Under the weather and into the water
Did you hear? Yeseo won FIRST PLACE for both Backstroke and Freestyle at Korea's Paralympic Swimming Chairman's Cup on the 28th of July!
Congratulations Yeseo!
But, hey,
another month, another championship!
To be more precise:
The Special Olympics Summer Games in Incheon City on 17 and 18 August.
So, what's up?
Let’s see what Yeseo and her mother, Sunim, have been up to.
For the first time since Yeseo's dream to become the first Korean swimming athlete with Luscan-Lumish syndrome, her parents were able to get her a swimming coach. But that is not all --
August 4 - Politics
It is presidential election time in Korea.
Sunim’s online presence on Facebook and Youtube got noticed by women supporting local politics. Long story short: today, Sunim is present at the election campaign of the biggest party, Democratic Party of Korea, led by Lee Jae-myung.
It was right time, right place situation: no time like the present to combine online with offline presence. All the while supporting local politics!
Lee Jae-myung failed to win the presidential election but there is a good chance he will be elected next time.
August 6 - Pool time
Coaching
Yeseo's first swimming lesson with her coach. Thanks to additional funding, her family could now afford to get her a total of 8 lessons.
Time for Backstroke!
Fun in the pool
But it's not just working hard for the coming swimming championships! It’s Summer in Korea; no school equals family quality time! This means things to do outdoors, see fireworks, get delicious food. And, yes, go to a pool with slides and other fun swimming games. She loves her time in the water!
August 7 - Mom, I feel sick
Sunim takes Yeseo to the hospital. The diagnosis: bad sinusitis and cold. The remedy: medicine and off to bed. The swimming lessons are postponed. Yeseo needs to get better first.
August 10 - A mother never stops worrying
Yeseo's cold wasn't gone overnight. And to top it off, now it's Sunim’s turn. Muscle pain, swollen throat, and a fever. Yes, moms get sick, too!
Sunim can’t stop coughing. COVID-19 is on the rise again in Korea, and Sunim worries. If this continues, this would mean another trip to the hospital and additional costs. When Covid-19 hit Korea the first time around, everything was covered by the Korean government. According to the Korea Times, this is not the case anymore:
"Vulnerable people, including those aged 65 or older, as well as workers at high-risk facilities such as specialized hospitals for seniors and homeless shelters, can take the vaccine shots for free.
Others can obtain them at their own expense."
Something Sunim is very aware of.
But, on the bright side: Yeseo is feeling much better - Sunim kept giving her disposable disinfectant patches, ointments, as well as the prescribed medicine. And it worked. It's now time for a final check-up at the hospital.
Aug 11 - Another trip to the hospital
Sunim is really not feeling well. Her head and body feel heavy and it is hard to breathe.
With Yeseo’s next swimming competition on the horizon, being sick like this is even more troublesome. So, off she goes, to the hospital where the doctor confirms what Sunim already suspected: it's Covid-19.
Time for hand sanitizer and a mask to prevent infection of her husband and Yeseo.
Aug 14 - Go, go, go, Yeseo!
The swimming competition is fast approaching, and because of conflicting time schedules and Yeseo and Sunim being sick, the second swimming lesson with her coach is scheduled for August 15. The focus will be on Backstroke again.
There are only a few days left: the next lessons will have to be about Freestyle.
Elementary school swimming athlete team
Yeseo's training has a second goal:
to join the only elementary school swimming athlete team in her home area.
But for that to happen, she needs to improve her skills. Her official Freestyle 25 meter record is set at 55 seconds. The athlete swimming team will only accept her if she manages to change this into 40 seconds.
She needs to learn ground stands and advanced techniques. Fortunately, she has her swimming coach now. And knowing Yeseo, she won’t give up. And we won’t stop cheering her on!
파이팅, Yeseo! Do your best!
Good company
At times, we all have to persuade our brains to believe we can do things that seem impossible.
And whattayaknow, Jung Haein needed to overcome some of his own distress. He never felt comfortable in water - yet needed to rise above it for his character Choi Seung-Hyo.
So there you go, Yeseo – you are in good company! Sometimes we have to fight real hard to get to where we want or need to be!
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