Jacque, unless your computer or interface is different, it's easy to see the number of posts on a thread. Are you looking in the right place? It's the number second from the right when you are in a forum. The number is in blue. True, the word "replies" is hard to see, but you don't need to see that. Perhaps just knowing that that is what that number means is the problem you're indicating, eh?
Anyhow, hope you understand now. Best of everything!