At the age of 47 I sat in my investment managers office and was told that I literally had more money than I could ever spend in the years remaining to me.
At the time I was nearly 3 decades post everything, I had a secure well paid job, a partner whom I had been with for over 20 years, a large portfolio of property investments running into millions, which topped up my income, a well provided pension fund, a private gated home with swimming pool and grounds and luxury features in an exclusive area.
I decided to take a career break to pursue a dream of becoming a writer, and I liquidated my assets, reinvesting them in funds which would need less proactive management than the properties. That was in 2007.
Two years later, my money had all been lost in the crash, my pension had collapsed, my home had gone, my job had gone, and to cap it all my partner was dying with early onset dementia and I had literally become her bottom wiper and 24 hour solo carer!
In short I was in a very different place indeed. Facing bankruptcy I sold my last few remaining assets to buy me some time and decided to apply to medical school, on the basis that when everything is lost you might as well try something utterly crazy. Why go out with a whimper? That was 2012.
Now my partner is two years dead, and I am in my penultimate year at medical school. By the time I finish I will have no assets beyond my medical degree, so I will be working as a doctor until I am at least 80 because I cant afford not to be, but I am also about to be married to a drop dead gorgeous 21 year old!
So yeah - life has it's twists and turns, but don't give up because you never know what lies around that next bend in the road.
