On my God! We have walked 313 miles in 20 days on the Camino de Santiago and have just under 200 miles left to walk. The half-way point was a major accomplishment, not only because of the amount of time and walking we have already done but also because the half-way point happens to be in one of the most boring sections of the entire Camino–the Meseta, the central plateau of endless miles of wheat fields. Thank goodness for all the great people we have met along the way or we might not have continued on this walk. We have met at least 200 people over the past three weeks, maybe more, and we have shared information about Lewy Body Dementia with many dozens.
The Posters on Our Backs Start Conversations About Lewy Body Dementia
We carry large posters with information about Lewy Body Dementia on our backpacks that are impossible to miss. Most of the time people who come up on us on the trail start a conversation with us but even if they don’t ask us about it, we know they have seen it and read the information. Fortunately, almost everyone speaks enough English that they understand the message. We have been excited to know a few other people on this walk have heard of Lewy Body but it has been eye opening to realize how many have not heard of it. Everyone knows about Alzheimer’s Disease and Parkinson’s Disease so there is much more work to be done to spread the word about Lewy Body, which is the second-most common form of dementia.
Please donate if you would like to help the Lewy Body Dementia Association in spreading awareness, education and researching for a cure–click on the link to the right to make a donation. (100% of your donation, minus a small processing fee, goes directly to the Lewy Body Dementia Association.)
Walking on the Meseta Spreading Information about Lewy Body Dementia
Difficulty on Our Walk Reminds Us of the Struggles of People with Lewy Body
There have been many times Bob (my husband) and I have been tired at the end of a long stretch without breaks and we are always exhausted at the end of the day after walking 12-18 miles, day after day. But we think about how difficult it is with people with Lewy Body to walk during their normal days with stiff joints and tremors. The physical challenge we are going through is nothing compared to living with Lewy Body, both physically and mentally. It really helps inspire me to keep walking!
Why the Camino is Special
Walking 500 miles with thousands of other people from around the world is a unique opportunity. Of course, we are not around all of these people at the same time; sometimes we only have a brief 5 minute conversation with someone as they are passing us or, less often, when we are passing them. Many times we meet up with people over and over for a few days until we or they decide to take a day off for rest. We take breaks with our new friends and strangers, munching on apples and oranges sitting on rocks on the side of the path, and we spend hours together at the end of the day drinking wine and eating at communal tables. Everyone we meet has a different reason why they are taking on such a unique feat of walking 500 miles. It’s fascinating.
A Lot of Time to Think and Talk about Life & Lewy Body Dementia