[vlcarr]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I'll call the surgeon tomorrow and go from there. I was concerned about one of them coming out because of the obvious swelling under my arm.

Stripping them means squeezing the tubes upward toward the bulb to get all the crud out. I've been doing that twice a day as instructed but started increasing that today after talking to the nurse.

And yes, the swollen area is so, so tender along with the area where the tubes go in my side. If one of them has to stay I may as well leave both of them in--at this point one or two doesn't make much difference!

They are a pain in the butt as you all know. I'm not on antibiotics and was not put on them after surgery. Going to ask for more pain meds as I've gone through what they gave me.

I do have the band aid strips on and change that dressing once a day and clean with peroxide per the dr instructions and drying after shower. They said I could get everything wet except for the area where the tubes come out.

I don't have stitches or staples except where the tubes go in. The other areas they used steri strips.

I laughed about the medieval times--that is exactly what this is like-lol!

Thanks again. This is the best site ever and especially for someone like me who is just beginning this journey. You are all wonderful and brave ladies!