Kurt,
I hate to see bad stuff happen to a guy with a dream like you, but I'm glad that I'm not the only one that life poops on with what seems like quickening frequency these days.
If your wife don't wanna swim with fish bigger than minnows don't tell her that they're in there LOL.
I swam my whole life in a pond full of bass and cats better than five pounds and in three decades I've yet to bump into one while swimming. Occasionally some little a-hole bluegill will try to eat a mole on your leg or something, but that's it.
Remember that no matter how crappy things get, I'm kind of jealous of you LOL.