I suddenly realized, it is -- just about -- 40 years since my dad got me that VIC-20 that let me explore BASIC on my own without using (and potentially breaking) his new-car-expensive Tandy computer. So I, too, am a 40-year programmer.
Congratulations on beating the alternative. 8) The point is, as long as you're still going, you can do whatever you want, build whatever you want, especially in programming. As long as you can input into a computer, you can build things. It's amazing and fun.
Shit, I'm old.