though it sounds like you knew it was coming for a bit now.
There was a "slim outside possibility" if under certain circumstances. However, this isn't under those circumstances, so it was a bit of a surprise.
I didn't and ended up in a bit of debt for a while.
What would have been the thing you would have scaled back on financially back then?
I am looking forward to the challenge in some way, but also know that since the stroke, my motivation is a little different than before. I don't have as much drive as I did when I originally started - it dropped off a cliff over night. Still, there is the "gotta do what you gotta do" situation.
I'm really sorry, I can't even imagine having to start over, even if you do have a bit of a head start. I was with someone besides my wife back then and we did a lot of social things that cost money without really thinking about the impact.