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I was 29, living the glorious night shift life as a staff nurse in a cardiac observation unit in Orange County, California. It was a day off and I woke up at 2am from a "nap." Bored from social media, I had a great idea to feel my boobs.
Having tiny breasts, I immediately felt a quarter-sized, immovable lump on my left chest. Right on top of the heart. "I'll get it checked in the morning," I thought. It's been seven years since I was diagnosed and treated for a sarcoma on my left breast. I had a mastectomy, radiation therapy, and the most brutal chemotherapy. That should be about it, right? In this day and age, everyone is well AWARE that breast cancer exists. Everyone has some connection to someone whose mom had it, a neighbor's auntie's friend, an old classmate's cousin twice removed. With all the pink splashed about every October by these foundations and organizations hoping to "spread awareness," everybody should be aware by now. But what, really, do you know? I’d like to share with you what happens after a person survives.
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 As a solo travel nurse for almost 4 years now, I’ve seen a lot of the country. I grew up in a small town in Vermont, and after graduating from UVM, I said, “See ya New England, I’m going to explore!” First job in Boise, ID and from there, all across the country. My contracts have ranged from towns of a few thousand to cities of millions of people. Honestly, loved them all! I love tearing up trails on my mountain bike as much as trying the latest cocktails and dressing up. I’m a get out there, see the sites, do all the things kind of girl. And yes, naps are key.....
 Have you been gettin’ your self care on?! I don't know about you, but I've seen this term thrown around a lot in the last 2 years. So, I took it upon myself to dig a little deeper. Is it face masks and bubble baths? Is it hiking and getting outdoors? Or is it mediating, painting, drawing, journaling, organizing, or becoming closer to God? Sure. No. Yes. Maybe. It’s actually all of this and then some. Self care differs from person to person. For me? Moving away from my hometown almost 4 years ago was step one. From that moment, I promised myself that I would learn and discover ME. What moves me. What brings me joy. What I value. And what I like and dislike. Because in my hometown, I felt like I was a product of my environment, molded and shaped by my family and friends into a version of myself that I wasn’t in love with. At 23 years old......
 In my short 3 years as a traveler, I have achieved a positive net worth after graduating with $120,000 in student loan debt, bought two rental properties, invested in stocks/crypto, started a side hustle business, and traveled the country. I am not saying this to brag but sharing travelers have a huge opportunity to get ahead financially if intentional with their money. I would not have ever been able to do the above if I was still working my staff job and living a safe comfortable lifestyle. As a traveler, I have made between 2-3x more in pay compared to my staff job. Travelers can make life changing money in a short time!
When I began my research into travel nursing, I was most excited about which new city I’d be moving to next. The U.S. was my oyster and I was ready to explore. When I was younger I was obsessed with the idea of moving to Seattle. I will (shamefully) admit a lot of it was Grey’s Anatomy related. However, after a bit of research, I knew Seattle was the place for me! After a sad “see you later” to my friends and family in Indiana, I made the long journey to the PNW (Pacific NorthWest).
Working in the US as a Canadian is an easier move than you might think. Like any government process it can be tedious, but if you’re a lover of travel (or just striving towards some financial goals), coming to America might be one of the best things you’ve ever done........
It was a cold December 27, 2021, in the Chicagoland area reading at about -10 degrees Fahrenheit. The heat was broken, and it was about 50 degrees in the living room. I was back in my hometown helping take care of my mom in between work assignments curled in layers of blankets with my cat. As I was scrolling through The Gypsy Nurse Facebook page, I remembered a post about a place called Guam. I pulled out my phone and started looking up Guam.
 As we close out Pride Month 2022, we wanted to share some highlighted points from the Instagram Live we did a few weeks ago with Sharon, Jose-Nicolas, and Graham, all LGBTQIA+ travelers, in this blogpost to celebrate, learn, and be active in continuing to create an inclusive traveler community.
Does Location Matter? Where a traveler takes an assignment is usually one of the biggest factors to consider besides pay, facility, and shift. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community, one may consider a bigger city over a more remote area in hopes of being accepted and comfortable being authentically oneself............  Have you ever had a sentence leave your mouth and immediately you knew what the next question would be? I can almost guarantee that most of us do. For me, it’s almost always after I say “I’m a travel scrub.”
The response? “A what?” There’s a very common way to explain what a scrub, or more formally a Certified Surgical Technologist or Surgical Technician (dependent on certification status) is. That’s to use probably the one example that my fellow scrubs have also probably employed themselves. Here it goes.... |
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