What's your level of pain: 1 to 10?

I think it's kind of funny when the nurses ask me that. I never know what to say but I've learned that if I say "5" they'll give more pain meds.

To me a 10 on the pain scale was when I ripped part of my big toenail off after hitting it with a door. Or when the patient care assistant pulled on my drain tube after my mastectomy.

The radiated/burned armpit ranked about an 8. So with this most recent surgery the pain has been almost as bad as the armpit but not even close to the toenail. So I guess I'd give it a 6 or 7...;-)