What happened to NiiChan? (Patreon)

A repost of my Discord message yesterday:

I owe you guys an explanation. 

First and foremost, I'd like to sincerely thank each and every one of you for the immense support, kind words, and understanding you've shown during this challenging time. Your compassion and encouragement have truly meant the world to me. 

To ease some of your concerns, I want to clarify that while my condition is a bit uncomfortable, it is not an emergency. I appreciate the outpouring of concern, but I assure you I am in capable hands and receiving the appropriate care. 

Some of you might be familiar with the nature of fistula surgery, and some might not. Fistula surgery, though commonly performed and typically safe, does carry risks. These can include potential infection, recurrence of the fistula, and incontinence. I must admit, the very idea of confronting these risks is frightening to me. The unknown and the potential implications weigh heavily on my mind. That's what brought me down to my current mental state. A lot of "What if's" flooded my mind. 

Admittedly, I don't possess the strongest mental fortitude when faced with situations like this, and the weight of expectation can sometimes feel overwhelming. However, your support and understanding have been unwavering pillars of strength for me. 

So, after giving it much thought and focusing on my mental well-being, I've decided that, once I've sufficiently recovered mentally, I will complete the update (chapter 1 - episode 3) before allowing myself time to fully recover and prepare for what's ahead.  

Once the update is released, I plan to take a necessary and well-deserved break to ensure I'm at my best mentally and physically moving forward. While I am wholly dedicated to delivering quality work, my health remains a paramount priority. 

Thank you once again for your continued patience, kindness, and understanding.  

Here's to better days ahead for all of us.