Rant #3,332: Drive

I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT! I DID IT!

This was the cryptic message I put up on Facebook yesterday.

Some people got it, some didn't, but if you read this Blog with any regularity, you know what "I DID IT!" means--

After nearly six months, I was able to get into my car and after doing that, I was able to drive my car.

This is a major accomplishment for me.

Roughly four months after my second left leg surgery, I am back in my saddle again.

And it felt soooooooo good!

With my wife acompanying me just to make sure, I drove the total 10-plus mile round trip there and back to my son's workplace without any incident.

This was after I practiced in the morning getting in and out of the car.

My car is kind of low to the floor, so using my crutches, I got to the door, opened it, and kind of swiveled into my seat.

Later, I got out of the car about the same way.

I had to push the seat as far back as it could go to do this, and for someone who prefers driving with my seat nearer to the steering wheel, it is a bit different to drive, but I adapted pretty swiftly.

I also have a "running board" built into the car, which not all makes and models of this car brand have, but I was able to use it to my advantage.

The running board is built into the floor, and is made so that your left foot is slightly elevated, maybe at a 40-degree angle.

It is quite handy on long car drives, because elevating your left foot even slightly makes these trips more comfortable.

And for me in my current condition, the slight elevation is kind of soothing to my left leg.

I also slightly push off of this thing to get out of the car, so it is "good to go" and "good to get out" of the car.

I had to refamiliarize myself with all the controls my car has; I also had to refamiliarize myself with the feel of the brake and accelerator.

My depth perception remains intact, so I was happy to say that that was not a problem.

All in all, even though I drove just a little more than 10 miles, it was as memorable a drive I have ever had, right up there with the first time I ever drove with my full license, in November 1974.

And remember, I had said from day one that I wanted to drive by my birthday on April 28, so I actually beat that goal by 12 days!

Look, I am not kidding myself.

I have a long way to go in my rehabilitation, with the original.prognostication of seven-to-12 months pretty much on target.

So while I am able to drive now, I probably have eight months--at the very least--to kick this thing through the goal posts.

As for driving, today will be the next test, as in the morning, I will be driving alone after I drop my son off at work.

I don't think I will have any problems, but it is another hurdle that I have to jump over.

There is still driving at night, driving in inclement weather, and driving longer distances, but I firmly believe that once you learn to drive, you never forget how to do it, no matter what the layoff is.

Now that I am behind the wheel, the shackles that have been restricting me are fully off.

And besides me, who is most pleased with this latest development?

My wife, of course!

If I had shackles on me, then she had a millstone around her neck, because for the past six months, she was forced to do 100 percent of the driving in my family.

Now, I can take that burden away from her, freeing her up to relax a wee bit.

And, of course, she--and our son--have supported me throughout this nightmare, so she is happy that I am doing better ... not quite there, but getting there by the day.

So all told, yesterday was a memorable day for me, today will continue that good feeling I have, and the days ahead are so bright that I have to wear shades ...

I am finally firmly planted in the driver's seat, and from that vantage point, I can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.

And it's about time.