Solitude at the Lab Bench

I sat there lost in the busy work.
Makes wells in gel. Fill wells with dyed DNA fragments. Run gels with electric current. Feed mice. Label tubes. Input data. Fix data I just incorrectly entered. Stain gels. Photograph gels. Clean gel plates.
Everything was accurate and precise in science, everything that took time paid off somehow, whether it was in results or learning.
I felt the tension in my muscles from being held in such a stern position in eager concentration for so long. It was almost a relieving tension, although I ached. It was the tension and concentration of total and utter science.
But walking out of the lab, life was real again. I was back to everything else, that totally overshadowed my first semi-successful PCR, complete with bands!
I went back to being sad.
All I could think is, why doesn't this stop?? When does it end??? When will I be able to function normally again without being constantly reminded of my pain?
So I longed for the tension in my shoulders and the ache in my back.