I was dead, but I won't lie down: I continue walking.

[alexwalker]

A few of the Forum members have known about my condition for some time.

In Feb. 2024 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I was registered in the national Parkinson registry. A miserable death was awaiting as my future. No more Caminos. I was filled with depression and suicide thoughts. It was like game over.

I have recently undergone a more detailed study of my body(!) and it turns out it was false: The doctors now say I have a disease called Polynevropathy, a nerve fault that inflicts mainly on my legs /walking and some other issues, but not deadly, as I understand it so far. Strange. Anyway, much less threatening than Parkinson.

As you may or may not know, I have walked many Caminos the last 16 years. As recently as spring 2024 I walked from Burgos with my daughter (48).

I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good. Sort of celebrating a "resurrection" (I am in good company there..) . Next (May 2025, definitely) at 71 years of age, with my daughter. I am old, but I am not dead,, and I can definitelely walk, albeit slower and a little less steady. Young people really need to get their eyes off their phones and go see the world, No better place than on a Camino.

However, I was scared stiff after getting the (wrong) diagnose, and had (wrongly, in hindsight) to cancel my commitment as a hospitalero in Najera this spring. Bc. a wrong decision by the doctors.

Sorry, @Rebekah Scott : Doctor's mistake. Human error, to be forgiven easily. My future today looks more promising than has been the last 10 months...

@LTfit : Love you too. My heart is yours for your concerns.

Edit: I should add to say that my (rare) thoughts about suicide were mostly bc I didn't want the future for my woman to become my nurse. I am more comfortable now . Sorry to bother you, but I thought some of my Camino friends in here needed an explanation for my "retraction". It has been a tough year, indeed, where I have had a close encounter with death. But I refuse to laying down. CU next spring on The French Way!

 

[Pilgrim9]

Thank God for second medical opinions.

"I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good"

Take your time, Alexwalker. There is no need to hurry to the destination.

 

[alexwalker]

Take your time, Alexwalker. There is no need to hurry to the destination.

You bet. I will walk until I don't. Actually, the events of last year have made me even more determined to walk Caminos until I fall down...... What an exit that would be! Going down doing what you love.

After my "death sentence" many perspectives have changed... Live in the now.

 

[Tincatinker]

Walk on Alex, may your roads ever be straight

 

[Juspassinthru]

A few of the Forum members have known about my condition for some time.

i in Feb. 2024 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I was registered in the national Parkinson registry. A miserable death was awaiting as my future. No more Caminos. I was filled with depression and suicide thoughts. It was like game over.

I have recently undergone a more detailed study of my body(!) and it turns out it was false: I have a diseise called Polyneurofasi, a nerve fault that inflicts on my legs /walking and some other issues, but not deadly.

As you may or may not know, I have walked many Caminos the last 16 years. As recently as 2014 I walked from Burgos with my daughter (48).

I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good. Next (May 2015, definitelively) at 71 years of age, with my daughter. I am old, but I am not dead,, and I can definitelely walk. Young people really need to get their eyes off their phones and go see the world, No better place than on a Camino.

However, I was scared stiff after getting the (wrong) diagnose, and had (wrongly, in hindsight) to cancel my commitment as a hospitalero in Najera this spring. Bc. a wrong decision by the doctors.

Sorry, @Rebekah Scott : Doctor's mistale.

@LTfit : Love you too. My heart is yours for your concerns.

“I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good.”

@alexwalker, as long as you have friends, known and not yet known, you can keep walking even with a little help if needed.

As Lennon/McCartney said: “I get by with a little help from my friends”. Real friends not Facebook friends.

We’ve never met but I’m happy to hear the updated prognosis. Keep walking .

 

[nycwalking]

Health to you.

Buen caminos.

 

[SYates]

I didn't know but now so happy you got the right diagnosis! Looking forward to seeing you in Santiago again!
BC SY

 

[lt56ny]

I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good. Next (May 2015, definitelively) at 71 years of age, with my daughter.

You lucky dad to walk not once but twice with your daughter. You sure ain't dead yet and we will both celebrate 71 with another camino. We can't kick the bucket yet we still have to meet one day on some camino somewhere

 

[Bradypus]

Every time I read your thread title this song enters my head. Wishing you all the best. Ultreia!

 

[Becky 59]

You bet. I will walk until I don't. Actually, the events of last year have made me even more determined to walk Caminos until I fall down...... What an exit that would be! Going down doing what you love.

After my "death sentence" many perspectives have changed... Live in the now.

Alex, keep walking! I loved meeting you (and your crusty humor!) last spring on the Frances, may our paths cross again as we both keep walking.

 

[bullingtonce]

A few of the Forum members have known about my condition for some time.

i in Feb. 2024 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I was registered in the national Parkinson registry. A miserable death was awaiting as my future. No more Caminos. I was filled with depression and suicide thoughts. It was like game over.

I have recently undergone a more detailed study of my body(!) and it turns out it was false: I have a diseise called Polyneurofasi, a nerve fault that inflicts on my legs /walking and some other issues, but not deadly.

As you may or may not know, I have walked many Caminos the last 16 years. As recently as 2014 I walked from Burgos with my daughter (48).

I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good. Next (May 2015, definitelively) at 71 years of age, with my daughter. I am old, but I am not dead,, and I can definitelely walk. Young people really need to get their eyes off their phones and go see the world, No better place than on a Camino.

However, I was scared stiff after getting the (wrong) diagnose, and had (wrongly, in hindsight) to cancel my commitment as a hospitalero in Najera this spring. Bc. a wrong decision by the doctors.

Sorry, @Rebekah Scott : Doctor's mistale.

@LTfit : Love you too. My heart is yours for your concerns.

Doctors are human; doctors make mistakes; all humans make mistakes, every single world of us. However, mistakes get magnified when you are doctor or surgeon plus when a plumber makes a mistake. Sorry you had to go through this but am so pleased the diagnosis was found out to be wrong. And definitely yes, youngsters (I can use this term; I am 77 years old--older than you!) screw up their lives by being wedded to social media. Plus, when they reach our age, they will wonder why their eyesight is so poor or they lost their eyesight. Life always rears its ugly head when ignorance is present. Keep up the Caminos! Chuck PS And remember, dying is not an endpoint/endstage; rather, it is a transition, just like birth is not a creation but a transition.

 

[Marbe2]

Glad you are still out on the CF putting one foot in front of the other.

 

[Felice]

Alex, I am so glad for you that you do not have Parkinsons.

I'm watching my sister, who is 74, progressively succumb to this horrible condition. It's robbed her of her dignity, her mobility, her interests, everything. And it is starting to rob her of her personality and her intelligence.

Keep walking Alex, and may the road always rise to meet you.

 

[Pilgrim Patricia]

Hallelujah! Congratulations, and kudos for persisting until you got the correct diagnosis.

Wishing you many more caminos!

 

[WayWalker]

A few of the Forum members have known about my condition for some time.

i in Feb. 2024 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I was registered in the national Parkinson registry. A miserable death was awaiting as my future. No more Caminos. I was filled with depression and suicide thoughts. It was like game over.

I have recently undergone a more detailed study of my body(!) and it turns out it was false: I have a diseise called Polyneurofasi, a nerve fault that inflicts on my legs /walking and some other issues, but not deadly.

As you may or may not know, I have walked many Caminos the last 16 years. As recently as 2014 I walked from Burgos with my daughter (48).

I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good. Next (May 2015, definitelively) at 71 years of age, with my daughter. I am old, but I am not dead,, and I can definitelely walk. Young people really need to get their eyes off their phones and go see the world, No better place than on a Camino.

However, I was scared stiff after getting the (wrong) diagnose, and had (wrongly, in hindsight) to cancel my commitment as a hospitalero in Najera this spring. Bc. a wrong decision by the doctors.

Sorry, @Rebekah Scott : Doctor's mistale.

@LTfit : Love you too. My heart is yours for your concerns.

Wow, great news. Buen camino!

 

[David Tallan]

As recently as 2014 I walked from Burgos with my daughter (48).

I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good. Next (May 2015, definitelively) at 71 years of age, with my daughter.

Are you missing a decade from these dates?

 

[alexwalker]

Are you missing a decade from these dates?

Yes. Edited. Thanks.

 

[alexwalker]

I didn't know but now so happy you got the right diagnosis! Looking forward to seeing you in Santiago again!
BC SY

We shall definitely share some tapas at Do Bispo in SdC in the not so far future.

 

[Dani7]

This…is very very happy news. Buen future caminos

 

[mspath]

All the best. We both know the importance of keeping on keeping on!
Ultreia.

 

[Virginiawalker]

A few of the Forum members have known about my condition for some time.

In Feb. 2024 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I was registered in the national Parkinson registry. A miserable death was awaiting as my future. No more Caminos. I was filled with depression and suicide thoughts. It was like game over.

I have recently undergone a more detailed study of my body(!) and it turns out it was false: The doctors now say I have a disease called Polynevropathy, a nerve fault that inflicts mainly on my legs /walking and some other issues, but not deadly, as I understand it so far. Strange. Anyway, much less threatening than Parkinson.

As you may or may not know, I have walked many Caminos the last 16 years. As recently as spring 2024 I walked from Burgos with my daughter (48).

I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good. Sort of celebrating a "resurrection" (I am in good company there..) . Next (May 2025, definitely) at 71 years of age, with my daughter. I am old, but I am not dead,, and I can definitelely walk, albeit slower and a little less steady. Young people really need to get their eyes off their phones and go see the world, No better place than on a Camino.

However, I was scared stiff after getting the (wrong) diagnose, and had (wrongly, in hindsight) to cancel my commitment as a hospitalero in Najera this spring. Bc. a wrong decision by the doctors.

Sorry, @Rebekah Scott : Doctor's mistake. Human error, to be forgiven easily. My future today looks more promising than has been the last 10 months...

@LTfit : Love you too. My heart is yours for your concerns.

Edit: I should add to say that my (rare) thoughts about suicide were mostly bc I didn't want the future for my woman to become my nurse. I am more comfortable now . Sorry to bother you, but I thought some of my Camino friends in here needed an explanation for my "retraction". It has been a tough year, indeed, where I have had a close encounter with death. But I refuse to laying down. CU next spring on The French Way!

As someone who has been correctly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease about 3 years ago, I take exception to your depiction of my future. Parkinson’s is not a death sentence, neither is it a reason to stop walking the Camino. I walked last year and will do so in 2025. Yes, it affects my endurance and I may walk more slowly than most, but I gain so much from the effort. Exercise is the best medicine for Parkinson’s, and joy is a close second.

 

[Felice]

As someone who has been correctly diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease about 3 years ago, I take exception to your depiction of my future. Parkinson’s is not a death sentence, neither is it a reason to stop walking the Camino. I walked last year and will do so in 2025. Yes, it affects my endurance and I may walk more slowly than most, but I gain so much from the effort. Exercise is the best medicine for Parkinson’s, and joy is a close second.

Having got a sister and an old friend with the condition, you are so right. I know that the best thing you can do is to KEEP WALKING! My sister did nothing during the lockdowns and it was a terrible mistake on her part. My friend keeps moving and is doing so much better.

So just keep going and I wish you well for the future.

 

[CTLawGal]

A few of the Forum members have known about my condition for some time.

In Feb. 2024 I was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. I was registered in the national Parkinson registry. A miserable death was awaiting as my future. No more Caminos. I was filled with depression and suicide thoughts. It was like game over.

I have recently undergone a more detailed study of my body(!) and it turns out it was false: The doctors now say I have a disease called Polynevropathy, a nerve fault that inflicts mainly on my legs /walking and some other issues, but not deadly, as I understand it so far. Strange. Anyway, much less threatening than Parkinson.

As you may or may not know, I have walked many Caminos the last 16 years. As recently as spring 2024 I walked from Burgos with my daughter (48).

I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good. Sort of celebrating a "resurrection" (I am in good company there..) . Next (May 2025, definitely) at 71 years of age, with my daughter. I am old, but I am not dead,, and I can definitelely walk, albeit slower and a little less steady. Young people really need to get their eyes off their phones and go see the world, No better place than on a Camino.

However, I was scared stiff after getting the (wrong) diagnose, and had (wrongly, in hindsight) to cancel my commitment as a hospitalero in Najera this spring. Bc. a wrong decision by the doctors.

Sorry, @Rebekah Scott : Doctor's mistake. Human error, to be forgiven easily. My future today looks more promising than has been the last 10 months...

@LTfit : Love you too. My heart is yours for your concerns.

Edit: I should add to say that my (rare) thoughts about suicide were mostly bc I didn't want the future for my woman to become my nurse. I am more comfortable now . Sorry to bother you, but I thought some of my Camino friends in here needed an explanation for my "retraction". It has been a tough year, indeed, where I have had a close encounter with death. But I refuse to laying down. CU next spring on The French Way!

I am so happy to hear that the doctors have been able to find a more precise and less devastating diagnosis. Neurological disorders are notoriously difficult to diagnose (my daughter and son-in-law are both neurologists, I've heard many stories - yours was a lucky one, sometimes the diagnosis goes the other way with a worse result), so it's always good to get second opinions. And to keep walking while we can - life is short and so precious, no regrets! Buen Camino!

 

[Rebekah Scott]

..and you are still welcome to be a hospitalero for as long as you are able! There are still some openings for 2025!

 

[ivar]

..and you are still welcome to be a hospitalero for as long as you are able! There are still some openings for 2025!

Are these openings published anywhere Rebekah? If you send a link I can send people to it...

 

[storiestellr]

whoa, that's some crazy stuff... glad you got that second opinion, and are walking again!
it must feel extra special now (not that it didn't before, but....)

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Are these openings published anywhere Rebekah? If you send a link I can send people to it...

The hospi rota for 2025 is a live document, constantly changing; its content covered by Spain's strict privacy laws. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact me directly for openings -- right now the mid-summer is most available, with one prime springtime slot still open at canfranc for an experienced hospi.

 

[Bradypus]

Just came across this article about a New Zealand woman's recent walk from Canterbury to Rome five years after receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

https://melbournecatholic.org/news/all-the-light-within-a-pilgrims-journey-on-the-via-francigena

 

[Ivan_Prada]

Just came across this article about a New Zealand woman's recent walk from Canterbury to Rome five years after receiving a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease.

https://melbournecatholic.org/news/all-the-light-within-a-pilgrims-journey-on-the-via-francigena

Thank you very much for the article. I do have Parkinson’s and what the article mentions is true. There have been some threads that approached this theme. I have said it before; movement is the key to keeping this maladity in check.

It’s your body, don’t let the sickness take over you, the control is within you.

Keep moving even when you don’t feel like to do it.
Of course keep your Doctor informed, and take your medications as prescribed.

Buen Camino and a very Happy Christmas, wonderful new year to all members of this great forum.

Iván

 

[grayland]

Alex
Welcome news, old friend!
At 71...you should have at least 15 more years of Camino adventures ahead.. at least I have managed to make it that far.
A fantastic Christmas present. The new year will be wide open for you now.
Ed

 

[Juspassinthru]

After my "death sentence" many perspectives have changed... Live in the now.

Ahh, can’t really add to that…

 

[WGroleau]

Thank God for second medical opinions.

"I will now continue to walk Caminos until I fall down for good"

Take your time, Alexwalker. There is no need to hurry to the destination.

I'd rather be found next to my bike on the path than next to my bed in the nursing home.

 

[MARSKA]

Dear Alex- glad you will be walking again! You go dude!!!!!!!!!!!!