Reverb#10 - Day 29

Prompt: Defining moment. Describe a defining moment or series of events that has affected your life this year.

Besides the obvious?

When I realized that returning to MSH ER was more than likely out of the question. I'd had an inkling for a while, but refused to admit it. One visit to the the ER earlier in the year, I'd sat down with my manager for a chat and had steered the topic towards my return to work. She seemed slow to reply and said that it would have to be done via Occupational health and to do so two months before I wanted to return. Something in her tone - it was flat, guarded. Not encouraging. At this point I thought I could return a year to the day of my accident. I was working hard to do so. After the summer surgery in July I realized that October wasn't likely given how slow I was to recover. Early fall I saw my manager at a retirement party for one of the senior nurses. We'd had a great chat and I told her I would be taking longer than I had previously thought I would. She had half smiled and told me to take all the time I needed, and that no one expected anything more.
In November I was able to face the truth. It still rips me to shreds but hopefully I'll find something else to do. The heartbreak and pain just doesn't stop in this recovery.