Since the Day I Became 'Slightly' Less Than Whole

“In an instant, without a sound, my life collapsed. And everything changed.”
But, with a body that is 'slightly' less than whole, the best part of my life began.

Life is more about the recovery shot than the nice shot.
That is my 'Shura's Stroke'.

Whether you are lucky or unlucky...

One day, just after I turned 27.
With my wedding to the woman I had been with for three years scheduled for six months later,
in the middle of those happy times—when we were supposed to be choosing the wedding dress she would wear—
I never imagined that right then,

I would be in a head-on collision with a car while on my motorcycle.I would be in a head-on collision with a car while on my motorcycle.

With six fractures, from the top down—
a broken neck (C7), burst fractures in my back (T4 and T5), a comminuted fracture of the sacrum (pelvis), a complex fracture of my left arm (humerus), and a comminuted fracture of my right wrist (distal radius and ulna), my entire body was shattered.

As a result of the muscle tears and fractures, I am left with paralysis, difficulty moving, and muscle weakness in my left arm.
My right wrist also has a limited range of motion, and I have not fully regained my strength.

Furthermore,I suffered a spinal cord injury (thoracic) and a brain injury (higher brain dysfunction)—
In truth, it is much more than just being 'slightly' less than whole. Haha.

I ended up in a wheelchair, and I couldn't even remember my parents' faces or the wedding we had planned.
Reality felt like an endless dream, and I spent my days unable to do anything but stand still.

Some people said, 'You were lucky to survive.'
But at the time, facing the “thorny path”that was carefully laid out ahead of that life, I really couldn't think so.

🏌️‍♂️ A Chance Encounter with a Golf Club

The hospital I was transferred to was the National Rehabilitation Center for Persons with Disabilities in Saitama.
Here, while using a wheelchair along with a walker and cane, I began to somehow regain the **act of 'walking'.**

Then, one day.
In the gymnasium storage room I stopped by during rehabilitation,I found a single golf club left all by itself.

There was no special reason; I just picked it up on a whim.
I didn't think I could swing it, and I didn't think it would matter if I could.

But when I tried to swing it—I managed to swing it somehow.

“Oh, if I can do this... maybe...”
In that moment, I felt a small light shine into my heart.

The part of me that loved sports finally showed its face.
And that club, which I had gripped without any expectations, opened the door to my future just a little bit.

That single club I found in the dusty storage room that day
taught me once again what it means to 'take on a challenge'.

💬 Who do you live with, and for what?

From the day I was no longer whole,
I began to face the question, 'Who do I live with, and for what?' head-on.
I struggled, I suffered, and I fell silent many times.

But—in the midst of those days, one certain thing began to come into view.
It was a small conviction: "I can still do this."

But at the same time, I also thought this:
If I cannot even save myself, what on earth can I save?

The reality that confronted me was right here.

🏆 From "wheelchair for life" to a score of 69

"You will be in a wheelchair for the rest of your life."

I don't remember much about the day the doctor told me that.
Because I had suffered brain damage, I didn't even know what kind of injuries I had. 😅

That pronouncement alone was causing suffering to those around me.

Since then, I encountered the non-powered walking assist device "ACSIVE,"
and I started a sport called golf, using a club instead of a cane.

And the other day,
in the newly established division for severe disabilities at the DGA, I shot a score of 69,
and received 1st place (Fighting Spirit Award).

This isn't just about the score.
It is a record of a body that was told it would be "in a wheelchair for life" conquering a course, despite lacking the necessary conditions.
https://note.com/golf_revolution/n/ndcb01875bbcd

—The rest of this story is divided into four parts.

📝 About this note

In this note, I, who have become "a little less than whole," will write about my days of overcoming challenges through golf and, occasionally, laughter.
▶ First, a single shot. (4-panel comic | I can only aim for a wry smile...)


https://note.com/golf_revolution/m/mfd6c61fd9dfe

▶ Golf x Challenge (My grueling shot)
https://note.com/golf_revolution/m/mfffdeeccda3b

▶ Speaking my mind a little. (Mental sustainability)
https://note.com/golf_revolution/m/m88f5282e8ac5

▶ A Pro at Living | Since that day, with a slightly different self
https://note.com/golf_revolution/m/mc5777add99d7

You might have heard the title somewhere before.
Since the original author told me "go right ahead," I am gratefully and boldly ripping it off.

But deep down, I am pouring my own "personal story" into it.
"The scenery that can only be seen by someone who has lost something"—I will write about it straight.