May 30 - The incident on the Train!

 On Wednesday, May 28th Hubby and I took a train from Gothenburg central station intending to take a direct, but slower train to Malmo to visit youngest daughter and family who now live there.  We packed a smaller suitcase, sandwiches and sodas as well as our camera suitcase.  The Uber came on time and picked us exactly where we hoped he would come.  We made it to Central Station in plenty of time.  Our train was scheduled to leave from track 13 at 1:40pm.  And that is what the sign said.  So we climbed aboard out car and got settled in our seats.  Suddenly at 1:20 the train started moving.  We were on the wrong train!  

After a short trip the train stopped at a small station - we got off thinking we could catch the next train back to Gothenburg.  We started taking off our jackets as the day had turned warm.  Michael was trying to stuff them into our suitcase when we realized the train back to Gothenburg had arrived.  He tells me to quickly get on board as the doors don't stay open long in these small stations.  I got aboard with no problem.  Michael was still wrestling with trying to close the suitcase and just as the door was closing managed to get aboard.  

There is enough room when the train door opens for 3-4 people to get on at the same time.  Unfortunately he decided to step just where i was standing - and right onto my left foot.  I just knew I was in complete agony and on the floor.  I must have screamed bloody murder, as the only two people in the car -two youngish men - came running over, trying to pull me up.  I was trying to process what had just happened and hoping that the pain would tamp down and not ready to get up.  I managed to get up with their help and hop to a seat.  They were both so helpful, bringing my backpack and camera bag to me.  Michael looked worried -  as he chatted in English with the two Swedish men - yes we were on the right train back to Gothenburg.  Our train that was due to leave Gothenburg at 1:40 would also come through this same small station - so we could have waited there for it - but of course we did not know this.  One of the young men walked us back to track 13 (we  arrived on track 15) to make sure we were on the right train.  

I knew something was wrong with my foot, but was hoping it was a sprain.  I limped between trains and onto the hopefully, correct train.  I asked a man seated across the way if this train went to Malmo - yes it did.  Michael asked someone else - finally we could relax.  The rest of the three hour trip was uneventful.  When we arrived in Malmo - granddaughters L and N were waiting for us.  We had planned to walk the twenty minutes to their rental - but not now.  

Daughters house has four levels - so many steps.  Our bedrooms are on the third level.  The living room and kitchen on the third and the master bedroom at the very top.  I am very tired and traumatized by the days events.  So when they ask if I want to go to urgent care that night I say no - maybe a miracle will happen over night!

No miracle - next day it is as bad as ever.  Michael and the granddaughters and son-in-law go out to do a little sightseeing and got groceries for dinner.  Alexis spends 2 hours in the morning trying to reach the 1177 health care line.  Finally we find out - that if you do not have a Swedish person number you cannot make an appointment - but must go in person and wait.  

Alexis and I take an Uber to the urgent care and take a number.  I have to pay a fee for the care - not sure but it seems to be about $150 USD.  This is the number to get into the system when you are a walk-in.  Then you see someone, tell them the problem, and are put into the system.  Then you are called into triage.  There they look at my foot and say well, we can't tell what the problem is - you need an x-ray.  You will have to walk several blocks within the medical complex to another building.  The x-ray happens fast.  Then you wait another hour for the doctor to read it.  We are told we will either be told all is fine and we can go home or we will be sent to another building to the Emergency room.  

Finally we are called for the results - the doctor has found something so you must go to the Emergency room.  At the Emergency room I need to pay another fee - this time around $600 USD that should cover most everything they do there.  But if I need crutches or drugs that will be extra. There is another long wait - with no information at all why we are waiting so long.  

Finally we are called into a consultation room.  The doctor comes quickly and tells me that I have fractures in the long bones on the top of my left foot for all three of the middle toes.  They want to put me in a caste.  But then ask more question.  How long will I be in Sweden -  How will I get back to the US.  We are flying.  You can't fly with a caste - so the second option is a boot that goes up to my knee and I need to wear it 24/7  I tell them about my blood clot diagnoses in November 2024.  More instructions are given.  I must get a prescription for a heparin shot to be taken everyday until I get the boot caste off.  I am not supposed to take ibuprofen, but instead Tylenol.  I say I cannot go 4 weeks without a shower - so the question is asked of the doctor and I am given permission to take off the boot once a day for a shower, but I must wear it at night.

I am confused - do I have to come back to the clinic everyday for the shot?  No - I am supposed to give it to myself.  They give me a shot - right in my belly and show me how it should be done.  It is not pleasant, but not horrible.  There is one more dose to take with me.  Then they put in a prescription for the heparin shot under my daughters medical number and also give me crutches - under her name as well as the cost will be so much lower.  They suggested this - not either of us.  The doctor gives a letter in English saying I am fit to travel, but need a wheel chair and assistance.  Also a letter of explanation about the care I received to send to my insurance company for reimbursement.  Finally we can take an uber home.  Just in time for the chicken fricassee meal that Michael and the granddaughters have made.

Aside:  I do not understand why they did not have wheelchairs available.  Those long blocks between buildings meant I was walking on broken bones for well over 24 hours.  It seemed to be foot/leg injury day - as there were many of us walking between those three buildings - should say - limping.  I think otherwise the experience in the US would have been similar.  But my experience in November was all in the same building and I did not need a wheelchair then.

May 26 - Part 2

 

We headed back to the Haga area.

Way off in the distance you can see the Skansen Kronan - a former fortress in the heart of the district of Haga.  It was built in 1687 to 1689 and is a great place to see views of the city.  But we have climbed many stairs and opt to do this another day.

We pass this gate- with these squarish figures.

Here is the whole gate.

We are heading for the Linne district. Most of this area is flat, which is a good thing.  We pass several doorways with this same motif.  On the left is a young man looking very good. 

On the right side of the door is this old guy looking slightly scary.  We saw these two on several buildings.  

There are some colorful buildings here.

Then we pass these buildings.  They seem to have brick bottoms and wood on top.  They don't quite fit the description of famous houses called Governors houses, that have a brick first story and then two wooden floors above that somehow escape the fire regulations in place.  In the 1940's half of the population lived in this style of home.

The siding seems to run up and down which I find interesting.

This is a high garage in the rocks - no idea what is in it.

In the Linnie area there are many flowers.

Then we see this sign.  

And across the street this sign of Carl von Linne - known as Mr. Flower Power.

This was his home.

Then, moving on, another street with very white buildings.

And at the end - this roof top view. I love it.  If I had known at the time that it was the hunting lodge of Queen Christina I would made the effort to walk down to it.

We wandered back into the Haga area.

It must be fika time!

And this sign - advertising their  offerings of an Aperol Spritz. 

And then this weird display of  spheres.  We just liked them.

We decided to walk towards the Fish market.  We were thinking that they would still be selling fish.  

Along the way  - more murals.

The peoples library.

And we are across the canal from the fish market - the Feskekorka.  We have to walk quite a ways up to a bridge in order to cross over.  Then we see a big square that we will explore.

And we are very close the the famous cranes.

We enter the fish market - only to find that it is now housing 3 or 4 different restaurants.  But we can walk though it.

We do not stop to eat.  Back out I see a better image of the power plant.  Right in the middle of the city.  Then we head for the tram station and home.

The day had promised much rain - but it has not come to fruition.  After a rest we decide to go back to the same restaurant we had hamburgers and fries to have pizza.   Today we have seen many fathers taking care of their young children.  Is it more than other countries?  I am thinking it is more than the U.S.  We get two pizzas - one with a lot of meat, and one called a kobob pizza.  We have lots to eat later.

Michael has 3 meetings, and then we talk to our daughter Lisa -and then on to posting blog posts.  All in all a good day.

May 26 - New areas to explore - the Haga, Lenne platsen and the Fish Market.

Today is Monday and we have much to explore.  We take the 1 tram out of our tram station - we have the 1, 7 and 8 lines here.  Only the 1 goes to the Jamtorget tram stop.  We had passed this stop several times and thought it looked interesting.  Then, on further research, I found that it was the stop for the Haga area which we both wanted to see.  The name of the name of the square - Jamtorget - means The Iron square.  This is because the square used to hold a large scale used to weigh iron that was exported from the harbor  The large fountain consisting of naked women around the edges and a ship high up in the middle.  The women represents 5 of the continents - Africa, America, Asia, Europe and Oceania.  Each of the naked women statues is recognizable by their hair style and the object they are holding.  

I think there were 5 female statues representing the 5 continents.  This looks like Africa.

On the very top was this ship - going to all these continents.   

This one seems to be from India. 

Buildings around the square.

And then into the Haga area.

The architecture is interesting.  It all looks so European. Lol!

Off in the distance we could see a church that was on our list of must sees.  So we took a detour to do a visit.

I know this is the same photo - just with a tractor and trailer in it.  There is a lot of road construction around the area - it looked like it was heading to one of them.  Just weird to see this scene here!

Street scenes along the way to the church.

 It is a neo gothic church called the Hagakyrkag.  It is very photogenic - especially as the sun peeked through just as we arrived.

Inside was beautiful as well.  There were 2 or 3 fathers with babies wandering the aisles.  One man kept raising his arms up in time with the organ music.  Later I saw his tiny baby was fast asleep. What ever he was doing was for himself.  

The organ pipes on the second floor.