From Terradillos de Templarios to Sahagún, Day 18, 13km

Firstly, sorry about the 'feel' of the last blog! I was at a slight low at the time. I cannot express in words how much I relish and love reading your encouragement through text, email and Facebook - I kind of feel undeserving of it as this was my choice - my pain is self-inflicted! It's kind of like getting pampered and looked after when you are suffering a massive hangover -when your pain is brought on by yourself! So thank you! Am enjoying your company and words on this extremely long hangover...

So in keeping with my 'downer' theme from yesterday, here are today's low points: smashed iPhone screen, found out my good looking american translator from yesterday is as gay as a picnic basket (a loss to the female population really!) went to doctor and found out I have tendonitis and have been told if there is no improvement in 3 days then 'no camino', got a blister checked too and had it injected with betadine (the pain reminded me of labour, no joke and resulted in tears and under the breath profanities - the nurse could only understand a little English), I agreed to stay in a hostel for what Sylvia and I thought was only €10 and was really €40, realised we missed the half-way town (we had planned to dance here!) and I lost my wallet.

High points: WE ARE HALF WAY! Actually, we are over half way, in fact, Santiago is only 374km away! The words 'the end is in sight' come to mind, but somehow don't seem quite fitting just yet! I found my wallet! I tracked it back to a pharmacy where the lady who served me looked at my pale panic stricken face and said, "You are Jessica?"... Amazing! The relief! I hugged Sylvia at this point, who I think was equally as pale as I was! It is lovely to share the highs and lows of the camino with someone - especially Sylvia. Our hostel, although it is €40, has a bath that will be well utilised later on tonight! I have discovered a replacement for my cakes, 'tortilla patatas' - yes, a pizza base looking thing made from egg and potato! High in cholesterol and carbs! Just what I need! AND today, I had peanut butter on toast for breakfast and the most incredible herbal tea (no idea what it was!).

The experience at the doctors was rather civilised from a process point of view. As a pilgrim, they treat you for free. The doctor asked me the lay on the bed with my shoes and socks off. The swelling in the bad foot was embarrassingly obvious and yesterday, due to over compensating on my other leg, I had developed a somewhat 'epic' blister on my heel. This too was noticed by the nurse. First she tested the mobility and flexibility of my good leg, then tried the sore leg... (insert 'wrong answer' music here!) she shook her head. She explained my diagnoses through some bad English and mostly fast Spanish. I gathered that it was bad and she was trying to convey this through the words 'tendonitis importanta!'. She told me to do what I have been doing - anti-inflammatory tablets to swallow 3 times a day, and anti-inflammatory gel to rub on it. I guess the difference between her version of recovery and mine was that she wrote on a small piece of paper, 'STOP! : 48 - 72hrs'. My version replaced 'stop' with 'slow'. I was then ushered into another room where another doctor (she must have been a blister specialist), asked me to lay on her bed. She looked at my blister and proceeded to press it really hard! I was sure that size (about 10cm long) and the redness around the outside was indication enough it was a painful one! But no, she was after a squeak from her already deflated patient. She rummaged around on a trolley packed with every possible medical instrument and bandage available! Here she produced a needle and began the draining process - around 8 punctures and a lot of squeezing... A lot of deep breaths from me. Ignoring my reactions, she continued on a procedure she must regularly perform. Then out came that damn injection filled with betadine. At this point, the punctures hadn't hurt, the squeezing had and my concept of raw skin under the blister was not present at this stage. She poked the needle in and began filling the emptied bubble of skin... From here, the details are fuzzy. I remember pain, tears, head in my hands, memories of labour, watching the betadine squirt out of the punctured blister and her repeating the words 'infection' - not 'its ok'! She sent me out of the consultation room and sat next to Sylvia, her arm around me, sobbing pathetically like a child. I re-composed myself, and left, unsure which leg to limp on (ahhhhhh the choices!)

I set myself up outside a bar, drinking tea, researching tendonitis on the camino during the afternoon quiet (everyone had closed for siesta!). I read about surgery and herbal methods and months of physio post the camino.. I ignored most of this and read and absorbed the one forum entry that suited me best! It was about a girl who had suffered the same symptoms as I have, had a doctor rub anti-inflammatory gel on it and took the tablets once a day and survived! This sounds great!

As everyone slowly emerged from their houses, and shops began re-opening, I made my plan for escape! I will walk short distances and take a bag for ice along the way. I will stop at every place I can, elevate and ice for 5mins or so. I will rub in the gel and take my tablets as prescribed. Tomorrow is only 18km, the next is 24km, the next is 18km into León. Here I will see how it is going and maybe take a full rest day to absorb the beautiful city's atmosphere! This is the plan. I will listen to my body too. I have some days I can stretch out, so I don't feel rushed at the moment. Santiago is a definite but I will miss walking to Finisterre (the extra 80km to the coast, known as the edge of the world!) I don't mind so much. I just want to make Santiago.

I guess another bonus for the day is that I get a new IPhone when I get home (this is a birthday present hint btw)!

Till manãna... Adios!