Monday, July 25, 2016

Just a short note

My body seems to be getting used to the medication. Today started again on a good note.  No pain upon waking. So after breakfast I set out on a 5 km walk.  While walking I thought maybe I could walk 5 days in a row for 5km and then each week of the treatment I could add a km so I would be back up to walking 15km or so by the end of treatment. That way I should be back on track for training for my next Camino. Its a goal. Its nice to have goals. I will just have to see how it goes.

I will say by the end of the walk I was getting tired. That sort of upset me because I look at 5km as an easy walk.  So to be tired after it makes me wonder about my goal. But then I remember there are some people who get energy from the treatment. I hope that happens to me too. One day. Or at least that I can feel a little less tired as time goes on.

I have been doing some research in my down time on the Camino in the off seasons. I am considering it. One down side I see though is the reduced amount of daylight during the off season. I don't think I want to walk in the dark.  Although I will say it was so neat to watch the sun rise that one day over Estella.  Lots to think about and money to save for.

I look forward to keeping up with my walking. Its good for the soul.



Sunday, July 24, 2016

Did some walking today

Today I went out for a little walk. I know for most its not a big deal to go do 5k, but for me today it was.  See since starting my treatment plan I have been unable to walk very far. Last week I did get out for 2 miles.  Since I felt better yesterday and also woke not in pain, I decided I would go out and try to do 5km.  Just a starting point really to get back to walking. To test the waters and see if I can walk while doing this treatment.

I am happy to report I was able to do the 5km in just over an hour. Which is not far off what I did prior to the treatment.  I will take the small victories where I can.

I look forward to heading out there again tomorrow! One day at a time....one step at a time....on my way back to 15km a day and more.


Saturday, July 23, 2016

We all have our cross to bear.

While on the Camino we saw a group of monks walking. They were
dressed in their normal monk robes, which had to be hot, and one of them was carrying a cross. 
The cross looked to be the same size Jesus would have carried. 
I found myself deeply moved by this. I am not sure exactly how to put it into words. 
There is a cross on the top of this rock.
Reminds me that we all have our
cross to bear, only sometimes its hard for
others to see. 
The fact that there were these men,  walking the Camino as the early pilgrims did carrying the cross as Jesus did for us.  It occurred to me that I should not complain about the heat, or my feet or anything else for that matter. It put things in perspective. 

We all have our cross to bear in this life. Some crosses are more visible than others. Like the photo to the right. At first you don't see the cross. In fact you really have to look hard to see it. But it is there none the less.  There are so many people in this world that carry the cross of "invisible illness". People who are sick, but you wouldn't know just by looking at them.  There are many causes for this. Some are Lupus, Fibromyalgia and Hepatitis C. 

I wanted to share that I am one of those many people who live with a chronic disease.  I felt it was important to share. Partly to help explain the gaps in my 'training' but more importantly that maybe I can be some inspiration to another out there who battles their invisible illness. 

Let me start with a bit of a back history on my illness. I was diagnosed with Hepatitis C in 1994. So basically I have been dealing with this for 22 years. Wow, that does seem like a long time. I have gone through numerous "trial studies" for treatments with no success.  Each treatment seemed worse than the last. Finally I decided I would just go ahead and live my life, what ever I had left, the way I wanted to live. I would eat heathy, be active and if I wanted a drink I would drink.  As time passed there was major breakthroughs on the medicine for Hep C and they finally found a cure! That was pretty exciting stuff. I had a talk with my doctors and to make a long story short,  I was able to get on this new medication.  The treatment is simple, 1 pill a day for twelve weeks.  The common side effects or headaches and tiredness. So I decided to give it a shot. 

I began my treatment July 12, the day after returning from Italy.  The first week was rougher than I thought it would be.  Most of the week I spent resting or being in bed.  My whole body hurt, not just my head.  As the week went on this seem to be getting better. 

Today I find myself feeling almost normal again and wanting to get back to walking and my training. 
I do know that I might not be able to train as I did while not on treatment, but I hope I can keep my fitness level up. 

I will say that even though I do have days that are rough and hard to get through. Times when I have no energy.  However I know that there are many others who struggle more than I do. It is for those those people I do my camino for. To walk for those who can't. To pray for those that struggle with health issues.  I am determined to not let Hepatitis define who I am.  Perhaps that is why on those days I struggle with lack of energy or pain,  I sometimes have those moments when I fear the worst. 
I am working on not letting those demons fill my head.  One way I find that helps is to walk. 

So I walk.................


I have started a blog about my treatment.  It is just a journal about what I feel and how it goes. Along with a history of my illness.  If you are interested you can find it at https://crazytimelifwithhepc.blogspot.com.


Buen Camino and Don't Stop Walking! 





Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Summer Vacation-Rome

Last I wrote it was about beating the Camino blues. To beat my blues I began to walk again in preparation for my next section of Camino. Not huge walks, just more to start back after resting and recuperating from the trip. And what better place to walk than in Rome!

My daughter Jessie and her family invited me along on their trip to the Eternal City.  We spent a wonderful 4 days walking around the city and seeing all the sites.  We averaged 10 miles a day, across all sorts of walking surfaces. From cobble stones, to side walks to old roman stone roads, and a few paved ones for good measure.  All in all it was good training, as well as a good time to get away and think of something new and different.

Now I am back home and trying to get back into training and planning. I was hoping for maybe a fall Camino, but I am not sure about finances at this time. Maybe I should consider walking in the cooler weather. Why am I so opposed to walking in the cold, when i trained in the cold last year. Hum.....things to think on.