Broken ankle

I checked in at La Posada and somehow made it upstairs to my room (no elevators of course..)  The hotel staff brought up my pack. I managed to order dinner and an ice pack and got my foot elevated. 

 

It was really swollen and starting to hurt. I had brought pain meds along so took them, messaged Stephen on WhatsApp and then reached out to the Camino Forum to get their advice on next steps.



The wonderful folks on the forum advised me to take a taxi in the am to the local health clinic and get advice there. I then called Allianz, the trip insurance company to alert them that I'd need their help. Then slept.

The next morning, I  showered as best I could, packed up everything and slid down the stairs on my butt to the breakfast room. Hiking poles were helpful. 

I was lucky enough to see a few pilgrims from the stay at Borda and so got to enjoy a bit more of the Camino experience.

But they soon headed out on their walk,wishing me good luck

. 

Hotel folks brought my pack down and I waited for the taxi.  All of the staff could not have been more helpful.

At the local health clinic,they were a bit perplexed as to how to charge me since I did not have a health card from an EU country. ( A reminder that only in the US is charging you before treating you a thing.) But they figured it out and I saw a doctor pretty quickly. She agreed that it was broken but since they did not have an xray machine there, told me to go to the ER in Pamplona for treatment. 

I taxied back to the Posada, arranged for a van taxi, got my pack and headed out.

Ride to Pamplona-of course,TODAY brought beautiful weather!

checked in at hospital

getting a plaster cast


Ready to go
 

I got to the ER in Pamplona about 11 am; I was out before 3 pm, having been examined,x-rayed, casted, and then wheeled out to a waiting taxi. All for 298 Euros!

While waiting in the ER, I made a hotel reservation in downtown Pamplona (making sure they had an elevator).

The taxi driver stopped at a nearby pharmacy and,armed with my credit card, went in to get my medications and crutches. The pharmacist insisted in coming out to the curb to make sure I understood the medications. 

I wonder how easy this same situation would have been for a foreign tourist in the US..and how much $$$$...

My hotel, the Pamplona Catedral, was lovely, centrally located in old Pamplona. 


Hiking equipment- with crutches



rooftops of pamplona

 
 
With a cast and using crutches, I was able to hobble from my room to the elevator and down to the lovely lobby restuarant.  I was determined to enjoy some Spanish food before heading back to the States. 

Patatas bravas!

Grilled Octopus with Chickpeas


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