Complex from Spain.

These are the BEST flu meds I've ever found and I'm not sure why they don't sell this in the USA.

There are various types of Fluimucil 

so you have to be careful which you buy.

The two that work best for me 

are the Fluimucil Complex 

which has 500 mg paracetamol for pain and fever 

and 200 mg Acetylcisteine (to clear out the lungs).  

It also clears my head.

The other one I like is the Fluimucil 200 below. 

These are little packets of granules 

of Acetylcisteine which you 

put in a little bit of water then drink down. 

I take these after the headcold bit is gone 

and my lungs need clearing. 

This breaks up the mucous so you can cough it up.  

I can't tell you how many of my Caminos 

have been saved by these two medicines. 

With maybe only one day of rest, 

I've been able to walk when I take them. 

So I always bring lots of it home to the USA.

I grabbed a few packets of each 

on my way up to Portland, 

but left a lot down in the desert.

Joe mailed them up to me and

they should arrive today, thank God. 

I just took my last packet of the Fluimucil 200 mg.

Well, that's enough whining. 

Just one more doctor's appointment 

on the 21st to get DNA testing,

then I'm flying down to Palm Springs 

to pick up my backpack and Joe 

for our March/April Camino.

I'm really looking forward 

to being over this danged flu

and back on the trail.

Buen Camino!

Annie

Flu and Letrozole

Well, I came down with the flu two days ago. Started with a sore throat and now is in my head and chest. Hopefully, all the supplements I have been taking will have boosted my immune system and this will be a short episode. I'm doing my best to "think positive thoughts," so I've decided I'd rather get the flu now than while on Camino!

I began taking my Letrozole on the same day. One of the side effects of Letrozole is aching joints, so I can't tell if the aches and pains are the flu or side effects. I believe it's the flu because I believe STRONGLY in the power of the mind, and here is what I do every night before taking the Letrozole.

I hold that wee orange pill in my hand and stroke it lovingly.
I tell it how wonderful it is
and how I KNOW it's going to help me live cancer-free.
I tell it to go do it's job,
to starve out any stray cancer cells and send them into the Light.
I tell it I will not have any adverse effects because I believe in it and know it's here to help me.
I tell it I love it.

Then I pop the little bugger into my mouth and swallow it!

I woke up alive this morning and THAT is a good thing!

I have an appointment on the 24th for DNA testing, just to be sure there aren't better ways to treat my tumor.

Then I fly back to Palm Springs to pick up my backpack and head out to Madrid on March 4.  I've decided I'll begin in Pamplona, walk a week to see how I do on the Letrozole (it's supposed to make you tired), then if no bad effects, I'll drop down to Caceres (where I left off a couple of years ago) to finish up the Via de la Plata.

Stay tuned!

A Change of Plans - Surgery Cancelled Until After Camino

I had my 2nd Opinion appointment today with Dr. Nathalie Johnson in Portland, Oregon.

It began on a VERY positive note, when I got lost and a kind lady helped me find the office, telling me SHE had gone through breast cancer 2 years ago and that "You're lucky to see her! She is the BEST of the BEST!" I've heard that over and over the past few weeks.

Anyway.. long story short, she first told me to "go walk the Camino! It will help you! "

She told me she didn't feel this is an aggressive cancer at all (different from the 1st opinion) which eased my mind.

She prescribed a drug, Letrozol to "starve the cancer" and cause the tumor to shrink while I walk.

I must decide in the next two days if I will have a lumpectomy or a mastectomy upon my return in April.

I'm leaning toward the double mastectomy (DM) 
with no reconstruction, because I am 67, not 30, 
and really just want this journey to be concluded.

With a DM I would need NO chemo, NO radiation, with only a 1% chance of recurrence.

With a Lumpectomy, I would have to have several radioactive drugs intravenously, and would definitely have to have radiation afterwards for 4 weeks and I'm just not willing to put my body through that. In addition, the radiation itself can cause cancer. And after all that I'd still have a 4% chance of recurrence.

I feel my best chances of just getting on with life is to have the DM so that's where I'm leaning.

So.. I LOVED this doctor, and walked out happy.
She promised, by the way, to sing me to sleep during the surgery (she's known for that)

I'm still not feeling any fear, except for fear of the medication - it's strange, this journey - not sure why I need it, but here it is.

I have genetic testing on the 17th, then fly to Palm Springs to pick up Joe, then on to Madrid on May 4.

I'll start on the Frances, and depending on how tired the meds make me, may drop down to the VDLP if I feel like it.

HOORAY!
Hope to see some of you on the trail!

PS: Stopped by New Balance and picked up my new trail shoes today.  I chose the 840 version 4, even though it is a running shoe not a trail shoe. It is built on that SL-2 shoe last that I love. 

It was a good day!