Living in a dream - but the pain is real

Written for the '150 Word Wonder Contest' due 3/23/2013

Have you ever felt like you’re in a dream? Like what you’re doing cannot possibly be real? One minute you’re a normal kid, the next you’re in front of 18,000 people about to swim in a Paralympic race? No?!

There I was, in bed, stretching on the biggest day of my life. My arm got half way to my head and stopped. The pain was so bad it made me shout out.  Three hours until race time – I needed help.

Medical advice told me not to swim – my four years of solid work was not to be used.  However, I refused to spend my life asking “what if?”

I walked out onto poolside, was announced to the crowd. I looked up, using the noise of 18,000 people to block out the pain.

One minute of agony made me a Paralympic Silver medallist again! No “what ifs?” only satisfaction and pride!

Word count = 150