Day 26-29: Que Sera Sera

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What will be, will be...

Life for me is about letting go. I don't like to worry about things and I don't like to over analyze and dwell on things. Mostly I think that I don't like to feel anxious. I believe that people should be happy, because if you're not, what's the point in living? I strongly believe that there is always something that can be changed, always something that can be improved. You are in control of your own happiness. Sounds a bit contradicting from the title huh? Simply put, I believe in being happy and knowing when to just let go and not dwell on the things that you cannot change. Concentrate on the things that you can change. With a little faith (in life itself), everything will simply fall into place as it should.


Que Sera Sera. Sometimes you just have to let things happen, or I suppose sometimes you really don't have a choice. I like to think that I choose to let things happen, because it maintains that I am somewhat in control of the situation. On top of all of my mysterious ailments, I got a really bad cold. I had heard people coughing a lot in many of the albergues for the past five days and had that funny little feeling that I was going to catch whatever was going around, and sure enough I did.

I may not have been able to control the fact that I had gotten a cold. However, I could certainly change the way that I viewed having the cold. Instead of being grumpy about it, I thought that perhaps the cold was a reminder to slow down and not take anything for granted. Maybe I needed to learn how to listen to my body.



Day 26: León to Virgen del Camino

Journal Entry--------------------

Thursday April 26th, 2012

This morning Molly and I left León and headed out into the suburbs of the city. I thought that I was up for the walk but my body soon told me otherwise. 9km in and I just had to stop. Molly and I went to see a doctor but I would have to pay a lot of money for it so I decided against it. I decided to stay at the albergue in Virgen del Camino and Molly kept walking.

I checked into the albergue at 1200 and spent the whole day in bed. I have a really bad cold and am so achy. I got out of bed around 1900 to eat a little and to FaceTime Lee. It sucks being away from home and not feeling well. Maybe tomorrow I will feel better....

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Going to the doctors wasn't something that I really wanted to do for the second time during my trip. Molly had convinced me that while she was with me I might as well go and just see what it would be like. In certain parts of Spain pilgrims are protected under the law and can receive free healthcare, but unfortunately where we were I woud have to pay. At this time I really did not like the idea of possibly getting a $200 bill in the mail for an appointment that might not amount to anything, so I thought that I would first try to just sleep it off.

This albergue was a little gem. Not anticipating stopping so soon I did not research it before deciding to stop. I was so happy when it turned out to be one of the best places I had stayed in so far. It was super clean and the bathrooms were great! That is usually how you start to judge the places you stay, the bathrooms. I remember unpacking my belongings and just passing out after a few little coughing fits. I stayed in bed for hours before even attempting to get up.



Day 27: Virgen del Camino to Astorga

Giving in and going back to the doctors was a tough call. Not only did I know that it would cost a lot of money, but I also no longer had my fluent friend by my side. However, waking up and feeling worse than the day before never is a very encouraging feeling and therefore I lowered my stubborn shield and went to look for a little help.

Journal Entry--------------------

Friday April 27th, 2012

Today I woke up and could barely move. All of my joints were stiff and painful. I decided to call a cab to take me back to the doctors that Molly and I saw yesterday. Beforehand I used google translate to write a note about my ailments.

I spoke with the doctor for about an hour back and forth using google translate on his computer. He seems to think that I have bad arthritis or some autoimmune disorder. He wanted to keep me there for a few days and run a bunch of diagnostic tests but I wasn't so into that so instead he prescribed me a bunch of meds, which I won't take, and wrote a letter, in Spanish, for me to take directly to my doctor once I am home.

I only went to the doctor because I was afraid that I might have an infection. I hope my symptoms go away, but in a way I want them to stay so that my doctor can see them and not think that I'm crazy.

After the doctors, I took a taxi back to where I was so that I could then take a bus to Astorga. I waited forever and in the process met a nice Spanish guy who was quite goofy and talking outloud to himself a lot. I finally got on the bus and got off at what I thought was Astorga. I was wrong. I had to walk because I was in the small town before Astorga.

I settled into the really cozy albergue and an hour later Molly rolled in looking exhausted. We walked around the city for a bit before turning in for the night.

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So, for those of you who ever wondered if google translate actually works, let me tell you that it works well enough to get you by. While there were quite a couple of things that didn't translate into perfect sentences that I could understand, the doctor and I were able to communicate effectively through my broken Spanish and his google translations.

While it was sort of useless because I did not get any real answers, it was definitely worth the visit if not just for the funny memory of using google translate to speak with a doctor. After going to the doctors I felt a little lost and wasn't sure what to do next. It took me a long time to figure out the bus schedule. While the bus ride was a short one, I, like usual, was wrong and got off at the wrong stop. I was happy that I did because it made me feel better to walk. Walking really does heal.

The albergue that I ended up staying at in Astorga was a really nice place with an amazing lounge area with a fire place! I sat by the fire and waited for Molly who I knew would be staying at this albergue.




Day 28: Astorga to Rabanal

Looking back at my journal entries I am tempted to leave some of them out. I guess I used my journal as a way to vent about all of the weird symptoms that I was experiencing. I did not like to complain about my pain outloud to my walking companions so I wrote about it in hopes that it would help me figure everything out with my doctor once I was home. I obviously decided to transcribe all of my entries onto the blog because I want to remember everything, even the bad and annoying, the annoying being my whining.

Journal Entry--------------------

Saturday April 28th, 2012

Well I just feel crappier and crappier each day. I stayed in bed until almost 0800. Mornings are the worst for me in terms of pain and stiffness. I am an old lady. Molly and I walked about 8km to the first town and I was going to stop and stay the night there. I had some eggs and chorizo and then decided that I would walk on. Long story short, I was actually able to make it 22km to Rabanal, slowly.

Both my mom and Lee have asked me to just come home. I've had so many symptoms and problems and I know something just doesn't seem right in my body, but I just can't imagine not finishing. I have come so far...

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This day I really did push myself. I remember looking at my meal of eggs and chorizo thinking, this will give me the extra strength to continue, and it actually did. It's amazing what power the mind has when convinced of something. Why didn't I try this tactic before?!




Day 29: Rabanal to Acebo

This day was an amazing day. I took a lot of stunning pictures and later noticed that one half of them had a little blurry spot on them because I had a smudge on my lens. It doesn't really matter though because the image in my mind is far better than any photograph anyhow. Along with stunning views, Molly and I passed Cruz de Ferro which I was very excited about. I had heard about a place with a simple iron cross where pilgrims leave a rock with a special meaning. Some people leave rocks to symbolize something of their past that they are leaving behind. Along with rocks, there are many other symbols of the Camino that pilgrims have left behind. This is a place to pause and reconnect with the purpose of your journey. It really is an amazing place.

I did a lot of thinking this day. I had decided that no matter what I wanted to continue walking and to finish the Camino for fear that I would regret not finishing for the rest of my life. You never know what will happen and cannot always count on a 'next time.' I also had thought that maybe I figured out my ailments. I thought that I had Lyme Disease. Which by the way, after being tested back home, I did not.

Journal Entry--------------------

Sunday April 29th, 2012

Well.... I think maybe I figured things out. Lymes disease! Today my rash on my thighs looks very much like a Lyme rash. Not to mention that I also have the tell-tale sign of a bullseye on my thigh. It would explain me having no energy and incredibly achy joints.

Todays walk was lovely. It was up and down the mountains so the views were beautiful. Molly and I were both really dragging today. She has an infected toe!! When we stumbled into one of the towns there were three men on horseback doing the Camino. One of the guys jumped off and asked me if I wanted to get on! I absolutely did! It was so wonderful. I was just recently thinking about how I want to start riding again.

Molly and I walked 17km and were beat. We stopped and decided to stay here in Acebo. We were tempted by staying in a private room in a hotel and gave in. It was only €35 for the two of us! We both took long hot showers in our own private baths. We are the only two in the entire place!!

I told Lee about my rash and how I think it's Lyme and I think I really freaked him out. He wants me to come home. I really don't want to. I want to finish the Camino so so so so bad. However, I really do feel that something is wrong in my body. I feel like crap and am not getting any better.

I asked my mom what she thinks I should do and since I don't have wifi in the hotel I will check my email tomorrow and see what she says...

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Photos

Day 27
Astorga

Day 29
Cruz de Ferro

Day 27
Walking into Astorga

Day 27
Astorga

Day 27
Astorga

Day 27
Astorga

Day 28
Leaving Astorga