After nearly seven weeks, my bondage has finally ended. Okay, bondage may be a harsh way to describe it, but I did have a definite sense of freedom when the last drain came out last Friday. Yee haw!!! Now I can finally get back to the bath soakings I so enjoy.

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Now before you crinkle up your nose, don't worry. I washed every day of the last several weeks. It started with sponge baths. Then when I was strong enough to get in and out of the tub I sat in the water and splashed around. Had I allowed myself to lie back and soak up the warmth of the water, I could have caused an infection at the site where the tube came out. I was on antibiotics the whole time the tubes were in, but the risk was still too great. But as of today those worries are over, and boy did that first bath feel good!

On one hand I couldn't wait to get the drain out. But I was dreading it at the same time. The second drain reluctantly and painfully came out 2 1/2 weeks ago. I thought that after nearly seven weeks, this last drain would surely put up a fight. However, I was pleasantly surprised. As the doc pulled it out, I felt a tug, but didn't feel any of the pain of the last one. As usual, she told me to breathe out as she pulled. I was working on my second breath, awaiting the pain when she said, "That's it, you're done." So there's yet another reason to give thanks!

Along with getting out the final drain, I also had my last fill up. I've decided to stop at 460cc in each expander. Each fill up was becoming more and more uncomfortable. My doc said that with this 460cc I could have a 400cc implant, which I think is comparable to a B cup. That's three sizes down from what I used to be, but DOWN is the key, and hanging DOWN is where I don't want to be. Two Bs on the chest beat double Ds on the belly any day!

Another benefit to being drainless is that bras are no longer a necessity. But believe it or not, it's going to take a period of adjustment to get used to this newfound freedom. I'm such a creature of habit. It just feels weird to have my clothing rub against the skin my bra used to cover. Is that silly or what?! If I do decide to wear bras again, you can bet I won't choose the torture device known as underwire. Bras are meant for support, but according to my doc, sag is not in my future.

"Not even when I'm 90?" I asked. "Maybe a little," she responded. Hmmm. I like that thought!

I had the opportunity to share stories with other cancer survivors at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life in Parker last Friday. The Relay has been happening around the country for years, but this was the first time for Parker, and first time for me. What an event it was. It started with about 40 cancer survivors doing a lap around a track. That was followed by several teams who walked/ran through the night to raise money for cancer research.

It was emotional. The survivors wore t-shirts that said "I AM HERE" on the back. At the end of the survivor lap, there were lots of hugs for the "I am here" group. Thank goodness for the research that is being done to allow so many to beat the odds, and how grateful I am to be among that group. I AM HERE!!! And as long as God continues to give me breath, I am going to make the best of the life that I have left.

Another emotional part of the relay was the luminaries. It was windy, so I didn't get to see them all up and lit, but I was told there were hundreds. Each luminary represented a survivor, a person who was fighting cancer, or one who had died of cancer. I got one for my brother-in-law who is fighting a brain tumor, and another in memory of my aunt who died from pancreatic cancer last March. They are the most recent family members with the disease. My mom is a 17-year survivor of breast cancer, my dad a two-year survivor of colon cancer. And I have another aunt who dealt with and survived the disease from a few years ago. And that doesn't count other friends, and family members of other friends I know.

Cancer is a disease running rampant. Thankfully treatments continue to improve. But wouldn't it be nice if researchers could find out exactly what causes it, and find a way to prevent it?! Someday that dream will be a reality. Someday.

For now, the best we can do is early detection. So, are you getting to know your breasts?

Until next time ...

Pam Daale
The Happy Former Cancer Patient

You can e-mail Pam Daale at Pam_Daale@TheDenverChannel.com.