[Mary Jo]

Thanks friends and thanks for missing me. I missed you MORE. You truly are a part of my family in a "cyber" kind of way.

In answer to your question Cathy aka swimangel - Yes I can shower with my drain tubes in. ( I could also after my original mastectomies.) I could shower on day 5, my last day at the hospital. I did use a chair in the shower on that day because of the lower back pain that accompanies this type of surgery but have not used a shower chair at home yet. That shower is probably the best part of my day. It feels so good.

Margerie, I hear ya on the dogs thing. My first night home I'm sitting in the recliner watching TV and it started thundering.........our 34 pound sheltie hates thunder and is NOT a lap dog BUT when it thunders he takes it upon himself to hop up and it's always in the recliner onto my husband's lap. (I rarely sit in this chair) Well, guess who he started to jump up on. Yep! Unfortunately, I had to take my arm and leg and raise it up to block him and he fell down. He's fine but I felt bad for him that I had to knock him down that way BUT naturally, had no choice.

I continue to do well. We have an open staircase in our house with the bathroom upstairs. I go up and down quite a few times during the day. Physical therapy told me to do it the "one foot" way and not alternating feet as you go up as that causes less stress on the abdomin. So I listen.

Tomorrow is my first appointment with Dr. Hijjawi since being at Froedtert and I'm rootin' on 2 drains to be removed BUT we'll see. In all honesty, these drains are the worst part - just a pain in the you know where. Oh well - this too shall pass.

It's all gone as well as I was praying it would - maybe better - and I am thankful.

Thankful for each of you also...................

Mary Jo