Uh, now what do I do?
I couldn't remember how to get to the doctor's office from the garage. I knew the address and could see the building in my mind but could not figure out how to get from here to there. Good thing Brand was with me. So having made a successful dry run, when my new glasses were ready to be picked up yesterday, I knew I could drive there by myself. Brand was so cute. You could tell he was torn. After all, this would be the first time in years that I've driven such a distance (23 miles) by myself, much less in daunting city traffic. But I was 100% confident, and he agreed to let me do it. With Daniel the GPS. And a fully charged cell phone. And google directions. And the office address and phone number in my pocket.
It was a beautiful day for a major recovery milestone. Warm for December, around 60 degrees, sunny. I made it there with no problems. Months ago I could not have handled all the commotion of city driving, the lights the traffic the peds the noise the buses and taxis and... No way could I have processed that much data without just curling up into a ball. But yesterday it was a breeze. I strutted from the parking garage to the office, drinking in the sun and beautiful weather. I cannot even describe how exhilarating it was. Not only was I reclaiming some independence, but doing this felt SO NORMAL! No anxiety or confusion or even a hint of shutting down. I called Brand at work to let him know I'd made it.
Driving home I mischievously defied Daniel's instructions ("recalculating! recalculating!") and took the shorter route that Brand always takes. I just knew I could do it. Everything was so clear and easy. I felt like I could fly.
