Senior Citizen Trail Prep, Part Deux

Another team member emerges as I develop pain in my “good” foot. Dr. Chad, a local podiatrist in the Bitterroot, starts me with new custom orthotics, since the ones I have are over 11 years old, have thousands of miles, and are held together with tape. The new orthotics relieve some of the pain for a while, but it returns and the next step is a cortisone shot. I can’t watch. Within a couple days the shot does its magic and I’m back to road walking 8 miles at least 3 or 4 mornings a week. Knees are good. Feet are good. Life is good.

Cortisone shots don’t last, however, and four or five months later I’m back for another shot. This time the relief does not last as long.

Meanwhile, I also start yoga a couple mornings a week to help stretch and strengthen. Our class leader, Val, becomes an honorary member of the team, as well as the other “senior” ladies in our gentle yoga class.

I work up to an 8-mile hike with a 35 pound pack
three or four times a week. I do some road walking, but also include climbing.

We close in on three months before the hike and I’m in too much pain again to walk. In December 2017, Dr. Chad and I have a short conference and decide that the best thing is surgery. If I have the foot operation before Christmas, he believes I should be healed enough to start the hike in March 2018, as planned. I have surgery on December 21. Merry Christmas.

So here I am, less than two weeks (!) from starting The Trek. I rehab at the community pool almost every morning, I hike through the hills with a loaded pack, I do everything I can to reduce the weight I’ll be carrying, while doing everything I can to physically prepare. I’m ready. I can do this.