"Healing Hands" and Hope..............

I arrived back in Antigua early in the morning after another bone shaking ride in the Chicken Bus. Before I`d left for the city I`d noticed a sign for X rays and ultra sound so I made my way down there and enquired as to how I could go about organizing a X ray. I was informed that first I would have to see a doctor and then if they agreed I could have the necessary X ray. Later that day I returned and proceeded to wait for over 2 hours until at last I got to see the doctor who of course spoke no English! I managed to explain in Spanish what the problem was and she agreed to sign off the X ray.

40 mins later I sat in her office as she interpreted what she saw. It didn`t sound good and it certainly didn`t look good. She pointed out that the gap between the first and second vertebrae was very small. If it got smaller due to more impact and punishment on my back it could be very serious.

I got the message.




Before sending it back to England for a second (and third) opinion, I`d discovered a physiotherapist in Antigua who came highly recommended, so I took it to Micky Morrison of “Healing Hands” who basically confirmed in English what the doctor had said.

“Can you fix it?” I asked, desperately hoping for a positive answer.

“We need to re-align your pelvis and then work on strengthening your core muscles. Yes, I think we can definitely help”

Those few positive words gave me some hope, and if there is one thing I`ve learned on this journey, it`s that you`ve got to hang on to hope.

When I decided to call this trip the “Journey for hope”, I`d no idea how significant that word was going to become.

Whether I could rehab to a sufficient level to finish the journey was still an unknown factor. I was hoping a further analysis back in the U.K. would give me a better idea. With that in mind I went straight to the DHL branch in Antigua and sent the X rays back home. The whole process would take 3 working days and then several more days before I could get the feedback I needed.

Rather than sit around with my thoughts in turmoil and major decisions to be made, I decided to stay in Antigua for the next 2 weeks and embark upon an intensive rehabilitation programme in the mornings, and in the afternoon I would sign up for intensive Spanish lessons.

I might as well get some benefit from my enforced sojourn.

The news from the U.K. was inconclusive.

“He says you really need an MRI scan because the X ray wasn`t clear enough”, Jane told me after having sweet talked her way into seeing Northampton`s best back specialist.

Back at “Healing Hands”, I asked Micky where I could get an MRI scan done,

“In Guatemala City. Let me call a doctor I know and arrange for an appointment”.

And so, the next day I was on my way to the city for a consultation with another back specialist with an MRI scan lined up for an hour later. The following day I was back in his office as he explained to me, half in English and half in Spanish, that I had a degenerative disease which was not uncommon and I should exercise everyday.

“You should continue with your activities, but if the pain gets very high you will have to stop and have surgery”

Continue with your activities……?

This all sounded very positive but I wasn`t sure whether he really understood what my “activities” entailed on this journey. But again, there was a ray of hope that all was not lost.

Maybe I could finish the journey after all.



On the drive back, my mind was racing through all the possible scenarios. Over the past two weeks I had been on an emotional rollercoaster as I tried to come to terms with my predicament and had virtually got my mind around the fact that it was over.

Now, maybe it wasn`t?

If I continue and risk it, what happens if I have a similar problem in Bolivia or Peru miles from good medical back up?

And will my back take the constant punishment from or poor roads even if I exercise every day?

If I have another fall from the bike, how will that affect my already weakened back?

With so many questions and no concrete answers I posted my scan back to the U.K. for Nick the back specialist to analyse. I decided I would trust his prognosis and follow whatever advice he was going to give. This would give me another week of deep thought and contemplation.

My options were clear:

1.I make it to Panama and fly home

2.I`m given the green light to head for Argentina.

In one week I would know.