Unemployed?

[Rhianne]

I'm 47. I've worked my whole life since leaving school with only a couple of brief periods of unemployment. The last while I was based fairly near where I live but before that I travelled about and could be away from home for days or weeks, mostly in the UK but also elsewhere in Western Europe, Africa and Asia. I (mostly) enjoyed it all.

Then I had a heart attack and suddenly work mattered less, particularly in comparison to the importance of the people I was closest to. Just over a year ago in May last year I made what at the time seemed like a huge and difficult decision but now seems so straightforward and obvious and gave up working entirely to look after, full time, my partner who has a long term, chronically debilitating, health issue.

So am I employed? No. Am I looking for work? No. I have as much of that as I can cope with. Am I happy? No, not really, but things could be worse. I don't know what box to check!