Hi Angela,
Your qualifications sound very impressive, so I hope you can build on these and your experience to get back into a fulfilling job. Given your background, have you thought about specialist areas such as bioinformatics e.g. working for healthcare organisations or pharma companies? My impression (here in the UK at least) is that these specialist areas are perhaps less likely to be hit by the tendency to shift IT production offshore to the great programming barns of Bangalore. Also, is there scope for you to build on your existing qualifications? For example, many universities these days offer distance-learning and part-time study programmes that can be pursued even if you are already working. Is there a suitably interesting employer in your area who might let you work for free/low wage (if you can afford it) for a few months to demonstrate the value of your skills in
exchange for the opportunity for you to update and extend those skills?
Good luck.
Chris