Skip to main content

Life Must Be Lived: Traveling with RA to Spain and Portugal

 

LIFE MUST BE LIVED: TRAVELING WITH RA TO SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

Flights From San Francisco to Lisbon and Madrid

by Lu Sobredo


Picture this! A woman suffering from an autoimmune disease with limited mobility travels across the Atlantic from the west coast of the United States of America in the midst albeit declining cases of COVID-19 pandemic. The picture I wish to show is one of hope!

A rheumatologist officially delivered the diagnosis to me: Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) for which there is no cure; the same individual told me that I would be crippled soon, all words uttered without taking a breath eight years ago in the afternoon of August 5, 2013. He offered to begin infusion of expensive drugs that very day, not knowing any more about my disease or stating goals for improving my condition. It felt as though the world was suddenly enshrouded in darkness, my heart sank and the voice inside my head was screaming in sheer helplessness. On the outside, I kept my composure as I listened.

After four months of diligent search, I found another specialist of my choice. He ran more tests to determine the baseline indicators before offering treatment and helpful solutions as there is indeed no cure for my illness. The doctor simply wanted to relieve the excessive pain in my joints and body in general at the most basic, then slow down or halt any more damage the disease could inflict on my body beyond what it already has. The results of blood tests and x-rays pointed to the timeline that I have been living with the disease for the past five years. My high tolerance to pain delayed the body from warning me about the devastating diagnosis. Not once did Dr. Bob Shapiro intimate that I would be crippled when we met for a consultation in November 2013 even though perhaps he might have been thinking it. I would be in a wheelchair by January 2014 before serious treatment took place and took effect. That’s why I chose him over the first specialist I saw. He made me feel that I had influence over my illness, that I could steer and pave my own path and outcome with his care and guidance. After he retired, I was fortunate to have been able to stay in the care of his long-time colleague and partner in their medical practice since their days as Professors of Medicine at UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, Dr. Ken Wiesner.

This autumn 2021 visit to a home in our hearts—the country of Spain is my fourth international travel since getting off the wheelchair in the summer of 2016. The pandemic interrupted plans of being in Spain and Portugal in 2020. Once the European Union (EU) opened its borders to Americans this summer, travel plans began to be drawn in June of 2021. 

So here I am in a country where almost everyone walks everywhere. It’s not easy to be in pain every day and be limited in my ability to walk which I love to do with my husband. I push my limits, ice my knees and wrists afterwards and take a rest for a day or two before engaging once again in our routine.


PEOPLE’S GOODNESS ABOUNDS

Additionally, this essay is a shout out to TAP Portuguese airlines and its crew in the air and on the ground starting from San Francisco International Airport, at Lisbon and Madrid airports and assistance at check-in to physically help me navigate from A to B locations, supplying ice onboard the plane to ease knee pain and ensuring my husband and I are safely in a taxi for our hotel or destination. 

Service was top notch—professional, timely, courteous and done with a genuine smile. Special thank you to Guli  at check-in; Miguel, the flight steward and the other staff on flight; and another Miguel who wheeled me once we were at the Madrid Airport. Many names in between escaped me, but I am so grateful to them all. 

One benefit of being physically limited is you qualify for priority boarding and so does your caregiver, in this case my darling husband. The benefit is invaluable easing the stress of putting away carry-on luggage quickly to make way in the aisle for others wanting to get to their seats. Hubby and I were given plenty of time before others were allowed on board. And Miguel on flight encouraged us to take the empty seats in our cabin that might be more comfortable for me once everyone was seated. And we took advantage of the offer. My hubby did offer to put me in business-class, but I didn’t see the point of paying so much more than the price of coach. I’ve been in more uncomfortable settings because of this disease, I could certainly manage a 10-to-14-hour flight. It turned out to be a 10-hour flight.

I must admit the pain from RA can get to me at times, but I don’t let it shut down my will to participate actively in daily life. But waking up, walking the stairs which I avoid as much as possible, and even taking a morning shower could be a chore. How others who are RA-ridden warriors do it without help is beyond my imagination. I salute you all. I have my husband by my side most of the time when he’s not on his solo motorcycle adventures or other life pursuits. And he always makes sure that our adult son is around for me or some friends to call on for help.

In fact, writing this essay is a labor of love. My fingers and wrists are rebelling against what I love doing but acknowledge that I have put them through the ringer for the past few days while I immersed in the culture that is Spain. Celebrating without regard to the achy joints. I do take breaks from my writing as much as possible, but I also don’t want to lose my train of thought and inspired moments in time.

The most stressful part of the trip is not the constant pain. My prescription medication from my doctors, and physical movements designed for me by a caring and talented cousin Oscar Gonzales, a body structure and physical therapy specialist who owns his own company, Pain Free with Oscar. Believe it or not the most stressful was trying to get a COVID test in my hometown in California, a requirement for our port entry in Lisbon Portugal—timing that event within 72 hours of departure and hoping the flight isn’t delayed. That was stressful! Other than that, securing reasonably priced airline tickets, completing online form for Spain to obtain the QR Code needed for entering the country and the passenger locator form for Portugal came in second most stressful. The other unknowns or inconveniences, I take in stride.

The rewards are spectacular. My media posts brought much joy to my best friend Ken Miller who reacted to my account of our first few days with these words: “Pictures of food with roots from various countries ordered in Spain at a restaurant run by Spanish (citizens) with Chinese heritage and being served (at the little market next door) by an English-speaking (Spaniard) former flamenco dancer (who performed in North America in his youth)—makes me deliriously happy.”

More deliriously joyous adventures await me on this trip. It is made possible by a steely determination to live life while I still can; I am inspired by and grateful for the loving people who cheer me on. Granted my mobility is made possible by a careful selection of drug regimen and physical activity. Then, there’s my beloved caregiver, husband and life-partner whose influence in my life is immeasurable. I have a son who urges me on to be courageous, and our dear friend Steve who’s ever ready to help and brother/friend Ken, and our beloved Spanish friends Ruben and Noelia and their extended family who are life’s gifts to us.

Don’t settle. Take flight in whatever form makes one smile at life. Life is too short to be sitting around waiting for life to happen to me. Life must be led and lived.














Essay ©Lu Sobredo

Photo ©James Sobredo

ALL RIGHT RESERVED


Comments

  1. Nice post! Portugal looks like an amazing place that needs to be visited by us. We have visited various European countries like France & Italy but never thought about Portugal. However, after reading your blog, I feel like I should apply for a Visa for Portugal and explore its many tourist attractions with my lovely wife.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is very educational content and written well for a change. It's nice to see that some people still understand how to write a quality post.! plantar fasciitis treatment.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thank you for reading my blog post and leaving a comment. Have a good day!

Popular posts from this blog

Travel and Why Not?

By Lu Sobredo WELCOME to LuTravelsAbroad Website! What's new with me? TODAY I am exploring possible format/design for my LuTravelsAbroad website, for my Blog and Facebook page. Tickled to be launching a new venture. I have this incredible feeling of drive from the top of my head to the tips of my toes. A similar feeling that came over me when I finally realized I will travel abroad again. Travel while disabled, you might ask? Why not? Mother & Son: Midnight in Paris, ©James Sobredo 2004 WHY A TRAVEL BLOG The Travel Blog and Facebook web presence is meant to be a self-help travel corner, and a vehicle for opening up about my personal health journey. When preparing for the 2016 travel, some websites and travel blogs were a great help. While in Spain as I focused on the moment and less and less on what discomfort to anticipate, I gradually experienced the thrill of traveling. It was then that I began to envision creating a one-stop self-help corner for peopl

Ten Essentials for Autumn Travel to Spain

TEN ESSENTIALS FOR AUTUMN TRAVEL TO SPAIN By Lu Sobredo The warm weather hasn’t completely waned, but there are signs of the new season including a little chill in the early morning air. As of September 22, 2021, North America is officially into autumn and I am thrilled! A year and half of waiting for COVID 19 infection cases to decline in the U.S. and other parts of the world has been challenging. But survived, I did! So did my circle of friends and family. I feel for those who did suffer much and lost loved ones or colleagues to the indiscriminatory virus. Diligent adherence to health protocols have helped and I wished many more would take the risks seriously by getting vaccinated, continuing to mask up and limit exposure by distancing or gathering responsibly in small crowds. I feel fortunate to qualify in the late summer for a third vaccine. Being someone diagnosed with an autoimmune illness renders me high risk to infection. On August 31, 2021 I walked into a pharmacy and took con

Finding Philippine Art at the Asian Art Museum

by Lu Sobredo Viewing Philippine Art at the Asian Art Museum. ©Lu Sobredo 2017 "Celebrate the rich diversity of Philippine art with 25 compelling works recently added to the Asian Art Museum’s collection. Expressive indigenous carving, jewelry and textiles; Christian devotional statues from the Spanish colonial period; postwar genre and landscape paintings; and contemporary works come together in this intimate exhibition to tell fascinating and complex stories of the Philippines.” ~ Asian Art Museum Introduction I’m surprised to be hanging out on a Thursday afternoon at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco in the middle of summer. Most times, I am there either appreciating some permanent exhibit or being drawn to a special exhibit or event. Sometimes, I could be found simply sitting at the museum Cafe sipping green tea and lingering over an apple almond tart. It is at these moments when I am moved to write. The writing I do these days is for my blog.  

Great Friends Make Great Medicine

GREAT FRIENDS MAKE GREAT MEDICINE By Lu Sobredo There is a new drug in my health journey: a daily dosage of friends. When added to my pharmaceutical regimen, it seems to magically expand the time between flare-ups. Closest Best Friend, My Beloved: Our 26th Wedding Anniversary at The Kitchen in Sacramento. ©James Sobredo The stores were about to close when I was struck with a yen to pick up bowtie pasta at the Italian Deli in my neighborhood. It’s not every day that I make an impromptu dash to the store. Once there, it’s never just bowtie pasta that finds its way into the shopping cart. Just ask my young, adult son who drove me there. It wasn’t going to be a quick trip after all. I ran into my primary care doctor and his lovely wife at the grocery store. She has a PhD and rightfully has the title of Dr., I thought to myself. My M.D. asked about my recent visit with my neurosurgeon. Aside from a chronic illness, I also had a mass in my r

Through His Camera Lens: Lights, Landscapes and Life Abroad

by Lu Sobredo ~Celebrating the many dimensions of my husband James Sobredo: his interest, talent and heart as reflected through his camera lens. Introduction Yes, my son and I, and sometimes our friends take very good pictures with our mobile phones. But the person, whose camera lens I totally rely on to document life's moments and special places, is my husband James Sobredo. Being around him and his photography partner and close friend, Steven Montalvo when on their photography shoots, is both meditative and exhilarating to watch. As if their eyes are connected to their hearts. And after many hours and enormous patience, they might be happy with the outcome. I know I am. Folks have asked me why I find blogging so much fun? Other than the fact that: My family actually have visited the amazing places I write about. I get to meet fascinating people and who have become part of my family’s life.  As strange as this sounds, it’s even fun to awkwardly attempt speaking a d

Walking the Camino de Santiago: Pilgrimage on My Terms (Parts 1 & 2)

By Lu Sobredo PART I Introduction Walking near the border of France and Spain through the Spanish Pyrenees to the city of Santiago de Compostela was not the vacation I envisaged, not for my first trip to Spain in 2010. However, my husband James, the avid adventurer had other ideas born out of an earlier visit to Madrid and Seville in 2006. It was a decision that turned out to be monumental for the family and deeply personal for me. Mother and Son Bonding on the Camino. ©James Sobredo This essay is sprinkled with practical hints from lessons learned in the pilgrimage. It is a personal reflection of the whole experience. It is about the physically challenging, emotionally invigorating, and spiritually uplifting journey. It was an experience made increasingly significant because of a life-changing diagnosis that followed three years later, a diagnosis that has rendered me chronically disabled. I sincerely hope this serves as an important reminder to all: act no

Top 10 Restaurants We Love in Spain

By Lu Sobredo Gastronomy and Spain have become synonymous. Writing this photo essay makes me think of scrumptious meals. My mouth is literally watering with great longing to return.   Since starting my blog in 2016, my husband and I are often asked for recommendation of places to eat when in Spain. I have given recommendations in a private message through my travel Facebook Page: Lutravelsabroad . And I do it happily. But there is no reason to keep our recommendations private. When one finds a gold mine, I believe it is important to share the wealth. My family and I have managed to partake in culinary feasts on a budget when traveling. When we do some modest splurging, it is all planned and calculated into our travel expense. Why not live a little while we still can? If curious, you can still access my first Blog post on the subject: Happy Eating on a Budget in Spain . This earlier essay takes you from the Madrid area and Barcelona, to the Galician region in Santiago de