I drove out my driveway and found me again.....

I know the title is a bit cryptic, so let me explain! I need to give you a bit of background about me so it makes sense.

I drove out my driveway today….. which in itself is an amazing concept..... Why you ask? Well I have cerebral palsy. My family and I were told that I would never be able to drive....or walk, or sit up or move my arms and legs on my own, the list goes on and on. 

But I was so determined to drive a car one day, that I started at 7 years old putting most of my pocket money in a 'Collie's Car' 🚘 savings account. At 16, I tried driving my parents manual car but I couldn't. So my Dad & I took the money I had saved and bought an old automatic car…..not knowing if I would ever be able to drive it. My Dad (a mechanical engineer - very handy!) adapted my first car, putting a second accelerator pedal on the left side of the brake pedal so I could use my left leg which is stronger. 

Then Dad and I started many hours of teaching my leg to move and my muscles to push and react. Once I mastered that it was on to learning to drive a car then driving on the road. Next I had to pass comprehensive medical assessments. After all of this I was able to sit the traditional driving test. 

So yes you could say driving is very important to me! With my adapted car I have been on many adventures! I love the independence and freedom I experience being able to get myself around. I smile every time I put my car in drive! 😀

Fast forward to August 2022, unfortunately my adapted car was flooded and written off. At the time I had been thinking it was time to look at changing my adaption to hand controls. So I took losing my car as a sign and a big shove, that it was time to change.

Oh boy I had no idea what I was getting myself into! 🤯 Now this was a change to my special license I asked for because I know my body, not because something had happened. I swear Tasmania doesn’t know what a straight or flat road is! 🙄 The crazy roads were leading to a lot of pain and uneasiness. 

Despite having a full, open, active unblemished license for decades, plus passing my driving medical just weeks before……I had a hell of a fight getting the adaptation conditions changed. So started a 3 year challenge of jumping through endless hoops to change to hand controls!

The licensing division and driving occupational therapist decided to start me from the beginning as if I had never driven before! So this meant endless driving medicals, assessments and 75 pages of forms! I was finally deemed fit to drive (duh!) so I could start lessons to learn how to drive with hand controls! 

So began the process of retraining my brain and body to drive completely differently than I had been for decades. Definitely a challenge! Finally in November last year after jumping through endless hoops I was successful in getting my adaption conditions changed on my license! 

Next I went and bought a new car which was very exciting! After more forms, issues and waiting, it was finally fitted with hand controls and I can drive it! Yay! 

So for the first time in 3 years I am able to drive out my driveway on my own! I finally have my independence and freedom back! 

What I didn't realise until I could drive out my driveway again, is how much I had changed through this process. Because driving is so important to me, when it was taken away I lost a part of me. It was like my spirit had dimmed and I didn't even realise it! Now simply driving out my driveway, I feel more like myself and at peace. Plus I still smile when I put my car in drive! 😀

Is there something that you used to do that made your spirit sing, that you no longer do? If so, please take the time to do that special thing that makes you feel like you. Your spirit will thank you!

Much Love & Blessings, 

Collette xx 💜