Intermediate 
It was a beautiful summer evening and I decided to go for a swim off Doolin Pier in County Clare, Ireland, where I moved in 2012. There was a woman in the water with Dusty, a dolphin who has a great relationship with a group of people she regularly swims with. Dusty arrived in Doolin in about 2008 and hundreds of people have swum with her since, giving the impression that shes totally tame.
That evening, the woman was tickling Dustys tummy and it just looked so inviting. There were about 20 tourists and locals on the pier, looking at this lovely spectacle. Just after I got into the water, Dusty left the woman she was with and went crazy  I found out afterwards that shes very territorial when she is with somebody. Her tail was flapping wildly and, at first, I thought it was a display but, then, I realized she was angry. I knew I had to get out of the water so I swam towards the pier but, within seconds, Dusty had crashed into me with her snout. It was very powerful and painful, and the speed was amazing. I was pushed forwards violently.
All the people on the pier were staring down at me open-mouthed. Dusty was still in the water beside me, her tail flapping crazily. That was more frightening than anything: I thought, if she hits me with her tail, I could go under and drown.
I was at the pier but couldnt get out because of my injuries. I felt pure terror. I shouted for help and a guy put his arm in and pulled me out on to the steps. Then, another man appeared and said he was an orthopaedic surgeon. He had been driving into Doolin when he saw what was happening on the pier. I was so cold and very worried  I didnt know how bad my injuries were and my biggest fear was internal bleeding. He checked me over and said he couldnt feel any evidence of bleeding but that I probably had broken bones. I found out later that I had six spinal fractures, three broken ribs and a damaged lung.
I was in hospital for five days and off work for five months with limited mobility and pain. Then, I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress. My near-death experience had left me anxious about everything. I felt that people were looking at me in the wrong way, I began to struggle with loud noises and I suffered from memory loss. Three months before the accident, I had opened a health-food shop but I had to let it go because I could no longer work.
It was the hardest year ever but, now, its all behind me. I had therapy, osteopathy and massage, and am building up my own osteopathy practice now. I have a new empathy with patients because I have been one.
I am grateful that I am healthy and I really want to prevent other people being injured. We have this lovely idea about dolphins and have faith in them  who would think a dolphin would ever attack a person? If you see a fierce animal coming towards you with its teeth bared, its scary, but dolphins have this lovely, wide smile.
I dont have any anger towards Dusty. I respect her. But I was in her territory and shes a wild, unpredictable animal. People need to know that. So many come here to swim with her and they dont understand how dangerous it can be. Several other people were injured that summer.
After the man pulled me out of the water, Dusty swam away but, then, she came back and was looking at me. Our eyes met and I felt there was complete remorse in her. She was a totally different dolphin; the anger had gone. The people on the pier were in awe. When she had that little moment with me, that was the end of the terror. I made my peace with her.