So when I got off my cruise there was a text msg waiting for me asking me if I’d look at a friend’s kid’s injury. (I don’t usually do things like that, but their injury was up my specialty-alley, and they’re a really good friend.) They wound up being fine, but it did make me miss being a nurse.

About halfway through the cruise I realized I was actually getting better, finally. For a long while there I’d plateaued, and sitting in a car for any amount of time would do me in. But I think the enforced relaxing of the cruise, with no reason to bend over, no chores, no desk, no cars, no lifting, and walking on the treadmill and frequently everywhere else helped me to get over the last hump. I think I’m abut 80% of where I was before (after a long time cruising at 65%), but I’m getting better every day now and feel good about my chances of getting back to where I was. So I think I’m going to go back to work next week.

This time off has been nice because it’s shown me that even without a job-job to write around, I’d still write/edit prolifically and be responsible. (Sometimes people need their jobs to corral their free time for hobbies, not me.) And it’s shown me that a lot of my fatigue issues that I thought were hypothyroid related, are really nightshift-working related, boo. I’m scared about being reinjured, but I know to take things very seriously now, instead of thinking that back injuries are part and parcel of the job. At the same time, well, they are, but I know my floor. My coworkers will help watch out for me if I don’t act like a hero. We don’t let each other drown. And it’ll be good for me to get back at it. Freelancing nursing of other people’s kids just ain’t the same rush ;). Maybe someday I’ll be able to afford to not nurse — and between back stuff and fatigue stuff, I know now that I’d jump on that — but today is not yet that day. And I miss my coworkers, I really do love my job. I just wish it were during the daytime, and that all my patients were a dainty eighty lbs ;). Those NICU nurses have the right idea, lifting patients the size of footballs all day, ha.

In other news, I’ve seen a cover preview for Moonshifted, which I love! And Project M is still off at my agent, who loves it but wants a few more tweaks to make it perfect. So I have this weekend off, until I get agent notes, and then it’s back to being who I was :D.