3rd permission delayed...

Well, if it weren't for changes in life, it might get a bit boring. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I was to ask for my 3rd and final permission at the end of this week. I got a call today from my Oncologists office and they advised that he had some emergency surgeries to do on Friday (the day of my appointment) and that my appointment was going to have to be re-scheduled until next Friday (06 Mar 09). I remember very clearly the time leading up to my surgery and how grateful I was that he opened up an additional day of surgeries and I was fit in. Someone probably had to have their appointment with him re-scheduled in order to accommodate me and I will be eternally grateful for perhaps even a few days where I wasn't in that pain. I can do nothing more than pay that gratitude forward and wait another week for the 3rd permission. It's all good!

2nd permission accomplished...

Today was a good day but a difficult day too.

The good part of the day was that my boss has given me the green light to do my Camino...2nd permission accomplished! Thank you Tiffany, not just for giving me permission to take the time off work but also for being so very supportive and understanding. These days it is rare to find a boss that is so giving that they would allow one of their employees to take 6 weeks off work without barely blinking an eye! Thank you again Tiffany!

The difficult part of the day was 2 members of my team at work were laid off. I will miss working and laughing with both of you Caroline and Kim! The entire team knew there was a possibility the day was coming where any one of us could be laid off. We all hoped the cutbacks at HRG Worldwide would not affect our team but that was not to happen. I want to wish you both all the best success in the future!

An update on the Camino plans...

The guide book (Walking the Camino de Santiago) and map (Camino de Santiago Map) I had ordered from Pili Pala Press arrived yesterday. I had a chance to peruse them briefly last night and they both look amazing. I think one of the best part of both the map and the guide book is that they are both current. The guide book is the 3rd edition and was published just this year (2009) so it has just been updated. The map is from 2008 so it too is very current. As well, each page of the map is a stage of the journey and it is wired bound so there is no big map to keep opening up...just flip to the page and go! They are both extremely lightweight so they will be taking the trip with me.

On Monday, I decided to talk a walk over to the Tilley Endurables store to check out hats with Randy. Needless to say, it was not the most enjoyable of experiences as I don't do hats well and anyone who knows Randy knows he does not hold back his opinion. But this is a good thing...at least in this case. I value his opinion and he sure shared with either "the look" or "the snort of disapproval". After going through most of the hats and pretty much exhausting the sales clerk, I had given up. I looked around the store a bit more and Randy ended up finding I think the only hat I had not tried on and miraculously, it worked (as best as any hat can work on me). So, I have a hat for the trip too. Thank you Randy for your candour!

So now I have a backpack, a guide book, a map and a hat...I am well on my way!!!!

my Camino history...

This blog was pretty much setup to document my planned pilgrimage to the Camino de Santiago in France and Spain. There are 3 permissions I need before the trip is a go. That would be from my GP, from my boss and from my oncologist. So far, my GP has given his green light. With any luck, the boss will give her green light this week and then the oncologist will hopefully happen next week.

This pilgrimage has been in the making for nearly a decade, I just didn't know it until a few months ago. The lineage for this adventure probably started when I quit smoking almost 10 years ago. That put me on a course to eventually end up in an eight year (ish) relationship.

I think my first brush with the Camino was when one of my best friend's father took several "hiking" trips to Spain (guess his purpose as it turns out). He kept a blog and sent emails detailing his adventures like getting lost because he had missed the directional "shell". I had no idea at the time that he was doing the Camino.

My partner at the time (Randy) was/is an avid reader. He suggested I read a book he had just finished called My Camino. The author was a former co-worker of his named Sue Kenney. It was one of those books I could not put down that summer and have actually read it again since.

Next came the cancer and successful treatment at Princess Margaret Hospital in Toronto. As many may know they have a lottery called (this year) The Princess Margaret Home Lottery for Cancer Research and in part due to my gratitude for my treatment and wanting to pay it forward, I have bought a ticket for each of the subsequent lotteries. The only prize I have ever won was to date has been a backpack...the type you use for the long hikes. Of course, I have tried to get rid of it over the years but for one reason or another, I have unwittingly hung onto it.

Then while out cycling one day, Randy saw Sue on the street as we were passing and we stopped and chatted for a while. Turns out she has returned to the Camino and written another book called Confessions of a Pilgrim.

Since meeting Sue that day, I have been thinking about whether I could actually do the pilgrimage. Side effects of the cancer treatment caused a radical surgery a few years back. This results from the surgery (although known going in) have caused me to question whether I could complete the Camino. I have done a lot of reading about others that have completed the Camino and I am pretty much thinking I can do it...just maybe not as a "true" pilgrim would.

Most of the people I have read about seem to be on some sort of a self discovery pilgrimage. I think I am too but I just haven't formalized it enough to put into words. More to come on that later.

Did I mention the pilgrimage is about 800 kms (500 mi for those still on the other system) in length? It takes just over 4 weeks to walk it at a normal pace. I am hoping to allow about 6 weeks in total for this adventure.

Fingers crossed on getting the other 2 green lights!