Kate Earley

ryone! It’s been a while since my last update, and I think that’s a good sign. A lot has been happening, and overall, I’m doing exceptionally well. I’m doing more, building more structure into my days, and—something I wasn’t sure I’d be able to say for a long time—starting to think seriously about returning to work. There’s been some important progress in figuring out what’s causing my hypoglycemia. I recently met with a geneticist, who plans to start with a panel looking for rare inherited causes, including conditions that affect insulin, how the body stores or makes glucose, and how it uses fat for energy. If that doesn’t find an explanation, the next step may be broader genome sequencing. We still don’t have answers, but there’s a plan to keep investigating. I’ve also had some exciting career news. As of July 2026, Ontario moved nurse practitioners into one registration classification, replacing the previous population specific certificates. Before this change, my registration was focused on pediatrics. I’m grateful for my pediatric background, but I wasn’t ready to return to a high stress pediatric setting. Learning that the change could give me more flexibility to explore other areas of practice opened up possibilities I hadn’t thought were available to me. I reached out to Reach Out Chatham-Kent (ROCK), a local harm reduction centre, to share how I might contribute. They invited me to interview, and I’ve since completed a shadow shift that went really well. We’ve talked about me starting with a focused role, such as prescribing antibiotics for cellulitis related to injection drug use. I’m also exploring other ways nurse practitioners can support people who are unhoused and people who use drugs. I’m working with a return-to-work occupational therapist once a week, at my own expense, to make sure I build back safely and sustainably. We’ve decided that for now, I’ll continue shadowing and volunteering while I build my capacity, with the goal of moving toward paid work when the timing is right (likely in January). I was eager to jump straight into a paid position, so waiting is hard—but I want to give myself the best chance of making this return to work last. My health has had a major setback recently, too. I had been doing so much better, and I was excited to tell my doctor how far I’d come. I hadn’t needed a hospital admission since July, after years when being admitted every few weeks was common. A few weeks ago, my feeding rate was reduced in the hope of supporting weight loss at my new dietician’s request. Unfortunately, even a short time at the lower rate had serious consequences: I lost consciousness three times in one week. Twice, I was found unconscious in my car, and the third time I lost consciousness at my doctor’s office and needed glucagon to recover. I’ve returned to my full feeding rate and made it clear that no number on a scale is worth risking my life. I’m proud that I was able to advocate for myself and act on what my body was telling me. That experience was frightening, but it doesn’t erase how much progress I’ve made. At the beginning of this journey, I felt like I was functioning at about 10% of my capacity. Now, I’d say I’m closer to 60%. I’m doing more, making plans, exploring work, and beginning to imagine a future that isn’t organized entirely around being sick. I do need financial help right now. I’m paying out of pocket for weekly occupational therapy, therapy twice a week, my CNO and PNCB registrations, and some of my medical supplies. I’m working with Yurek’s Pharmacy to see whether more of my supplies can be covered through ODSP, but there are still costs I need help with. If you’re able to donate, contributions to the GoFundMe will help with these ongoing expenses. If you’d rather help with supplies, the items I especially need include: • Farrell bags with ENFit connections* • 2-by-2 split gauze • Blue tape • Calmoseptine • Kangaroo OMNI Feed & Flush bags* • Liquid I.V. I also have about 100 feeding bags that work with the Kangaroo Connect pump. I’ve seen the pump listed for around $300 on Facebook Market Place, and having the compatible bags already would make it a useful option to explore. If anyone knows of a reliable source for one, or is able to help toward the cost, I’d be incredibly grateful. I’ve added the supplies available through Amazon to my Amazon wish list, and the specialty medical supplies to my registry. There’s absolutely no expectation to purchase anything. Sharing this update or the GoFundMe is also a real help. Thank you for helping me get to this point. I can hardly believe I’m starting to think about returning to work and building a life with more room in it for things beyond managing my health. I’m so grateful for your support, and hopeful about what comes next. ♥️ Kate