Little Mermaid

Ocean Swimming is a lot tougher of a class than you think. The fact that you get to have class across La Playa Stadium at the beach makes it beyond worth it. I took swimming classes and was on teams (in a pool) for eight years before my diagnosis. I came into Ocean Swimming thinking I would know everything about swimming but that it'd be just a tad tougher. Nope! See that's the thing about me...I always overestimate the amount of physical strength I have had since after treatment. It's great because I'm getting my strength back, but can be a bad thing at the same time. The teacher for this class really cares about your safety! Girls, if you ever get too tired just know you got a cute lifeguard or two that will take you back to shore ;) What? Just sayin... 

The first class I arrived at the beach not knowing where to meet. Like...do I meet at this particle of sand or that one or that one or that one or that one??? First to arrive after my 8 am class, then people started showing up and I started feeling so excited. The next two weeks we trained in the pool. I still got it ;) The pool was freezing enough, never mind the Pacific Ocean. 

Day 1 in the ocean: I arrive in my red one piece. Me, not Pamela Anderson! Haha. I swam one buoy because I was short of breath from anxiety. The assistant teacher told me I should take a different swimming class that would be easier. Me quit? Ha! I did need to get a wetsuit for sure though.

Day 2: This Little Mermaid swam 1,000 meters. All the way down the SBCC coast fishies!!! I felt unstoppable in my wetsuit.

Day 3: Timed Test. This was the worst day. Before I got in I got knocked down by a wave. Then soon to realize we had to swim against the current. Choppy water smacked in my face every time I turned my face for a breath. My partner gave up, but I still had the assistant teacher and lifeguard with me. I thought I was finished but there was one more buoy to go. Right then and there, in the middle of the ocean, I had my first panic attack. Barely able to lift my arms out of the water, I fight to the end where the next buoy was. JK!! That wasn't the end. I was told if I didn't swim out to shore myself I would get put as "Did Not Finish". Second panic attack. The assistant teacher keeps telling me I'm tough, and this was nothing compared to chemotherapy. My past of having the attitude of surviving carries with me. The lifeguard asks if I want him to take me in. My assistant teacher answers for me saying, "No, she's got it, she's tough. Common Angela let's go!" Strong, but not smart I push for it. Where I'm able to stand I cannot. My assistant teacher and the lifeguard lift me up out of the water and take me to the lifeguard's truck where he drives me back to the start. Chaffed with a burning sensation on my neck, I sat in remembrance of my pain in my neck from my lymphoma. I wasn't as proud as I thought I would be. I realized I need to treat my fragile body with more care and respect. When I got home, you can imagine I passed out in a hard core nap. 

Day 4: In the morning today, I debated whether or not I should go to class or give my body a little more rest. I decided to go, but declare myself done the moment I felt any sort of weak. Boy, am I glad I went today. Before class my favorite thing to do is annoy the seagulls. They annoy us so I annoy them! I get way too much enjoyment out of it. The water was smoother than ever. Usually you could never see the bottom of the ocean without goggles or with because it wasn't clear. First dive I take and I see the bottom of the ocean floor. Sand rests with the sun's rays glistening in rays coming back up toward my face. Sea weed standing tall and  grows from the bottom of the floor. WOAH! I've never seen under the ocean with my own eyes before! I didn't know whether to be scared or amazed. Swimming seeing below actually turned out to be easier because you focus on the view below you instead of how tired you are. I remembered to cross my feet together so I didn't kick. In Ocean Swimming you don't kick because that gives off 43% of your oxygen. Going farther around buoys and back I see bones on the ocean floor, and fish to my left. I indulge myself under the water and realize how quite and away from the world I felt. It felt so good, and I left class feeling good. Then I went home and ate some fish! So weird...

Angela Rose Bickmann: Conquers cancer and the ocean. I'm surviving and living and I couldn't be happier about it :)

Remember,

"Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, what do we do? We swim! Swim! Swim! Swim!"

Cancer patients should sing

"Just keep surviving, just keep surviving, what do we do? We live! Live! Live! Live!"