What would do if you were told you might have to give up your dream career, because of health conditions.

I feel very strongly that it was my health that caused me to be selected in a lay off when I was the only one left doing the work that my department did. My workload ended up being moved to people who were paid more than me. Ultimately this led to me never recovering financially, never getting a job that paid as well and I believe it was due to my age and health records. When someone is diagnosed with cancer, even if they are a cancer survivor it effects them for the rest of their lives and no one can tell me differently. The same goes once a person reaches a certain age. It doesn't matter if there is a shortage in their skills, companies won't hire them. They call it forced retirement instead of lay off and it gets around that it is what happened to you and these companies know what it means to be labeled as such. At the time my daughter had just turned 13, barely a teenager, so I had huge responsibilities as a single mother. They didn't care. People will think "well you get child support", well I didn't. I could go into why and the repercussions of the layoff that is still affecting us but I think some will understand while others will not. ALL I can say to people is, tighten up, squirrel away everything you can and start with you very next paycheck. DON'T WAIT. Don't spend money on things you DON'T need until you have squirreled away a portion you get paid each paycheck. Don't use credit cards unless you can pay the full amount each month. Keep your debt to only those huge purchases like a house, and car. If you live somewhere that is too expensive for you to do this, then find somewhere less expensive. Nothing is guaranteed in this life. I took that job for granted and I didn't do what I'm advising here now and yes, I heard this when I was starting out working and didn't do it. I learned this the hard way and I'm still paying for it.