Zafra Day 1

Santiago Matamoros

Blogging from my phone is difficult so I will be posting several short blogs each day rather than one long one.

After a good night sleep I did a bit of hand wash then we took a walk to the market to buy food for tonight and tomorrow.

We stopped in to see the chapel at Esclavos de Madre Dolorosa where I took a few photos. One of the nuns was really pushing us to buy this little rubber coaster for 1.50 euros. We paid it simply because she let us in and she persisted. But I don’t want to carrry it so I will leave it for the albergue. 😂

Santiago Peregrino

Beautiful tiled facades

Very Sorrowful Mother!

In Madrid

Joe and I arrived in Madrid this morning around 7:30 AM. We had a great flight. Not too crowded. Not too many ‘sickies.’  

To catch a bus to Zafra you need to get yourself to Estación de Autobuses SUR.  I had forgotten and left my notes at home, and so we went to the bus station on Aveneda de Americas instead. Oops. . . and then had to take the Metro to SUR.

There is also a train that goes from the airport to Atocha and then to Zafra, but it was €44 each and we are on a budget.

We bought tickets for 22 euros on Avanza bus.  The bus leaves here at 11:30.  I believe there are a few other buses through the day.
There is a nice waiting area for Avanza bus patrons here by the way with free WIFI. 

We are weary and ready to sleep but still have a 5 hour bus trip. I think if I were to do this again I would spend one night here in Madrid and take the bus the next day to Zafra. Joe is saying we also should go first class next time from home. Ha ha Ha!  Yeah. In my dreams. 😂

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We’re Off!

We left Palm Springs this morning about 2:30 AM. Got into LAX before the rush of traffic, around 4:30 AM. We returned our rental car and got to the terminal thinking we would have to wait a few hours for our 9:40 AM flight. But the nice lady at the check-in counter switched us up to a flight that left around 7:30, so we made it to Chicago in plenty of time to catch or 4 o’clock flight to Madrid.  Before the switch we only have 35 minutes to make our connection, and that just was never going to happen.

The plane had a lot of empty seats, probably because of the coronavirus. There was a red faced, coughing, sneezing looking lady sitting right behind Joe and so we ask the stewardess to move us. We moved up closer to the front of the plane and had a nice flight.

We are now sitting in the Chicago terminal awaiting our flight. 

Life is good!

Annie

Decorated My Pack Today

I decorated my new backpack today.
I love doing this.
It makes it less likely to be stolen (not that THAT is a big issue)
and with my Forum patch on it, makes it nice for saying hi
to forum members.

Oh, at the bottom is my best impression of a pink scallop
for those of us walking with cancer.

Here are a couple of photos.
I'm getting excited!

My attempt at a pink scallop shell 

Now it won't get lost!

St. Peregrine is the Patron Saint of people with cancer.

There are many statues and drawings depicting him.

Here are some of my favorites:

This one reminds me of a pilgrim.

Love the peregrine falcon.

This one seems so contemplative

I love the prayer...

This is a beautiful wood carving - also looks like a pilgrim.
He carries water in the gourd.

Two More Sleeps

Just two more sleeps until we fly out to Madrid.

My eye is healing nicely. 

Still red as heck, but no longer painful.

I hope to hear from my doctor today, 

but I think she'll say "Go walk!"

I'm really looking forward to finishing this route.

I began it years ago but was waylaid 

by railroad construction workers filling the albergues.

The walk is a total of 520 kilometers

which is about 323 miles.

It will take us approximately 5 weeks to walk it.

We will pass through and explore the beautiful cities 

of Zafra, 

Merida (full of Roman ruins),

Salamanca (home of a great University),

and Zamora (with it's 24 Romanesque churches,

and will stop walking at Astorga,

once again visiting the famous

Gaudi Palace there.

Right now, the weather is about 10 degrees warmer

than it is up on the Camino Frances.

It looks like we will begin with temperatures

in the mid 60's and lots of sunshine!

I'm praying it stays that way

but it IS March/April

so we're sure to get some rain and cooler temps

especially in the mountain passes.

Stay tuned!

Getting Ready to Go

Joe and I hiked up to the end of the wash at the Kim Nichols Trail yesterday for a total 8.5 kilometers. By the time we were returning, I was pretty much blinded by what developed into another damned case of pink eye. I have NO idea where this is coming from. It's the second time since right before Thanksgiving I've had this and up until now, I have NEVER had it. I suspect the pools here at Caliente. Seems like every time I go into those hot tubs I get a rash, a cold, or some weird thing like this pink eye. That's it for me. No more swimming or hot tubbing here. Too many old people with questionable hygiene habits for me. The things I've seen!

Anyway, I was depressed about it this morning, to the point I was almost ready to call of our Camino. But after coffee, a shower, breakfast, and some time, I'm in better spirits and have spent the day getting ready.

First of all, I hung and sprayed my new 28 Liter backpack with permethrin.

Then, I sewed my money belts into my 2 Macabi skirts.

The I repaired one of Joe's stuff sacks.

I discovered, after all these years, that if I take ALL of my clothes and my sleeping bag out of the stuff sacks, everything fits into the pack much better with room left over - so that made me happy.

Here is my updated packing list:

Wearing on the Plane:

• 1 Macabi Skirt
• 1 underwear
• 1 pair merino wool leggings
• sports bra
• short sleeved shirt
• Cashmere/Merino Sweater
• socks
• shoes

In my Macabi pocket:

• lip balm
• On Guard Hand Spray
• 6 hand sanitizer wipes
• 1 package clorox disinfecting wipes
• my Vogmask
• earphones
• 1 tiny tub with a couple each of ibuprofen, gaviscon, and Advil PM
• 1 flumucil complex
• 1 flumucil 200
• iPhone
• Change purse

In my money pouch

• Passport
• credit card
• Photo ID

In Backpack:

• 1 Macabi Skirt
• 1 short sleeved hiking shirt
• 1 long sleeved merino wool shirt
• 1 silk undershirt
• 2 pair underwear
• 1 extra sports bra
• 2 pair merino wool socks
• 1 pair featherweight flip flops for showers
• ALTUS poncho
• featherweight rain pants (work great for wind too)
• fleece hat
• merino wool buff
• wool gloves
• fleece headband
• bath/shampoo bar (1/2)
• travel towel
• travel toothbrush
• Q-tips (about 2 dozen - I'll cut in half)
• deodorant (cut off about 1/2 stick)
• Tiny pot of booda butter (for hands & legs)
• elastic clothesline
• large safety pins for hanging clothes
• cold water wash bar (1/2)
• small binoculars
• pack cover
• Platypus 2 liter water bladder
• 2 travel packets of biofreeze
• 3 packets mustard (for cramps)
• 6 gaviscon
• 6 800 mg ibuprofen
• hand sanitizer wipes
• Puff Jacket
• Down sleeping blanket
• Credential

Tomorrow I'll get my hair cut super short and then I think we're ready to go!

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!

"You Are NOT Going To Die From This!"

I saw the first Oncologist/Surgeon today. My friend Chance, whose mother died of lung cancer two years ago, went along with me since Rob had just started a new job and Cameron was out of state. Here are the notes that Chance took for my family in case anyone here is interested. I'm tired and don't feel like retyping all of this, so I'm going to cut and paste. 

This may be more information than any of you want to know, so scroll on by if you want, but it's looking very positive!

***

OK -- some quick updates, we can talk in more detail later. This is a fairly invasive cancer. The biopsy showed 21% of the sampled cells were in a state of mitosis --20% is considered high. This means it's urgent, but not necessarily scary.

The crucial next steps are MRI and surgery. MRI involves injecting a dye called gadolinium, which of course makes mom uncomfortable, but it's a step that could eliminate the need for 4 additional biopsies of suspect nodes in the breast. If the nodes light up in the MRI, they'll need to be biopsied to verify whether they need to be removed. If they do, it's probably going to be a mastectomy / full breast removal.

(NOTE FROM ANNIE: AFTER SEVERAL HOURS OF RESEARCH, I HAVE DECIDED NOT TO DO THIS MRI. I'M MORE AFRAID OF THE GADOLINIUM AT THIS POINT THAN I AM OF THE CANCER. IT APPEARS TO HAVE HORRIBLE LONG-LASTING DETRIMENTAL SIDE EFFECTS. IF I WERE YOUNG AND IF I DID NOT HAVE MCS, I MAY CONSIDER IT BUT I'VE DECIDED IT'S NOT WORTH THE CRAP SHOOT)

The surgery they're talking about doing is an “interval lumpectomy” next week — basically, get the known cancer out and get an analysis going. Mom is to understand that further surgeries may be required, but she can go on her trip to Spain after an interval lumpectomy unless the findings are very very bad.

Once they get the tumor out they will send it to California for genomic analysis which will tell us whether or not this particular tumor has genes the code for metastatic “skills”, like the ability to easily enter the vascular systems in the same way immune-system oriented cells can.

That’s very important for determining risk.

Chemotherapy is looking unlikely at this point, but radiation sounds like it’s going to be hard to avoid.

(NOTE FROM ANNIE: I'M ALSO HESITANT ABOUT RADIATION. IT'S ONE OF THE THINGS I WANT TO THINK ABOUT WHILE ON CAMINO)

Prognosis for the surgery itself is 98% . (HOORAY!)

They are going to put her in touch with an oncology radiologist who can answer her questions about that stuff and the gadolinium.

The lumpectomy would also get the hematoma out, so she would heal faster.

(NOTE: I'VE DEVELOPED A LARGE HEMATOMA WHICH IS QUITE PAINFUL)

The prognosis sounds reasonable and we suspect that she may have the option of opting for a full mastectomy instead of lumpectomy plus radiation.

Recurrance expectations:

Lumpectomy: 20-40% w/o radiation; 2-5% with radiation (but then there are the effects of the radiation!)

Mastectomy: 1-3% with no chemo, no radiation

She has an appointment Feb 10th for a second opinion for Dr. Nathalie.

***

Annie's comments. I was so grateful to have Chance go with me. He knew all the questions to ask and he took great notes. He was a wonderful support.

The surgeon I saw today told me at the end of the appointment that her family all live in Spain!!! She was young and very kind and spent a lot of time with me. I was thinking I'd have Nathalie Johnson do the surgery, but this new doctor also has my heart. I'll still see Nathalie for a 2nd opinion, but I"m leaning toward letting De La Melana do the lumpectomy. I trust her. She said IF I decide to have radiation I can have it after I return from Spain.

I have decided I will NOT do the MRI because I fear the contrast gadolinium more than I fear the cancer. I'll have the lumpectomy then just keep an eye out for any new lumps. Hopefully there will be none. Anyway.. that's about it. I am pooped!

I've pretty much decided I will not do the VDLP this year as I will not be able to carry pack so soon after the lumpectomy.

At least up on the Frances, I can do pack transport most of the way.

The best thing the doctor said all during the appointment was, "You are NOT going to die from this!"

I liked that part.

Breast Surgeon Appointment

Today I managed to get an appointment with one of the most respected Breast Surgeons in Portland, Oregon!  Her name is Dr. Nathalie Johnson and she is a breast cancer thriver herself! I've spoken with more than one person who has seen her and loved her. I'm sure I'll lover her too! Plus, we BOTH lived in St. Thomas, USVI!

My appointment is on February 10 so it's getting close to Camino time.  Let's hope she gives me the ok to take some time to mull over my options! Keeping my fingers crossed!

Still reading "The Metabolic Approach to Cancer" and feeling more and more strong about continuing on clean KETO.

With the right diet and the everyday long distance walking on the Camino, I'm feeling very positive about healing from this.  I've often carried other people's prayers to Santiago. This year I'll be including my own.

Annie