The Day My Life Changed Forever

Senior Blayke Helfrich

I pulled a stroke and felt myself choke on water. But I tried to ignore it. I pulled again and my vision disappeared, the bottom of the pool replaced by a void of white emptiness. But I still tried to push through it. I pulled a third stroke and saw myself from the pool deck, as if I was my coach, who had seen this same motion thousands of times but never expected this to be the stroke to end it all. I watched in slow motion as my bicep tensed, then groaned, then nothing. And then everything. I was snapped back to my own body as I stopped kicking, stopped swimming, and grasped onto the lane line like my life depended on it. I realized I was crying. I kicked back to the wall and barely got myself out of the water with the little bit of strength I had left.

“Take a few days to rest.” But it was over. I couldn’t function anymore. I couldn’t lift my arms above my head for more than a few seconds, I could barely wash my hair in the shower, it hurt to write, and even lifting up my backpack at school was a full-blown battle. The day I got my diagnosis, my dreams were crushed. As that doctor spoke, I felt my entire world come crashing down around me. Impingement Syndrome. It felt like my life ended. I spent nearly thirteen years of my life swimming competitively, putting every drop of my heart, soul, and body into the water, and it repaid me with punishment.

Even as I started physical therapy and my life came back in small increments, I didn’t feel whole. I had lost the one thing I loved more than myself: swimming. And, as the months drew on, I realized I was never getting it back. Even years after my diagnosis, months of physical therapy, and daily stretching, I cannot swim the way I did. The only way to get a glimpse of my old life back is a surgery that I’m ineligible for. As time went on, I began to understand that the only way I could truly take my life back was to accept the change that had occurred and move on to new activities. As terrible as the situation was, I realized that I could turn it into an opportunity to discover myself.

Even years after my diagnosis, months of physical therapy, and daily stretching, I still cannot swim the way I used to. The only way for me to get a glimpse of my old life back is a surgery that I’m unable to get. As time went on, I began to understand that the only way I could truly take my life back was to accept the change that had occurred and move on to new activities. As terrible as the situation was, I realized that I could turn it into an opportunity to discover myself. With the sudden influx of time I had been spending with Miss Angie, our athletic trainer, I was given a second chance in the world of sports. I learned about the passion I have for sports medicine and first aid, and that what I truly care about is helping those in need.

I watched as students came into the office with the same outlook on their sporting careers as I had been given. But never once did Angie let them give up on their passion. I watched as she motivated them to not give up, to keep pushing themselves in other ways, all while helping them heal from injuries. Then I got the chance to do the same. I have never felt more satisfaction and pride than I did in the Sports Medicine club. When Eli was diagnosed with Athlete’s Heart Syndrome, I motivated him to stay involved in wrestling through reffing. When Emma got her concussion, I kept her up to date on cheer practices so she knew what to look forward to. Due to my own experience, I aided people through some of the most difficult moments in their highschool sporting careers and helped them become stronger.

The greatest thing that ever happened to me was a direct result of the worst thing I’ve ever been through. I had the best experience of my life in that club and I wanted to pay forward the good fortune I’d had onto others. I found that another way to help people and give back was to become a lifeguard. The knowledge I gained of basic injuries to complex muscle strains all led me to passing my Red Cross First Aid and CPR Certification course at the top of my group. I took the insight I had been given and turned it into an expertise, allowing me to become the best lifeguard I could possibly be. I saved a woman’s life while working over the summer. I held her above the water as it flowed against us, when it ripped her legs from under her and I was the only thing keeping her afloat. She never stopped thanking me for that moment.

While I recognize that that moment is a standard part of a lifeguard’s duty, knowing that I made a difference in that woman’s life, that I was able to help her when she couldn’t help herself, in that moment I knew that I had found what I truly wanted. Ironically, I’m glad my injury happened. Now I know what I actually want for my future. There is no better feeling to me than being able to help someone in need. I’ve learned new ways to interact with the sports community without hurting myself further and helping others in the same situation as me, and giving back to the public community through lifeguarding and teaching swim lessons to young children.

Even now as I wake up and stretch for 15 minutes before starting my day, I still feel my shoulders cry and whine at the movements they do every morning. No matter how much it hurts, it changed me for the better and allowed me to grow further than I ever could have imagined and helped me discover my true passion for aiding others in any way possible. Every day I want to get back on the field, wrapping ankles, taping wrists, icing knees, and helping those who need it. Even as I sit on my stand at the pool, I always remember how I got there and who helped me succeed in my time of need. I think back to the start of my journey and see where I am now, and I recognize that it’s all worth it in the end.

Crackling the Secret of Death

Freshman Quynh Phuong

Acrylic