Aircast's Break-Up

Have you ever seen anyone with a large Aircast boot on each foot? If you have not, although rare, it is possible, and if you have, you probably saw me. For twelve years I have been a competitive swimmer and have trained in the same pool my entire career. There have been thousands, maybe even millions of competent flip turns executed throughout my life. But on the first day of what some call the best year of one's life, Senior year of Highschool, I made a mistake.
On the first day back in the water after a two week break, and the first last day of highschool, I was euphoric with my new found seniority. Although had still been in contact with my friends from the team, I had not seen them since before the break and I was eager to catch up. Our practice had been in session for fifteen minutes and we were still warming up when I recognized my best friend behind my lane, a rush of adrenaline ran through my body and I lifted my head from the water to say “Hi.” …show more content…
I immediately got out of the pool and was attempting to hide my distress. Icing did not subdue my pain, so I called mother and we went to get my heels x-rayed. The initial x-rays were inconclusive due to the high amount of swelling and the doctor put me in two clunky, grey boots, handed me a pair of crutches, and told me to come back next week to try the x-rays again. Unfortunately, I had a college recruiting trip to go on that weekend that required I travel by myself. Refusing to cancel the trip, I went anyway. The trip was a wonderful experience and I denied the storm trooper boots to get the best of me. The following week I crutched back to the doctors with a hopeful heart. To both my mother and my consternation, the doctor found that my left heel was in fact fractured and my right, badly bone bruised. I still had two more college trips to make. Though it not easy, but I knew that I had to get through