The last month has been hell on my inner sphincter, because I’m close to finishing my cutting seton.

In the last tightening, I was told, “We’re at the muscle, so it might be more uncomfortable.”

Understatement of my lifetime, until today.

I broke my shoulder late November, so I just knew there wouldn’t be a tightening at today’s appointment. However, after an exam, he said, “If I tighten it today, odds are it will fall out within 3-5 days.”

He also assured me I wouldn’t have this much constant sphincteric pain over the holidays.

I caved, and I’ve never hurt more in my life. It felt like he was pulling my butthole out of my butthole. It was terrible, and still is. I’m expected to take even more time off of work, and I’ve run out of catastrophic leave (where I can work from home and still be paid).

I see the light way down yonder in the tunnel, but god it’s gonna hurt so much between now and then