After scouring the internet for school OT jobs this weekend (joking but only kind of) and feeling locked in, I went into work on Monday feeling a bit forlorn.

My policy is never to talk behind someone's back unless I talked with them about it first. Now, I spoke to Don on Thursday. Friday was still tough, and I was still stewing about the ridiculousness of it all on Monday. 

I was ticked. Yeah. 

Don is also my friend. He, Erin, Sherry and I routinely share laughs, and he has said many times that if we weren't there, he'd have quit long before now (when he was still functioning as the social worker on top of rehab director). 

So when I went in on Monday and did a transfer that resulted in quite painful pain, and he and I were the only ones in the office, I was a little bit on the verge of tears. "I want you to know that I was really frustrated by that scheduling over the weekend. My back has been painful for awhile, and you were aware of it. I know you want what's best for the patients because I'll do the lifts, but that's not fair to me either. And I won't be able to do them for long. I know I could do something else, but it would really suck to only get to work as an OT for a year and a half because a back injury."

Cue almost-tears. 

But then Don worked his outpatient evaluation magic, some manual therapy, and made me feel better about everything. He brought me a TENS unit, and said that if he had to transfer every one of my patients out of bed every day, he would do that. I have to accept help (which I have done twice). This week has been blissfully light. I get to keep my favorite patient who is a maximal assist, but otherwise have a supervision to moderate assist schedule. It has been so much more pleasant, and I don't have near as much pain. 

I am sure that I will start to build back up, but at least now I know that I CAN do the job. I still may keep one eye out for a pediatric position, but at least I don't feel like I have to choose between being an OT and ruining my body. At least I don't feel trapped. 

Erin and I went out for post-documentation ice cream sundaes this Tuesday. I can't say enough about how lucky I am with her, or Don. I don't know where my career will take me, but while I'm here, I'm enjoying it.