no more drains!!!

 Yes, I did have the stringy things.  I used a toothpick to kind of wrap around it to pull it out of the bulb opening.  Even had a blob once that totally plugged the opening.  Had to close it up and shake it around to get it to dispurse and come out.  The last 4 1/2 weeks it has been just a little bit of a velvety consistency and the color of a nice merlot, but now it is much thinner and a lighter color.  Hopefully that is a good sign.  I produced 200 yesterday, way up from the 120's I had for the previous 3 days.  I will see the doc again next week to check on it.  I am just getting weary of the darn thing!

Thanks Wink!...............I was just wondering because my breasts and thighs are next and I wanted to now what to do about those cir****tances and be sanitary....I was so intimidated by just that 1 drain...lol

now if I have to have another one or more I will be more condfident to takke care of them....they are annoying but necessary to healing...I hope yours come out real soon!

How do you "milk" the drain?  I have a TT, BL and BA on 4/25.  I want to make sure I'm doing it correctly.

 They will show you before you leave how to do it.  You take the drain tube between your thumb and index finger with one hand and pinch it.  Then with the other hand, same fingers, you pinch the tube and slide it between your fingers toward the drain. You move it a few inches at a time and then move your "pinch" hand and continue along.  You are moving the fluid from the drain tubes into the the bulb thingy.  Hope this made sense to you, but don't worry, they will show you how to do it.  Congrats on your upcoming surgery!

Oh Gees, that sounds lovely!   It just keeps getting better and better!

I'll be happy when it's done and I'm recovered!  Thank you for telling me.  I had a drain after RNY but didn't have to do that.

Hmmm... my instructions for "milking" were different.  I was to open the bulb to allow it to "spread," close it back up, and then squeeze it several times.  It then basically syringed the goop out of the incision.

 Wow!  Both the nurses in the hospital and my doc do it the way I described.  However, the way you describe it makes sense as well.  I am going to try that when I get home from work!  

If I understand you correctly, I will empty the fluid out of the bulb, then squeeze it several times and it will help to suck the fluid out.  Anything to get this out, but I also need my body to stop producing it!  Today is 5 weeks for crying out loud!

Thanks for the tip!

Yup, that was it!

I have drain envy!!  Hope to get mine out Monday.  Right side has been 5 or below for several days, but left side around 30 til today.  They offered to take the right out but I said no thanks, I want them out at the same time - my doctor is looking for 20 or less before removing.

CAN NOT WAIT FOR A SHOWER!!!!

I am so jealous! I had LBL on the 29th, which means I'll be 3 weeks post-op Tuesday. I've had three of the four drains removed but am still 'rasslin' with one. I hope to goodness it'll come out tomorrow when I see my surgeon again, but he wants the drainage to be 20 or less and it was still at 30 this morning.