What do you do (or did)?

Feminised occupations, I guess @eastmum, and often easier to negotiate hours around kids.  I worked as a Youth and Children's Library Officer, Marketing and Programming Library 

I had to stop work a lot of years ago due to a different illness and am on a pension, but 18 months ago I was offered  a casual job as a social media moderator for a company that runs health & fitness programs.  Or, as I like to tell people … I get paid to talk on facebook :smiley:

Interesting how many of us in the education and health sectors! 

I'm a p-2 primary school teacher and am struggling with not being there to see my little cherubs explore, grow and learn...

I started my working career as a receptionist then moved onto insurance...and after finding it totally boring went on to train as a Registered Nurse. (Where I met my husband)
I was hospital trained 29 years ago. As well as years in hospitals  I've also worked in the mining industry as an occupational health and safety nurse and  in a gaol for 13 years and became the 1st Nursing Unit Manager of that gaol...which I did for 12 years. That exposure of people in crisis lead to my current job which is a Registered Nurse in a mental health and drug and alcohol communuty team. So now I get to travel around and see people. Simply glorious after working below ground for 4 years and in gaols for 13.  :)
I had 7 months  off work during my treatment then returned at reduced hours under a return to work plan. I've been back at full time for just over a year now. And the study goes on of course. 

I started out as a crisis counsellor while studying social work, then did 4 years in banking sector for a change of pace. Following that I got my Bachelor of Education and taught mostly Special Ed and English to years 7-12 doing a lot of relief teaching when my kids were very young. Left education when my youngest went to school and went into public policy. Currently I contract manage infrastructure programs which I really enjoy. 

Already knew you were an amazing bunch of people even more so after reading this - thanks for the thread @Sister

It is a great thread idea.

I did 15 years in retail in the auto industry, then went to a roadside breakdown company. (Admin) , That didn't last long.  Too much getting yelled at by broken down people.  Had my twin daughters.  I had always wanted to work for my self and run a riding school.  Only problem was...lots of cash needed.  I renovated and sold three houses that year to rake up enough money to buy a farm and start my riding school.  That wasn't as much fun as I thought it would be.  The kids and ponies were awesome but wow some of the parents! Eeeew.   Got divorced, nearly lost my farm, became a real estate agent.  Yuk didn't like that one either. 

Got a new husband (cute cowboy this time LOL) and ended up with a blended family of 5.  Changed tactics with the farm and started  running a boarding and training stables. 
 For the last 8 years as well as running the stables, training horses and teaching people to ride I have also worked part time in the local public hospital.  In the surgical ward, believe it or not.  Probably have to stay there forever now just to keep the super and life insurance (can't get that anywhere else any more).  
I enjoy my job at the hospital.  It's a bit different now though, sometimes I have to leave my desk and have a bit of a sob seeing the volume of breast surgeries coming through and knowing what lies ahead for these people. 

I love my farm and hope to be here for ever playing ponies. Think I'll be one of those old ladies that walks through the stables with her glass of wine in the afternoon just to smell the horses and hay.

I was a primary teacher and like you Romla i don't miss the politics and the merry go round of the curriculum (my philosophy is if it ain't broke, don't fix it - terrible english for a teacher!) I did relief teaching for many years after having children and my daughter's friends used to love it when i had their class because they were allowed to call me by my first name. The funniest thing a grade 3/4 boy said to me one time was when i was riding my bike to school and he saw me pushing it through the school yard and said "I didn't know teachers could ride bikes!"  After that i worked at my husband's accountancy practice for 3 and a half years in admin...that was an eye opener but good fun learning new skills. Now i run around after my mum...

I've been curious about that too @Sister.  I am a Registered Nurse, but haven't returned to that post treatment.  Have lost my confidence as not able to work for almost a year.  I now work for an  acupuncturist and loving it.  NO STRESS.  Soft, restful music always in the background. Also, no one dies!