Hi PhDBug,
Call me cynical but I suggest you keep copies of all the emails that you were sent as well as your replies, at least for a few months. That way if they go screaming to the Provost demanding compensation you have a water tight case against it. Got to cover your own ass first these days... :-(

As you have correctly pointed out, the distinction between supervisor and friend can become quite blurred and sometimes lead to some discomfort. I have a great working relationship with all my supervisors: drinks out, meals, etc but come work there is a clear demarcation - I am the student, they are my boss (I should point out that one is only a year older than me and the others a maximum of 10).
This is something both parties have to agree on, that work life is separate from home life. I would suggest that you keep talk of home/personal activities to an absolute minimum (if at all); should they raise an issue then politely direct the conversation back to whatever reason they had to see you/you see them.
But be aware, she does sound like a good friend so try to reduce the conversation time at work while making it clear that once work is done, you would welcome her company (should you want it). :$

Agreed PhDbug. Scared, you need to get a grip. Enough with the panic session. It's highly unlikely you are about to be flung off your course so stop fluttering about in a fluff and go and do some work. If you're that worried, go and see your supervisor.

Hi Scared,
There has been a lot of good advice on here, which you seem to be just reading and not understanding or thinking about - bit like a rabbit in headlights.  As has been said before, first of all just calm down a bit. Think this through rationally.  There are no witnesses (as I understand things) to this pushing episode, which makes it your word against his - so basically there will be no clear winner and what is needed most of all is time for all parties to calm down. Hence, why the two of you have been asked to steer clear of each other.  Take one strong lesson from this - this kind of behaviour, pushing and shoving from the pair of you is UTTERLY unacceptable, grossly unprofessional and should be left on the school playground where it belongs. You cannot solve an academic problem by beating each other up, save that for malfunctioning PCs. 
Since no-one is taking steps to throw you off your PhD (they would have told you by now), I would assume that all is forgiven but not necessarily forgotten - you (and he) have quite seriously blotted your copybook so get your head down and get on with your work with enthusiasm, sincerity and professionalism. So stop worrying about it. It is a lot of hassle to get rid of a PhD student, even a foreign one. So stop worrying about it.
As to the paper, like others have said, I would shelve it for a bit - let things calm down.
Finally, just to drive the point home: physical fighting is for children in a school playground - don't let it happen again or the next time I suspect they will call in the police.
So relax, calm down and go and do your work. You have a lot of lost respect to make up for in your colleague's eyes

Bailey: You are out of order.  I sincerely hope you receive some helpful advice akin to your post at some point in your PhD - you might then discover how unhelpful it is.  It's a typo, not the Nobel Prize.  Incidentally, you missed a colon - the correct sentence would read: "It may help if you actually spell correctly: coherent, not cohearent" and began a sentence with a conjunction, both of which are indicative of poor grammar skills.  Pot, kettle, black.

Bobby: I would recommend taking a break from writing for a few days; sounds like you know your [written] work inside-and-out, which is not helpful when trying to write. Take a step back, ignore it completely for a few days and come back to it with a fresh perspective.  That may help but remember: at the end of the day, it's your work.

Paper and pencil?

Well done! Now you can enjoy yourself for a bit ;-)

Wow. All these problems with supervisors. I think mine are brilliant: one is so laid back he's almost horizontal; the other an up-and-coming with everything to prove who works flat out. Happy me is medium in the middle.
I suggest treating them as professional equals (helps if you've had professional experience - managers find it a little hard to argue with someone who knows more about industry/certain techniques than them); defer when appropriate and resist when appropriate but at all times maintain professional courtesy. This goes both ways. If they are not being professional, confront and ask: "do we have a problem, if so, let's sort it out".

I did mine because I was fed up of being in a no-brainer, dead-end job and wanted to use my head for something other than banging on workbenches

I disagree Joyce, if this super is self funding her work that is highly unusual. Reagents ain't cheap so in a situation like this I can understand why she'd be less inclined to be tolerant of (expensive) mistakes.
@ Stevo: That being said, the very fact she would like you to continue were this funded should be enough to keep you motivated. As has been previously said, mistakes can and do happen. Plating out errors are hardly catastophically, end-of-the-world serious so I would suggest that you let it go, there's nothing wrong with the odd c**k-up and you learn not to do that mistake again. Have some confidence in yourself and your abiliites. If in doubt, go PhD hunting but get a reference off her first, I'm sure you'll be pretty surprised. (up)

What about a mail shot from the university IT administrator to all students asking for volunteers?

I find it very variable. Some days I can blitz (and even undersatnd!) multiple articles a day, get loads written and still find time to do an experiment or two. Other days I'll be lucky to read one paper and the experiment just drags.
It's all about peaks and troughs in this job 8-)

As a bit of pre-emptive warning, I worked in a hospital for five years and the nurses were perpetually downtrodden and their opinions ridden over rough-shod. Be very sure about making such a transfer: nursing really is, to use the old cliche, a "way of life". Patient contact is one aspect, there's also the mountains of paperwork, long hours and shift rotation not to mention self important (usually junior) medics and admin staff.
Not to put you off, but be really sure before you abandon all your hard work.

I agree with everyone here. I would also suggest looking very critically at your CV and interview technique. These are widely underestimated but VERY big-hitters in the winning at the job market.

What's wrong with an Indian PhD?