Three months after discharge. A day fulfilled by a 40-minute drive.

It has been exactly three months since I was discharged from the hospital.
Today, for the first time, I drove myself to the hospital.

It was about a 40-minute drive.

When I arrived at the hospital safely without any breaks,
I felt deeply moved, thinking,
'I've managed to recover this much.'

I used to drive almost every day.
I loved driving, and 200km a day was a breeze.
I even used to show up at track days.

That's exactly why, after being hospitalized and living without driving for a while,
I was shocked when I drove for the first time in a long while.

'Huh? My senses have dulled this much?'

I couldn't handle the car the way I wanted to.

My leg strength had also declined, and just keeping my foot on the brake at a red light was exhausting.
I got tired easily, my legs would shake, and
I felt anxious driving alone, which even made me lose my confidence.

I never imagined that things I used to do without a second thought would become this difficult.

After being discharged, I did some driving rehabilitation little by little with my husband in the passenger seat.

And then today.
I drove for 40 minutes alone to the hospital.

From the perspective of my former self, this is something taken for granted.
But for the me of today, it was a huge step forward.

I'm a super safe driver now (lol).
While dreaming of the day I can floor it in my beloved car again, I'll keep doing my best at my own pace. 🚗😤

*The photo is from when I participated in a track day. Seeing it after such a long time has got my blood pumping...