Changing careers at 17 years into a job, is it realistic? (update)

My layoff made me rethink whether to stay in my field. My family is supportive but nervous. Did you take a pay cut?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 14 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

I began with informational chats, then a short online course, then a related entry-level role. It took about 14 months.