Staying in the hospital has its effects. It made me realize how useless I could become if I was incapacitated. I decided I was not going to allow any part of my body to get hurt again. I was going to train so hard to make this happen. I started feeling the restlessness that often accompanied hospital stays, and I expressed my desire to be discharged. The sterile scent of the medical facility and the constant hum of machinery served as a stark reminder of the challenges I faced.

I could not bear ...