At the age of 64, after 35 years and five attempts, Diana Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Key West without a shark cage.

It took her 53 hours and she had a team of 35 people helping her out.

We may need 53 weeks, or months to complete our “swim” through the waters of benzo withdrawal, but we will arrive on the warm sandy beach sooner of recovery or later.

It would be nice if we all had a team to “scout for jellyfish and sharks” as Diana had, but alas, we swim these treacherous waters on our own. We do have the veterans who tell us that we will recover (for which I am grateful). But it would be nice if someone were in a boat next to me, hollering, “head pressure straight ahead,” or, “derealization at 3:00.” so I could maneuver safely around. But no. I still swim right into symptoms.

The good news is I keep swimming. Diana was quoted as saying,”Never give up on your dreams.” Yesterday I had a hard time holding onto hope (I was hit hard with symptoms). Today, I feel better. Not healed, but better. I guess I will keep kicking my legs, pumping my arms, and moving through the water.

I hope everyone had a good Labor Day holiday. Wish benzo withdrawal syndrome symptoms would take a holiday.

One day we will be healed.

Believe.

Diana Nyad did. 🙂