Wanderfull Ways: About Those Feet

I arrived to the albergue tired and hot, slightly limping from a blister that had developed on one of my toes and with feet feeling like I had been walking on hot coals. Seated in a circle were several acquaintances looking cool and refreshed and exuberant about the advice the "Blister Lady" had given them.
It cannot be overstressed how important caring for your feet is and even doing so does not always mean that you remain free of problems. I will be forever grateful to the "Blister Lady" for pointing out that my orthopedic supports were causing my foot to slip forward ever so slightly. Her solution was to tie the laces in a different manner preventing the foot from sliding forward on the downhills yet leaving a finger space at the top for a comfortable fit. The solution for the slipping orthopedic support was to cover it and the insole of my shoe with a self sticking sanitary pad, which I later found out she did for everyone as a cure for cushioning or cooling or whatever the particular problem was....the sanitary pad was the cure.
Sadly it turned out not to be so but, I thought the sliding on the plastic support made some sense. I decided to try walking without it and within a few km there was a great improvement.
Looking back on my 2011 experience I had so many problems with my toes and I struggled through the whole distance never thinking the supports could have been the problem. Time will tell as to whether removing it is the cure if it will set in motion some other problems.
Boots and blisters are a common topic of conversation in the alberges and I was not the least surprised to come across this almost brand new pair of Merrill boots left on a route maker.

It goes without saying how important it is to arrive with footware that you feel comfortable in. However, even this does not always mean you will not have problems as I discovered in 2011 and this time as well.
It is also common to leave behind things you no longer need...but usually in the albergus....and others pilgrims can take what they need. I might have tried out these boots but they were not my size.
Just before leaving Medicine Hat in May, I splurged for an therapeutic pedicure...the whole nine yards!
Aren't they lovely?

Well, I resolved to make my feet a priority. I stopped at the first indication of a hot spot and applied some mole skin but to no avail. Blisters began to appear.
If you are a little squeamish....maybe stop reading here. Warning: the following descriptions are painful!
The worst blisters are the ones that develop underneath the toe nail and inevitably lead to loss of the nail. Luckily a different woman in another village, who by the way, had magical hands for massaging the legs, showed me how to treat blisters under the nail to relieve the pressure. It was instant relief....but I will not go into detail about this....... unless on my return home, you entice me with a nice wine and I will tell you how it is done.
So, all things considered, the foot soldiers are holding up well. We have suffered a few wounds and sadly a couple have been mortal. There are two nails that can no longer make the journey to Santiago but the rest of the us are willing and happy to continue.