The drain is out!

Today was the day after the slashing, crashing monsoon rains. It was wonderful to see the walls of rain come plummeting down to earth. A friend, Ami, had brought her little chihueenie dog over for a visit and we chatted til the rains dried up and the only evidence of the storm was the sweet smell of moist desert.

I was very glad to have an appointment with the surgical nurse today as I woke up with a sore breast and rubber tubing stuck to my stomach with sweat. It's bad enough having a drain, but when you are experiencing the humidity of monsoon summer, the rubber sticking to your body can make you feel like yanking the drain out yourself.

It was a quiet morning at the medical complex, not many cars and no waiting patients. I walked right in and lay down. Mary RN removed the stitch, which felt like she was cutting a rope, the thread was so thick. Then she told me to take a deep breath and she yanked! When I asked her how much tubing had been inside me (cuz I had had my eyes closed when she pulled it out), she showed it to me and it was about a foot long! I was in shock. There was about one tenth that length under the skin with the last drain I had.

So I felt a huge relief afterwards. It felt like she had removed a garden hose from my chest. She covered the opening with gauze and tape and I was on my way, being warned not to bathe for 24 hours. There are lots of warnings about not bathing with these operations. I feel a bit grungy but I will abide by the rules. (Don't I always?!) So if you see me on the streets and I look like I haven't bathed, well, I haven't.

Well, now I can wear normal clothes again and take my showers more easily, after the allotted 24 hours. I can get back to being a person, until the next time......