hello again I need encouragement

Don't beat yourself up about the swim. +1 to keeping with the training though.
Personally, I have never trained at all for the swim. I've done 18 or 20 sprint tri's in the last 15 years as one way to stay in shape over the summer in preparing for hockey season(Michigan).
I'm quite sure if someone threw you off a boat 800m from shore you could make it in. That is the mindset I have used for years and you know what? It works, I've made it everytime! My 800m times have been anywhere from 19 to 21 minutes. I freestyle a bit, then roll over on my back and just do a little kick wih the legs and a little flipper action with my arms. Freestyle awhile again, then roll on to my back, etc. Actually on your back is very peaceful as you're looking at the sky and your ears are below the waterline so you can hear yourself breathing very well.
If it's your first tri don't feel like you have to freestyle the entire distance, mix it up a bit just to make it. You can catch your breath pretty quickly when you are on your back.
This is the first year I am really starting to train and I can see improvement already so keep up your training for sure.
Don't know how many BT'ers actually do/have done what I do but it works for me and I made it.
If your ego is at stake, just make sure you have enough energy to freestyle in the last 50 to 80m.

You can't muscle your way through swimming. Keep up the lessons and listen to your coach about going slow--form counts over everything else.

you might also try reading the book, Total Immersion.

Good luck and hang in there!

keep up the work, remember your not going to get good in a few days. i barely leared how to swim two months ago, literally. i was always afraid of the water and couldnt even go half way across a 25 meter pool, without stopping. i learned how to swim from youtube. so im pretty sure since you have lessons youll do very good! just keep on swimming and dont give up. if you keep training youll get way better! so dont give up!

I like the swimsmooth.com site.   They have Mr. Smooth who swims the perfect stroke and he is downloadable.   I study him every time I sit at the computer.  the site is imformative as well.   As said before...don't sweat the swim too much....its the smallest leg of the race.   I could swim more than 30 yds without needing to rest so i hired a swim coach and we did drill after drill after drill.  On race day I couldn't believe how fast I had come out of the water.  Just pay attention in your lessons and you should be OK

Is the race wetsuit legal?

So much of my problem is poor swim technique and then panic . The wetsuit compensates some for my poor technique, and also gives me confidence that I wont drown , after that I freestyle, doggy paddle , roll over on my back , whatever but I know I will finish