By Roisin Cullen, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter PIQUE NEWSMAGAZINE
An inspiring Pemberton woman has opened up about completing the Camino de Santiago in Spain, 30 years after being diagnosed with a chronic autoimmune disorder called myasthenia gravis (MG).
Kelly Carson has battled the rare condition for decades but has never let it stand in her way of making the impossible possible.
MG results in weakness of the skeletal muscles and affects the voluntary muscles of the body. Muscles around people91裸聊视频檚 eyes, mouth, throat and limbs are affected. Carson was diagnosed with the debilitating disorder when she was 35 years old. He kids were just teenagers at the time.
91裸聊视频淚 was in a wheelchair. I couldn91裸聊视频檛 walk,91裸聊视频� said Carson. 91裸聊视频淚 couldn91裸聊视频檛 dress myself. I couldn91裸聊视频檛 talk. It was a real milestone for me to be able to walk 800 km 91裸聊视频� a diagnosis of MG is not the end of the world. I actually went to the end of the world.91裸聊视频�
Kelly was inspired to do the Camino after watching the movie The Way (2010) starring Martin Sheen. 91裸聊视频淪ubconsciously, I started buying things to help me do the Camino,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淚 decided I would do it when I was 65. Everything rolled into place.91裸聊视频�
Sadly, there is no cure for MG, but Carson has been in remission for a decade. She didn91裸聊视频檛 realize her Camino journey marked the anniversary of her diagnosis until she started walking. Then her subconscious draw to the challenge finally made sense.
She remembered her younger self sitting in St Paul91裸聊视频檚 Hospital in Vancouver coming to terms with the life-changing news during her Camino journey. The President of the MG Association of BC is reminding others with the condition that a diagnosis is not the end of the world. The Camino de Santiago is.
91裸聊视频淚 was in St Paul91裸聊视频檚 smoking in a stairwell and suddenly, my legs kicked out,91裸聊视频� recalls Carson. 91裸聊视频淚 waited until the strength came back so I could get back to my hospital room. There is life after MG. It is incurable but you can go into remission. Nobody ever told me that.91裸聊视频�
Carson91裸聊视频檚 journey started in Vancouver when she trained with the Canadian Pilgrims Association. 91裸聊视频淓very Sunday, they organize a walk,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淭wice a year, they walk from Downtown Vancouver to the airport. You get the stamps along the way. My Camino actually started in Vancouver.91裸聊视频�
Her worried daughter wanted to complete the Camino with her but she knew this was something she had to complete by herself. 91裸聊视频淚 enjoyed walking alone and just listening to the birds,91裸聊视频� said Carson. 91裸聊视频淚t was the most amazing thing I have ever done that I will never do again.91裸聊视频�
There were times when Carson wondered why fate had brought her to the famous trail. She worried she had overestimated her ability on the very first day. 91裸聊视频淲hen I looked up, I saw how far uphill it was,91裸聊视频� she said tearfully. 91裸聊视频淚 just thought I can91裸聊视频檛 do this. I told myself I couldn91裸聊视频檛 do that. Everything else was easy after that.91裸聊视频�
Along the way, Carson met people she believes she was destined to meet including a man from England with MG. He was the first person Carson has met who is also in recovery from the condition. 91裸聊视频淲e walked together for two weeks,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淲e will be friends for life.91裸聊视频�
The Pemberton trailblazer brought her ex-husband91裸聊视频檚 ashes on the journey and spread them at the end of the Camino. She felt she was able to make peace with him on the hike and jokes that he didn91裸聊视频檛 have to do any of the hard work. She has asked her kids to scatter her own ashes at the 91裸聊视频渆nd of the world,91裸聊视频� mostly so her kids have to complete the same trek.
Like many others, Carson found great healing along The Way of Saint James. 91裸聊视频淚 held resentment,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淎 lot of that got resolved on the Camino. When you91裸聊视频檙e by yourself walking, you do a lot of thinking.91裸聊视频�
The author91裸聊视频檚 writer91裸聊视频檚 block was also finally cured, and she has settled into several exciting creative projects since coming back to the mountain village. Carson admitted her feet are still sore. The inspiring lady is sticking to her daily walk to One Mile Lake for the time being, and relishing in her achievement.
