Woman in a man's world

Summer break 2021

Norah's new home was boring, a bed, window, ceiling, a few posters and a nightstand made up the room she would spend her future in. Even Though she was better she missed her old life, seeing her friends and living a normal life. She hated being in here but she made a promise, not only to herself but to all of her friends and her family. She had to get better, she would get better. She just needs some more time.

"Norah, will you come with me please?" Dr Martens asked, peeking through her door, another session. She gladly followed, doing anything other than sitting in her boring room. They would always talk about the whole situation, how Norah felt, why this happened, steps forward and backwards.

"So Norah, week two into your summer break. How does it feel?"

"I miss it, all of it." She said with a plain smile.

"And what is all of it?"

"My team and everyone in it, Adam. Um my friends, I really miss them.. It feels weird just leaving them like that after Silverstone and I haven't really had time to talk to them. And I miss my car, sitting in it and racing, only focusing on racing. I've always loved it, always will."

"I understand that racing means a lot to you, how has this week been?" Racing didn't mean a lot, it meant everything.

"It has been alright, It still scares me sometimes not being able to move as much as i want to but um.. I don't know, but somehow it also starts to feel normal again." It was hard to put every feeling into words, she did her best.

"You've been eating two whole meals for almost two weeks now, is that the part that feels normal? Or something else?"

"Yes, I guess I don't feel so many changes to my body.. I just want to stay fit for my racing, you know."

"Yes and we are working with you trainer Adam to set up a schedule for both food and training, he is a really good trainer. He knows so much about food in relation to training, we're lucky to have him on this journey. But you should know Norah that you are doing really well, in the near future we are slowly gonna start to bring your training into this so that we can make sure your level of food intake and training stays normal. Does that sound good to you?"

"Yeah.. Yeah it sounds good, when will I have my phone again?"

"A few days before you leave for the next race, and about that. We can't control what you see on social media, that is why we don't have phones in here but please try to stay away from social media."

"That shouldn't be a problem, Adam has my phone most of the weekend anyways."

"Well if that is all Norah" Dr Martens looked at Norah, who had a wondering look on her face.

"I'm just wondering cause I still feel a bit confused about all of this, why do you think this happened? I still can't make it up in my head when I got sick."

"These things are hard to say exactly what happened. It happens most times because of a trauma of some sort. In your case and for the fighter person you are, after your accident last year you maybe felt desperate to get back in the car. You could also feel scared and anxious, you didn't know what your future would be. So slowly when you got back to training those feelings combined with pressure from close people, you go down a wrong path, and in these situations it is hard for you and other people to realise that. But Norah you can never be sure about this; this is all speculation. What matters now is that you get back on the right path and then we can take time to analyse and reflect about all of this." The doctor finished with a smile, Norah nodded and then left the room.