The drain is yucky! I hate it, its uncomfortable, and its just icky! It is a piece of soft plastic tubing that is about 18" long that is apparently about 1 1/2" under my skin. At the bottom of it is an oval collection valve that collects all the fluid that drains. It has to be emptied twice a day (yick!)
The reason for having it is that lymph nodes were removed and they are part of your body's drainage system. As they are no longer there, the fluid that they would drain as a result of the surgery has to be drained out some how. Once the initial healing happens, I just have to be careful with that arm for the rest of my life - no IV's, injections, blood pressure, etc. Also need to avoid carrying heavy objects on that arm, be careful with cuts and injuries, and exposure to heat. This is all to avoid a condition called lymphedema. This has no cure and you can only work to avoid it. Lymphedema causes swelling in the arm which can be permanent. Doesn't that sound like fun???
Only 5 more days of this stupid drain. Grr, grr, grr.
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