My sister Kathy got a herniated disc in June and has been in medium to high pain for about four months. She quit working out, quit hiking, and got 2 cortisone shots. She has slowly built back up to walking about 2 miles or 5000 steps in a day. She has been determined to go on this trip despite her setback.
Interlude for Act II:
Kathy, last night (weeping): I really want to walk with you guys. I might have to take a taxi after the first mile but I really want the experience of getting up and starting with you.
All at the same time (with hearty enthusiasm, while looking over Kathy’s back with worried eyebrows): No problem! We are sure you can! (They put down their complimentary glasses of Port Wine to console her.) Just do what you can! Let’s start a bet on how far you will build up to by the last long day of the Camino on October 2!
Stephanie bets that by October 2 Kathy will walk 16,800 steps, Judy bets 18,00, and Debbie ridiculously shoots for the moon with 24,800 steps. They agree to give a car to the winner (not Kathy).
Return to narrative:
Early this morning we arrived at Matosinhos outside of Porto to begin our first day of the Camino. We said a quick prayer at the chapel and started following the yellow arrows. The walk was 90% boardwalk along the ocean today, with the sea at our left, the sun on our necks, and the breeze coming across us.
We stopped for WC and coffee after about an hour, and Kathy still felt good. She was floating on adrenaline and kept going strong. We stopped for orange juice and snacks. The walk was unbelivably gorgeous, through fishing villages and little towns. We stopped for lunch and an old guy grilled me four large fresh sardines crusted with rock salt. We shared salads and vegetables, bread and sardines.
The dramatic irony has already told you the end of this story. Kathy walked over thirteen miles today, the entire route from Porto to Vila do Conde. It took us 7 1/2 hours, about 30,000 steps. Kathy was really walking on willpower by the end, and Judy, still on antibiotics, was pushing hard to finish. We came into town slowly and red-faced, sweaty and satisfied. Call it angels, call it the Holy Spirit, call it Man vs. Nature— Kathy was borne up today and walked.
