Make it a hobby (Score 1)

You are not alone; I can give you some real life experience. I have been a practicing Dentist for 14 years and a closet geek since my first Mac. Four years ago I went back to school and got a BS in CS. That was just about when the bottom fell out of the market and I was happy to have my day job. I decided to do an MS and am almost done with that. The majority of people coming out of grad programs now ( your competition ) are very bright and speak English as a second language. How long ago did you take calculus? It is hard to catch up from a cold start. Unfortunately all the experience in the health field does not count for anything on a CS resume. What I found was as time went on and the difference between an entry level CS position and my earnings widened, I developed a better appreciation for my profession. Pursue it as a hobby but don't let it interfere with the cash cow. The salary lets you buy lots of tech toys to help you get over it.