Hi, friends!

Before I get into the meat of this blog post, I hope 2025 was good to you. I hope it brought you everything you wished for and nothing less. If it didn’t, I hope 2026 is off to a kinder start. ❤

2025 was supposed to be another Year of Kate, but it was honestly anything but. I don’t mean to complain too much because I recognize that all things considered, it was still a good year for me overall. But blogging is therapeutic for me so it’s good to acknowledge my feelings by putting them in writing and then move on. That’s what I’m going to do in this blog post: put my feelings into words and then kiss 2025 good riddance and goodbye.

I started writing this blog post in early December 2025, but things were just absolutely wild and I didn’t get a chance to finish it until now.

January

I was optimistic for the new year and the chance to “start over” after such a significant loss for me in 2024. I had started dating again! I was enjoying spending time with Sam in MA and RI. I even started going to therapy!

But on January 18, I knew something was seriously wrong with my body when I had a back spasm during a workout. I just knew life wouldn’t be the same for me. On January 24, I saw my PCP to get the lumbar spine MRI and spine unit referrals reissued.

I wasn’t starting 2025 off on the right foot, that was for sure.

February

I had to wait 4 weeks for my appointment with the spine unit. My half marathon training was paused. CrossFit style workouts? Nope. Walks if I could move OK, but not if I was in pain. Um…

I had another spasm on February 3 that happened in front of Sam. There’s honestly nothing more humiliating than when you scream out in pain and drop to the floor. At that time, we were 5-ish weeks into dating. He was so good about it though and handled it better than I did. He helped me to my feet and got me on the couch. I was so stiff after that I could barely walk.

I had to go coach at TFN the next morning. I could not demo any of the exercises but it was OK because everyone there loved being called on to demo the exercises. Then, when everyone had left, I had to set up for the next day’s classes. Of course the coach who wrote the programming didn’t know I could barely move (looking at you, Bri! LOL), but I was determined to get everything set up so Steff was ready to go in the morning when she got there at 5 AM to coach.

Steff knew I was having issues because I hadn’t worked out in 2+ weeks. I had showed up for my coaching shifts. When she saw how much I had to set up for the next day’s classes, even though it was perfect, it was a conversation about how I was a liability to her and the gym. She wasn’t wrong at all. As a business owner, it’s her responsibility to make sure everything is running smoothly. I was clearly not fit to be in the gym as a coach until I had a diagnosis. I could not put the members at risk, and certainly not myself either.

I did decide to stop wallowing in self pity for a little bit. I signed up to use the pool at the Y. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it either. It was what it was. It didn’t help at all though.

On February 26, I had my appointment with Dr. Rickert of the spine unit. She is truly an amazing doctor and the opposite of all those horrible doctors you hear about. I talk more about her and my appointment in my blog post, Learning to pivot.

I was also struggling with weight gain again. If I’m honest, I started struggling with weight gain in June 2024 when Steff and I parted ways on the nutrition component. That was made worse when my Uncle Stephen died, and then skyrocketed once I had my spasm in January. I knew I’d have to fit in my Maid of Honor dress for Gabbi’s wedding in April and I was nervous (I bought it in October when everything was going mostly great!).

I also turned 31! It’s funny — while my body internally is quite aged, thanks AS, I think I look younger than I am.

March

On March 2, I started a shred program offered by another local gym. I had been interested in becoming a bikini or figure bodybuilder since college but I never did anything about it. This female-only shred program was focused on how bodybuilders eat, which I thought was the perfect way for me to hone in my eating and shed some pounds while I was unable to do much working out. I lost around 7 pounds in the first week (basically just shed water weight).

On March 8, I had my lumbar spine MRI and then drove down to Sam’s house. By the time I got to his house an hour later, the MRI results were in. They didn’t make any sense to me, so I figured I’d wait until I saw Dr. Rickert on March 10.

The nightmare began March 10 when my PCP called me to tell me she reviewed my MRI results and she thought it was Ankylosing Spondylitis.

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the spine and sacroiliac joints (where the spine meets the pelvis). It causes pain, stiffness, and progressive fusion of the vertebrae, which can lead to a hunched posture and reduced mobility. AS is an autoimmune condition, meaning the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue, leading to inflammation. There is no cure.

I talk about March 10 in all its glory in the Learning to pivot blog post I posted in 2025.

What I didn’t mention from my rheumatologist appointment was that there was a slight miscommunication about my diagnosis. I remember my horror when the speciality pharmacist called me to confirm my Ankylosing Spondylitis diagnosis and talk to me about my new medication and I was super confused because I thought I had bilateral sacroiliitis. (Mom and I had tears of joy when we thought it wasn’t AS!) Turns out they’re the same thing. Surprise! I had actually told people I didn’t have AS and everyone, including me, was so relieved. I’m sure you can imagine how the conversation went when I had to say, “just kidding, it is AS”.

After my diagnosis, I didn’t want to do the shred anymore. In hindsight, I should have kept going because it would have helped with a lot, but I just didn’t have the mental willpower to diet when it felt like my life was crumbling.

I was struggling in my relationship with Sam, too. I’ll spare the details and say that he is a good man, he just wasn’t the man for me and that’s OK. I broke up with him on March 22.

March wasn’t all grim diagnoses and breakups, we celebrated my cousin Gabbi at her bridal shower that Mom, Bekah, and I hosted together at my apartment complex’s clubhouse. It was a beautiful day honoring Gabbi and Marcus. ❤

April

On the first Friday in April, I started my Amjevita injections for my AS. That same day, Mom and I also went to the former Ink Shop (IYKYK) and got a couple new piercings. Mom wanted her first holes re-pierced and I wanted my second holes before Gabbi’s wedding.

April was very Toastmasters-heavy between weekly meetings, speech prep, podcasts, and more. I was also a guest on a fellow Toastmaster’s podcast! I never publicly advertised this, but I started a podcast based on Taking Back Kate in April! This was part of my Toastmasters journey and I figured it would be the perfect complement to the blog. Unfortunately, I only delivered the 60 minutes required for my level completion and never got back to it. I hope that in 2026 I can re-prioritize the podcast. I tried too hard to make it perfect, but I realize now there’s beauty in the imperfection.

April was full of wedding cheer, too. We celebrated Gabbi at her bachelorette at the beginning of the month, and then ended the month as Gabbi and Marcus said, “I do”. It was an honor to stand by Gabbi’s side as she married the love of her life. ❤

May

May was crazy, but in the best way.

I was asked in early 2025 to be the Registration Chair for District 31’s annual conference (Toastmasters). I had no idea the amount of work it would be, or that I’d end up doing most of it alone (shoutout to Mom and Bekah for helping me with a few things) when things with my co-chair didn’t go as expected. I was tired as sh*t after the three days, but I met a lot of amazing fellow Toastmasters that I wouldn’t have otherwise met. It was worth it!

I had a couple of speeches to do to make sure I stayed on track with my second Pathfinder.

I went to not one, but TWO, wedding dress fittings! ❤ (And yes, I can post these pictures now because both weddings have officially happened!)

And then Mom, Pa, Bekah, and I jetted off to Aruba for a week of fun in the sun.

June

June was a lot of fun and the perfect way to kick off the summer months.

I started the month off with dinner with my coworker/friend, Neel, and his wife, Shweta. (I’m actually heading to North Carolina in May 2026 for their Indian wedding! I cannot wait.)

I celebrated the boys’ SIXTH birthday. ❤

I had lunches with two of my favorite gals.

Becca and I snuck away to the Cape for a couple of days as a “pre-Bachelorette party”.

Bekah and I went to Fenway Park for the Hozier concert on what was probably the hottest day of the entire summer (and it was only June 23!). I like Hozier, but I don’t listen to his music in the same way that Bekah does (I’m a metalcore/deathcore girlie… and if you know Hozier, you know that’s what he’s not!). I still had a great time in Boston with my sister watching her have the time of her life. I had to sit for most of the concert because I couldn’t tolerate standing with my AS (I’m sure the heat triggered a flare).

I wrapped up my second Pathfinder award by finishing my last Level 5 speech and held my last meeting as President of the Shrewsbury Toastmasters Club. I didn’t realize it then, but I was “biding adieu” to Toastmasters.

July

In July I decided to exchange one crazy (Toastmasters) for another crazy (get a second job and put all of that money away to buy a house in 2026).

“Rest” was not a word in my vocabulary in 2025. In hindsight, as I type this in 2026, I realize that rest is necessary and not something you “earn”. Rest and work are equally important.

July wasn’t just all work and no play! I decided that I didn’t want my hair to be jet black anymore and it was time to bring in some lightness. I celebrated Ali at her bachelorette party with her closest family and friends. I worked out a little bit (mostly walks). I started at Old Navy! I went to a baby shower for my cousin Peter and his wife, Chloe (remember them? They got married in April 2024 and I blogged about my experience during their wedding!). I picked blueberries at Uncle Dick’s house, went to a Puerto Rican festival with Mom and Bekah, prepped for Becca’s bridal shower, had a work outing at Kimballs, and enjoyed dinner with a new friend.

August

August was full of sunshine! Well… from inside the walls of my office and Old Navy (LOL). I made time for friends, and even snuck away for a day down to the Cape with Bekah.

I was able to start PT for my shoulder (which I thought was related to my AS, but turns out was most likely from a rotator cuff injury I ignored during my TFN days!). I loved that I was able to see Mark, the original physical therapist who treated me 2 years prior for my back pain. We hadn’t left on “great” terms — he was upset that he hadn’t “cured” me, and I was upset that he hadn’t fixed me. Turns out, there was nothing either of us could have done. It was great to walk in (50 pounds lighter, too!) and say, “Hey! remember me?” and for him to say, “Of course I do, Kate, how’s your back?”. We yapped for the 60 minutes of my intake session about the AS diagnosis, what I had been up since I ended with him in September 2023, and more.

My college roommate, Ali, and her long-term boyfriend Adam were married in a private ceremony in May and chose to have a backyard BBQ celebration with all of us in August. I’ve known and loved them since May 2012 (when Ali and I first connected on FB Messenger!), so this was truly a full circle moment for me. ❤

September

The beginning of September was crazy busy as Amanda, Tammy, and I prepared for Becca’s bridal shower at the end of the month.

On September 11, my Toastmasters club was able to get me away from the computer and Old Navy to celebrate my successful term as president. It’s called the “Roast and Toast” (I had more roasts than toasts!) and we typically do this for all outgoing presidents. I had a great time seeing old friends and meeting the new members who joined since I took a step back in June.

September 19, I took Lou and Grey in for their yearly physicals.

September 20, Bekah and I went to the Johnny Appleseed Festival in our hometown.

September 21, I woke up and knew I was going to be sick as sh*t. The injections I take for my AS make me immunocompromised. I should have known that such a big crowd of people would result in me being sick for the first time since 2018. (I never got Covid!) This was terrible timing. I had Becca’s bridal shower the following Sunday and I needed to be in tip-top shape to be the host. I went to work at Old Navy (the grind never stops, amirite?), came home, and slept/rested for most of the day on Monday.

On September 23, I woke up to a voicemail that would change me and the boys’ lives forever. When they had their physical on September 19, I had their bloodwork done, too. I almost always do bloodwork when I take them in. I didn’t think much of it — just swiped my card at the end and took them home. You can imagine my shock, horror, disgust, sadness, grief, <insert any emotion here> when I listened to the voicemail that said:

Hi Kate, it’s Dr. Brianna from Leominster Animal Hospital. Lou’s glucose level is higher than it should be for a routine vet visit. I think Lou has diabetes. I would like to use the blood sample from Friday to run another test to confirm. Call us back as soon as you can to authorize this test.

What the absolute f**k?!

I called back immediately to authorize and pay for the test. It was an agonizing 24 hour wait for the results.

My biggest fear was unlocked when Dr. Brianna called me the next day to confirm that Lou does, in fact, have diabetes. F**k.

I was racking my brain to see what signs I missed. I know on more than one occasion I had cleaned the litter box and thought, “wow, that’s a lot of pee”. I swept that thought aside because I knew I didn’t clean it as often as I should because I was barely home. I ignored my gut reaction. I missed this. The guilt consumed me.

The day after Dr. Brianna told me Lou had diabetes, we celebrated Lou and Grey’s adoptaversary. Six whole years of loving on these handsome hammies. I treasure those years and look forward to many more years ahead. ❤

On September 26, Mom, Lou, and I headed to the vet to learn how to manage and care for a diabetic kitty.

Lou (and I!!!!) got really lucky. We’re able to manage his diabetes using Senvelgo, a daily oral medication that can be mixed into a treat. At this time, his diabetes is not advanced enough for insulin (and my life’s mission is to keep it that way!). Thankfully for me, Mom and Bekah had experience with a diabetic kitty years ago, so pricking Lou’s ear to draw blood to test his ketones was muscle memory for them. Every Saturday for weeks, Mom and Bekah would come over and help me test Lou’s ketones. We’d wrap him in a purrito and I’d hold him while Bekah pricked his ear and Mom handled the ketone monitor.

I’m so grateful for my Lou & Grey tribe: Mom, Bekah, Lindsay, and Becca have all stepped up to help me care for my boys during this time. My boys were on an automatic dry food feeder for the last 2-ish years. With Lou’s diabetes, I had to get rid of the automatic feeder AND the dry food. They are wet-food only kitties now. To add additional complexity to my life, both boys have a tendency to regurgitate while they’re eating or immediately after. This means that meal times are regulated and slow. It has been a challenge adjusting to our new normal, but I’m determined to make it work for Lou and Grey. They’re adjusting well and I’m doing the best I can. I’m trying not to be so hard on myself, but that’s never been one of my strong suits. 😉

October

I spent much of October just trying to keep my head above water.

Lou and I were learning how to adjust to our new norm, and that meant ketone testing and vet visits galore. Grey decided that he felt left out and wanted to have a bout of diarrhea. It’s never a dull moment with cats, that’s for sure! I wouldn’t trade them for anything. ❤

I continued PT for my rotator cuff, spent time with family and friends, went to holiday fairs, and continued to work both jobs with minimal days off (one day off in the entire month of October!).

November

November was full of love and loss. I spent time with Becca prepping for her bachelorette and the wedding, going to New Hampshire for her bachelorette, getting ready for and volunteering at the annual holiday fair at my grade school (Mom, Pa, Bekah, and I go back almost every year to help out — Mom, Bekah, and I run the bake sale table and Pa handles the fair’s finances), we tested Lou’s ketones, I worked both jobs, including my first Black Friday in retail! And sadly, my Uncle Dick, my honorary grandfather, decided to have other plans for my week-long Thanksgiving PTO and passed away after a short hospice stay (12 hours).

My Uncle Dick was a special man. He was childfree by choice and loved all of his family fiercely. My family spent every holiday with him and his partner, Geneva. He was my “Table Buddy”. We buried him the day before Thanksgiving, which made me less-than-thankful. I spent Thanksgiving with Mom, Pa, and Bekah, but it wasn’t the same. I miss you, Uncle Dick, and I hope you enjoyed the holidays with your parents, Uncle Stephen, Jackie, and all those who have gone before me. ❤

December

I had some much needed downtime in December when I took off a few weeks from my full-time job. The company typically goes into shutdown around Christmas and I always extend the company-wide shutdown by another week. I didn’t get a “summer vacation” this year because we had gone to Aruba in May and I started the part-time job at Old Navy in July. I still worked at ON during my break but they didn’t schedule me for that many shifts, which allowed me to help Becca with all of her wedding planning and gave me the downtime I desperately needed.

Christmas wasn’t the same without Uncle Dick, yet the small but mighty Domenichella crew still made the best of it.

2026

I was beyond glad when December 31 arrived so I could put another year of death and lessons behind me.

2025 was not an easy year by any means. If the universe could chill with the amount of lessons in 2026, that’d be great. I feel like I’m good on the lessons… 😉

I hope 2026 brings me peace, clarity, and rest.

It’s hard for me to rest because I just want to go, go, go, but the only way for me to make time for what’s important and give myself space to learn and grow, is to take time to myself. I’m walking a fine line between too much rest (which exacerbates my AS) and too little rest (which also exacerbates my AS!).

I’ve also learned that I can’t be accessible 24/7. It was exhausting me, always feeling like I had to respond to emails, messages, etc. within seconds and be “on”. Sometimes I just need some time. And then sometimes, during the time “away”, I forget to respond altogether. I’m working on finding a balance.

I have big goal for 2026 (buy a house!), so let’s see if I’m able to make good on the promise I made to myself 8 years ago when I took my first first-time homebuyer course. A good thing to know about me (if you haven’t realized it yet), is that once I set my mind on achieving something — I will achieve it.

We might be 2 months into 2026, but there’s always time to adjust the sails. ❤