It can be really hard to keep momentum up when trying to learn something new. Probably the only good thing that can be said about formal education is that it makes you show up every day.
I like the trick of setting a really low daily goal: write for ten minutes, run just one mile... Once I get started I almost always wind up doing more than expected.
Sorry to hear about the car accident. Glad you're okay - cars are replaceable and people are not!
That mental trick is a good one. I'm setting aside time every afternoon for programming. Github is a great motivator, too, because I want more little green squares to show up!