Six months after moving, I received an invitation to speak at a regional conference about accessible design and lived experience.

I almost refused.

Public speaking had always frightened me, and I worried someone would ask about the accident, the documents, or the parts of my life I still didn’t know how to explain.

Then I remembered something my ophthalmologist had said during one appointment: “Recovery doesn’t mean returning to exactly the person you were.

It means discovering what you can do now, with the tools and support you need.”

I accepted.