Anybody in Austin?

Welcome I've seen post from nurses in Austin area I'm in East Texas .

im in SE Texas, you are not alone, and you can succeedp

Cat_Lady_Jr aren't you in Austin area?

Hello All,

I am embarking on the beginning of TPAPN, and as many of you have said, it is a lonely, lonely place. My incident happened in November of 2013, and I am finally getting to move forward with TPAPN, and all of the other joyous obligations required of me. I have been attending AA since November, and have an amazing home group that is full of addicts and alcoholics, alike. I have wonderful support, but I'm lacking that peer support we can only get from other nurses like ourselves. Addiction alone is so stigmatized, and adding 'RN' forces us to take the anonymity to an entirely different level. I would love to meet with someone, face to face, that is in any stage of recovery. I feel like I'm on an island, which is one of the few reasons I've been looking forward to beginning TPAPN. We need more support for nurses! It angers me when the only place I can find others like myself is online. But, I am SO GRATEFUL for this forum!

Welcome OP, Jillybean0381, I agree. I am so grateful to be able to find some other nurses online. It is frustrating to not be able to connect in person being a nurse in discipline. I too sometimes feel like an island. Kudos on keeping it simple to find other nurses like yourself. Kudos to the other nurses for answering your post and being there for you. I am not in Texas but I thank you all for being here for me.

duh, ......sorry i forgot a good source, google caduses meetings in austin, (physician and nurses in recovery) there should be one or two meetings in austin area...

Thank you all! It's crazy that the world is WELL aware that healthcare professionals are practically poster children for addiction issues, yet we have to be so on guard when revealing this about ourselves, b/c of the imminent backlash from other nurses. I'm not bitter :)

I do feel like I need to make amends with every nurse afflicted with addiction, b/c before my troubles, I was SO JUDGMENTAL towards nurses that got into this kind of trouble. I never had a right to judge anyone, in the first place.

we are the human condition, focus on keeping it simple, making your recovery top priorty...........it sounds as though you are working a good program...... i am very proud of you........i promise working the 12 steps, will lead to living the 12 steps, and you can experience the promises..... ))hugs((

Sorry I came late to this discussion. Being in TPAPN can be so lonely. I have often wished there was a support group in Austin because I feel like AA/NA meetings don't cover some of the unique challenges we face as nurses. Jillybean, PM me and perhaps we could meet around lunch one day.

cat ladt, we do face some unique challenges, but i promise the foundation of 12step work in NA & AA, can and does help out recovery

Preach it! Aa/na creates a beautiful foundation. If you are the only nurse in the rooms of aa right now what a great opportunity for you! You will be able to be the hand that picks the next nurse up off the floor when she comes in broken and bruised. It is possible that there are other nurses you are not aware of yet. AA is single minded of purpose, we focus on similarities. I know it took me two months to finally meet some nurses that were there all along. When I'm at a meeting in generally not talking about nursing, but about recovery. I honestly doubt that many people even know I'm a nurse. Start talking to more people and you'll find them