Do I Go Back To Work

Ok....53, M, American welder. Since 2019, I've been out of work for a knee surgery/back problems until 2021 when me and the wife divorced. She paid the bills and I failed as Mr. Mom to her atrocious kids.

I moved in with 2 of my daughters. Since then. Door Dash/Uber/Amazon Flex barely paid the bills.

Lost part of a toe due to diabetes in 2022. Never healed right. 2023 triple bypass event while working Amazon Flex over an hour from home.

January 2024 went and "got a real job" back to welding. By March my toe nub was fucked. I said nothing until an infection got me in June. I had to take off my fairly new job for surgery. 3 week recovery turned into months!!! September went back to work. By December I needed a fix to the fix of the fix!

So Dec 30th I took off yet again for 3 weeks. March 13th I was cleared for work. My job told me a month ago that when I'm cleared, that I'm basically terminated because they "went with another guy".

So I accepted that I'll need a new job. I could get one easily. But I need money. My all adult kids tell me to take some time. Go to Texas for a week at my other kid's. Come home and back to work elsewhere.

Wtf. I know. Very long winded. But I have job at a very desperate company that pays shit that I hate....but I need money?

Self care wasn't a thing for Gen X. But I'm conflicted as fuck.