Long read- thanks for helping out if possible

All right yall, thank you for allowing me to join the group. I’m in need of some advice for new headers on my truck. This is a 2011 Chevy 1500 5.3, 4x4 with a 6 speed transmission that has only 78,000 miles on it. I’ve got a pretty good leak that has. It turned catastrophic and I am hoping it will last me the next two weeks without sending my engine into failure. Fortunately I’ll be able to get a ride later this week from a friend to get to work but other than that I’m on my own.

From my understanding I all I really should be replacing is the gasket itself and the miscellaneous things like header bolts, possible dip stick what else would I be replacing if I were to do the bare minimum to keep the truck alive?

Now a step further is, I look at my headers and the rusty looking junk it is compared to the rest of the engine and I think well we are already there let’s go ahead and replace the headers while we are at it. What do yall recommend as far as size length and brand of headers?

Furthering the further, my use of terms is limited simply because I have yet to do this and that’s typically the only way I can learn how to actually do something, so when talking different components I get mixed up until I’m there discussing and working then the familiarity starts to resonate for the future. I’ve had the truck for about 50k miles of its total 78k and have already been wanting to start performance upgrades to have a more powerful engine the right way one bit at a time. It will be a slow build and one of circumstance. All that being said if I wanted to start working down the exhaust system starting with going to long tubes what goes next? Cut out the cats and convert to a y pipe? And then from there where to? I’ve heard Cat4ward and Catback terms before. I suppose I understand the relative meaning behind those but to there full extent, definitely not.

Is there a complete kit I can get that replaced all the way out to the exhaust tip? I want to do this right as much as possible but will also be happy with getting the headers and then the midpipe(?) and save the rest for when the funds become available down the line. I simply cannot afford to go through a mechanic and really can’t afford to be doing any of this myself but before it becomes something worse I need to tackle this project. I can’t finance a mechanic as of yet but Affirm and Klarna are everywhere consumer wise and can definitely finance what I need. And I like doing things myself, gives me a challenge. My mechanic experience is the only the extent of what I’ve done. I’ve done the normal stuff like oil changes. Swapped radiator. Intake manifolds. Fuel pump. Hubs. Under 6 inch lift kits, transmission coolers, water pumps but nothing as far down as this. Everything else is completely foreign somewhat until i do it but it has always got done.

Thanks for anyone that took the time to read this and be patient with where I am going with this questions mixed in. A complete scenic route babble to it all. Please let me know any other info needed for me to successfully complete this project.