Dominoes - Part 2

If you have been reading my blog entries, you'll recall one titled "Dominoes." It addressed the steps in the process to getting myself to Tennessee and a new life...

Well, as of yesterday a couple more dominoes have tumbled down - slowly but surely we are whittling away at all of them and before you know it, the game will end and I will have won!

Tuesday, I gained a "new best bud" in the form of a recruiter (Jim) at one of the travel agencies. He offered me the opportunity to interview at two locations in Eastern Tennessee - "nestled in between the Great Smoky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains" Now, doesn't that just sound like the greatest location for someone who is wanting to experience nature and the 4 seasons?!

The "official" Tennessee nursing license arrived in the mail Wednesday. Now, I am 100% legal. I can practice as an RN in Tennessee until April 30, 2009 at which time I can continue to do so as long as I renew the license. No more waiting for the TN State Board of Nursing to process any paperwork. It has all been processed and I am holding onto the most precious paper of all.

Then, yesterday (Thursday) afternoon I received a phone call from one of the nurse managers in a hospital in Kingsport TN. She and I spoke briefly. We are to talk again today at which time we will both decide if a position on her unit is a good fit. She is from one of the hospitals the "Recruiter Jim - my new best bud" referred to when we spoke previously.

And, today (Friday) I had a followup with my oncologist who has given me the "all clear" to go from a health standpoint. The latest PET Scan is stable. The bloodwork is normal and best of all there is no evidence of disease ("NED" in medical jargon)... So, NED means no MEL (melanoma in Lee's jargon) and with NED but no MEL to hold me back I am "ready for take-off."

And just a moment ago, as I was typing this entry, my phone rang. Expecting it to be the nurse manager from Kingsport I was disappointed (but only for a moment) to NOT hear a distinctly southern accent. The caller was another recruiter from another travel company. She now has a position in Knoxville that she would like me to interview for if I have not yet taken a position elsewhere!

Two weeks ago, they were acting like I was too old and too far removed from acute care nursing to even give me the time of day. But all of a sudden things are moving along at nearly warp speed. Just one more reason to believe that this plan is absolutely the right thing to be doing right now! Synchronicity is alive and well and is pulling me towards Tennessee.