Trip to the Foot Doctor and Ikea

It's been a difficult, foggy week.  Over the weekend the pain on the bottom of my foot was excruciating.  That much pain was not really something I'd anticipated.  There were a couple of days where we were pretty depressed, filled with angst and the fear that I was having another failed surgery.
This is what the days have looked like; gray, gloomy, devoid of color.

 

This morning we headed out to the doctor's office.  The trees across the freeway were lit by a sunbeam.  The sun actually came out today, it's very nice to see.

 

Here's the foot.  It looks much better.  Stitches are coming out MONDAY.  Yay!!!!!!!!!  The pain underneath my foot was from the cut nerves.  Apparently when a nerve is cut, it sends out signals (which are pain) looking for the other part of the nerve, because it wants to reattach.  I did not know this, it would have been useful information.  I really thought I was going to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life.
My toes and foot are still fairly swollen.  None of the bones in my foot are visible.

 

After the doctor, Jim took me on an outing.  He pushed me through Ikea in the wheelchair.  Back when he was in a chair, I would take him to Ikea, it's flat, and it's easy to get in and out of.  We handled much merchandise and looked at all of the furniture.   The food section is the best.  This is the Swedish festive drink, Dryck Julmust.  It's a hop flavored carbonated drink.

 

Swedish ketchup.

 

This is lutefisk.  It's a Norwegian delicacy.  If you don't know what it is, click on the link.  This is actually a local product, from Poulsbo.   Poulsbo was founded by Scandinavians, which is why there is lutefisk.  No one else will eat it.  I know, I know, it's rude to be disrespectful of another culture's food, but really, dried fish soaked in lye?  Ewww.

 

According to the packaging, these are deep water prawns.

 

Salmon paste and crab paste are also available.

 

We're two weeks out from surgery.  When wearing the boot I can put about half my weight on my foot.  The screaming nerve pain has pretty much died down.  Hopefully by Monday I can return my crutches to the doctor's office.  The wheel chair has to go back on Sunday.
We're leaving either Monday after stitches removal, or else early Tuesday morning.  I'd like to go Monday and get part way to Harrisburg.  It's only 287 miles, but getting through Portland can be a bear.  The reviews of all of the RV parks in southern Washington are just dismal, so I don't know what we're going to do.  It's really good to know we're heading south for the sun.